Turn It Up to 11: Rob Reiner Says ‘Spinal Tap 2’ Will Honor the First Film

The 1984 mockumentary This is Spinal Tap might be one of the most quoted films of the 1980s. (“These go to 11.” “None more black.” “Puppet show and Spinal Tap.”) Fans should get ready for a whole new batch of quotable lines, as we now have more information on the Spinal Tap sequel, Spinal Tap 2, coming in 2024.

The film couldn’t be made without the original cast, of course. The 1984 original was Rob Reiner’s directorial debut, and he’ll be back directing and playing filmmaker Marty DiBergi. Michael McKean, Harry Shearer and Christopher Guest will also return as band members David St. Hubbins, Derek Smalls and Nigel Tufnel.

“The plan is to do a sequel that comes out on the 40th anniversary of the original film,” Reiner told Deadline, adding that for years he rejected pressure to do a sequel, waiting for the right idea. “You don’t want to just do it, to do it. You want to honor the first one and push it a little further with the story.”

Now, Reiner thinks he has the right idea.

“The idea was that Ian Faith, who was their manager, he passed away. In reality, Tony Hendra (who played Ian Faith in the first movie) passed away,” Reiner said. “Ian’s widow inherited a contract that said Spinal Tap owed them one more concert. She was basically going to sue them if they didn’t. All these years and a lot of bad blood we’ll get into and they’re thrown back together and forced to deal with each other and play this concert.”

And the band isn’t pleased with Reiner’s character, Di Bergi. 

“The band was upset with the first film,” Reiner relates. “They thought I did a hatchet job and this is a chance to redeem myself.”

The sequel is set to come out on March 19, 2024, which is 40 years to the month after the first film.