Rob Reiner is turning it up to 11. Again.
The director is returning for a sequel to cult comedy This Is Spinal Tap with original stars Michael McKean, Christopher Guest and Harry Shearer also reprising their roles as the fictional English heavy metal band. In addition to directing, Reiner will reprise his onscreen role as documentarian Martin “Marty” DeBergi.
The sequel to the 1984 rock mockumentary will launch sales at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival and is planning an early 2024 release, tied to the 40-year anniversary of the original. This Is Spinal Tap will screen at the Cannes Film Festival as a part of the Cinema de la Plage sidebar.
“When it was announced that Spinal Tap would reunite for one final concert, Marty DeBergi saw this as a chance to make things right with the band who viewed This is Spinal Tap as a hatchet job. So he left his position as visiting adjunct teacher’s assistant at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts in pursuit of film history,” said Reiner.
The project will also feature the appearances of real-life performers, who will be announced at a later date.
Castle Rock Entertainment, having relaunched with a $175 million film fund under CEO Reiner, is behind the project, which is being conceived of by Guest, McKean, Reiner and Shearer. Frank Marshall will produce, and Castle Rock will finance with Matthew George, Jonathan Fuhrman and Hernan Narea serving as executive producers.
CAA Media Finance is handling worldwide sales and introducing the film at the upcoming Cannes.