This sequel goes to 11! Rob Reiner to direct Spinal Tap II

Almost four decades ago, This Is Spinal Tap confirmed the titular, and fictional, metal act's place in rock history as one of Britain's loudest bands. Now, filmmaker Rob Reiner has announced that he will direct a sequel to his beloved 1984 mockumentary.

Spinal Tap II will once again star Michael McKean as band frontman David St. Hubbins, Christopher Guest as guitarist Nigel Tufnel, and Harry Shearer as bassist Derek Smalls while Reiner himself will reprise the role of documentarian Marty DiBergi.

"When it was announced that Spinal Tap would reunite for one final concert, Marty DiBergi saw this as a chance to make things right with the band who viewed This Is Spinal Tap as a hatchet job," said Reiner in a statement. "So he left his position as visiting adjunct teacher's assistant at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts in pursuit of film history."

Everett Collection This is Spinal Tap

Guest, McKean, Reiner, and Shearer will conceive the new film. Frank Marshall will produce, and Castle Rock will finance the project.

The original movie tracked Spinal Tap on the group's disastrous tour of America in support of the the album Smell the Glove. This is Spinal Tap was not a big hit on its initial release but rapidly acquired a cult following, particularly among musicians, and over time has come to be regarded as a bona fide comedy classic. Guest, McKean, and Shearer have periodically reunited to play live as Spinal Tap and to record 1992's Break Like the Wind and 2009's Back from the Dead. The film's cast also included June Chadwick, Bruno Kirby, Ed Begley Jr., Fran Drescher, Patrick Macnee, Ian Hendry, Dana Carvey, Billy Crystal, Paul Shaffer, and Fred Willard.

This Is Spinal Tap is screening at the Cannes Film Festival as a part of the Cinema de la Plage sidebar on May 18.

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