Spinal tap 2

peteeeed

After relaunching its film division last October, Castle Rock Entertainment has set a first project out of the gate that will have a familiar ring. It’s Spinal Tap II, a sequel to the fabled rock mockumentary that set the film company on a run of hits, many of them directed by Rob Reiner. He made his directorial debut on the 1984 cult classic This Is Spinal Tap.

Reiner will direct the sequel and return as filmmaker Marty DiBergi. Also back are David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer), and Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), the nucleus of England’s loudest and sauciest heavy metal band.

Deadline caught up with Reiner, and here is how he described the ambition: “The plan is to do a sequel that comes out on the 40th anniversary of the original film and I can tell you hardly a day goes by without someone saying, why don’t you do another one? For so many years, we said, ‘nah.’ It wasn’t until we came up with the right idea how to do this. 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.”

The three members, who wrote the music and lyrics — some with Reiner — for standards like Smell the Glove, Hell Hole, Big Bottom and Lick My Love Pump, have in the past toured as the band, though not recently.

“They’ve played Albert Hall, played Wembley Stadium, all over the country and in Europe,” Reiner said. “They haven’t spent any time together recently, and that became the premise. The idea was that Ian Faith, who was their manager, he passed away. In reality, Tony Hendra passed away. 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.”

https://deadline.com/2022/05/spinal-tap-sequel-rob-reiner-michael-mckean-christopher-guest-harry-shearer-back-1235022317/

artvanderlay

From the Rob Reiner interview: “I’m back playing Marty DiBergi,” he said. “The band was upset with the first film. They thought I did a hatchet job and this is a chance to redeem myself. I am such a big fan and I felt bad they didn’t like what they saw in the first film. When I heard they might get back together, I was a visiting adjunct teacher’s helper at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts. I drop everything to document this final concert.”

:)

speedboatchase

Every single sequel to a comedy classic has been terrible: Anchorman, Airplane, The Hangover, Coming to America, Beverly Hills Cop, Dumb n Dumber, Zoolander, Ghostbusters, The Blues Brothers.

This will be BAD.

Tony EH

This shouldn't happen.

~Rebel~

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119072965#Comment_119072965

This is a different type of film though... Borat 2 showed how the doc-style can be done as a very effective sequel.

Odds are it'll be a let down because the original is so incredible, but there's always hope.

(On the broader idea of comedy sequels always being failures - I love Addams Family Values, and the total insanity that is Gremlins 2! 22 Jump Street did a really good job of pointing out the usual pitfalls of sequels, and jumping over them.)

pixelburp

Spaceballs 2: the search for more money.

This is a terrible idea, and sure does stink of some kind of desperation move. "If we don't, we lose the copyright".

Big Gerry

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119072965#Comment_119072965

Home Alone 2 wasn't bad.

Spon Farmer

The Spinal Tap gang have done other mockumentaries that are funny as hell.

No reason to be negative about this news.

TheIrishGrover

There is potential (The general setup is fun) but........ I don't know. Tap was everyone at their peak. It went under the radar. Most people saw it on VHS/DVD due to word-of-mouth recommendation (Or getting few up of seeing "This goes up to 11" everywhere. Even BBC website videos go up to 11. Or did). This will be hyped up and promoted heavily and studio looking for a lot of money. All of which could mean studio interferance.

I hope I am wrong of course.

I'm just glad I got to see them live :)

riffmongous

"Gimme some money"

I'm never too bothered by sequels or reboots though, I'll just wait and see some reviews like any other movie and then if it sucks, well it's not my money they've lost and on the slim chance that it's good, well great.

pixelburp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119076993#Comment_119076993

Indeed they have, but going back to the well doesn't always yield great results; people move on, explore new avenues or projects and going back to a door previously closed can be an odd one. I'd not classify my own thoughts negative, more guarded and sceptical this will be a patch on the original Spinal Tap.

One Who Waits...

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119072983#Comment_119072983

Couldn't agree more. No way a sequel could ever even come close to the original. I can already see them trying to shoehorn in something along the lines of "but these go to 12".

Spon Farmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119079497#Comment_119079497

they did move on to other things for a few decades.

Maybe they feel they have good story to tell

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119079547#Comment_119079547

Oh god...

You've just ruined my night.

artvanderlay

Probably will be bad, given that they are all quite old now, but I'd still rather have this sequel than not have it, just to see what them come up with. Michael McKean and Harry Shearer are still pretty sharp, not sure about Rob and Christopher though. Despite these reservations, my prediction is that there won't be a dry seat in the house when they appear on stage together again.

Ash.J.Williams

it will be amazing

Stone Deaf 4evr

This news has me like....

johnny_ultimate

The three leads are still funny and smart enough people that the prospect of ‘old Spinal Tap’ doesn’t immediately fill me with dread.

The cause for concern would be Reiner if he’s directing, as he hasn’t made a good film since the late 80s or early 90s (depending on how generous you’re feeling with your definition of ‘good’).

pixelburp

Plus, it's not like there isn't a known and established phenomenon of old rockers and bands traipsing around the globe off the back of nostalgic yearnings from their also grey haired fans. The Stones maybe the most famous but they're all at it these days. You play til your dead.

Heck, were they real, Spinal Tap could very well be touring in this modern music climate, their Popularity renewed - maybe through a track appearing on Stranger Things or somesuch. So the ground is there for a good satirical script.

But yeah, Rob Reiner hasn't directed in donkeys. I know him more these days for the odd acting role like in New Girl.

DrumSteve

I'm not exactly filled with dread as the 3 leads are very smart lads who I've no doubt will come up with something.

But this film does not need to be made... The original is a classic and captured lightning in a bottle. And anyone seeing this will need to have seen the original tbh.

silliussoddius

I think this could work/not be completely and utterly terrible. After this long it's not as if they are doing a quick cash in. With the uptick in manufactured/production line music, me too and tik tok etc. there is good potential.

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119089309#Comment_119089309

"Dread" is not something I would be filled with either. But the precedent for sequels decades after the original was released isn't grounds for enthusiasm either.

In fact, of the top of my head, the only sequel of that type that has been genuinely a good accompaniment to an original work was 'Blade Runner 2049'. But that have Villeneuve at the helm. And Rob Reiner is no Denis Villeneuve.

artvanderlay

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119091523#Comment_119091523

And Villeneuve is no Rob Reiner. He made two of the greatest comedies of all time - When Harry Met Sally and Spinal Tap - and given that comedy is such a notoriously difficult genre to pull off, he deserves respect. He has also made plenty of other entertaining movies too - princess bride, stand by me, misery - whereas Villeneuve bores me senseless. A lot of style over substance. Visually impressive but ultimately unsatisfying.

Tony EH

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119100248#Comment_119100248

I was being a little bit facetious there. In fact, Reiner has made one of my favourite films of the 80's with 'Stand By Me' and has helmed a couple of good movies elsewhere. I recently rewatched and enjoyed 'A Few Good Men' and after 'The Mist', 'Misery' is probably the adaptation of a Stephen King novel. But his filmography is littered with a real dose of meh. Plus he also made 'North', which was just...

On the other hand what I've seen of Villeneuve, from 'Polytechnique' to 'Dune', has been generally very good and I don't share your opinion on his ability to bore. in fact, I find a lot more "boring" in Reiner's output than Villeneuve's.

artvanderlay

It was facetious comparing Reiner to Villeneuve on a Spinal Tap thread. I'm glad you acknowledged that at least :)

jo187

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119075015#Comment_119075015

I think more so when there is a gap of 20-30 years the magic seems to go.

Dumb and dumber 2, Blues brothers 2 etc

peteeeed

i think there's enough bands in their 70's touring the world to rip on for it to be decent but the original is up there with the best comedies of all time , there is a short film about their trip to the actual stonehenge when they played glastonbury about 10 years ago that was funny .

the follow up movies that christopher guest did were mostly excellent

Spon Farmer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119100722#Comment_119100722

Best in Show is priceless