‘This Is Spinal Tap 2’ Is Officially Coming out in September

Get ready to crank your amplifiers all the way up to 11 again as one of cinema’s most beloved fictional rock bands prepares for their encore performance.

The long-awaited sequel to the 1984 mockumentary has secured distribution through Bleecker Street, which has acquired U.S. rights to both the original This Is Spinal Tap and its follow-up, officially titled Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The distribution company has scheduled a nationwide theatrical release for Sept. 12, perfectly timed to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the landmark comedy.

Original director Rob Reiner returns to helm the project and will reprise his role as documentarian Martin “Marty” DiBergi. The narrative follows the fictional English heavy metal outfit as they reassemble after a 15-year hiatus for what’s billed as their final concert appearance, THR reports.

In welcome news for devotees of the original film, the core band members will all return, with Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer stepping back into their roles as lead guitarist Nigel Tufnel, vocalist David St. Hubbins, and bassist Derek Smalls, respectively. The trio has occasionally performed live as Spinal Tap over the decades since the first film’s release, including appearances at the Glastonbury Festival and Live Earth concerts.

The sequel boasts an impressive roster of musical legends making cameo appearances, including Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Elton John, and country music power couple Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. Additional cast members include Paul Shaffer, Fran Drescher (who appeared in the original film as record executive Bobbi Flekman), Don Lake, John Michael Higgins, and comedians Nina Conti, Kerry Godliman, and Chris Addison.

A recently released teaser trailer references one of the original film’s most iconic jokes, showing amplifier dials being turned beyond their maximum setting to the fictional band’s signature “11” position.

Bleecker Street executives Andrew Karpen and Kent Sanderson expressed their enthusiasm for the project in a joint statement: “We feel privileged for the opportunity to work with Rob Reiner and the brilliant minds behind the original This Is Spinal Tap, and to be part of a film that has resonated with so many.” They added, “This Is Spinal Tap isn’t just a movie — it’s a cultural touchstone that pioneered the mockumentary genre and left an indelible mark on both film and music.”

The original This Is Spinal Tap has achieved cultural recognition since its release, being selected for preservation by the National Film Registry in 2002 and designated “culturally, historically and aesthetically significant” by the U.S. Library of Congress.

In addition to the sequel’s release, Bleecker Street plans to distribute a restored version of the original film in theaters this summer, followed by digital and streaming availability.

Reiner, whose directorial career following Spinal Tap includes classics like Stand By Me, The Princess Bride, When Harry Met Sally, and A Few Good Men, told Deadline previously that the sequel came about only after finding “the right idea.” He explained, “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.”