Everybody’s favorite fictional band is back on the big screen and they’re joined by rock legends in the mockumentary sequel Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.

More than four decades after the cult classic This Is Spinal Tap, fictional heavy metal legends and estranged bandmates David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer) reluctantly reunite for one last concert. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues also brings back filmmaker Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner), who once again documents the band’s chaotic journey as they confront aging, past feuds, and the eternal curse of drummers who don’t make it to the encore. With guest appearances from Paul McCartney and Elton John, the mockumentary sequel finds the group wrestling with their troubled history while hoping to cement their legacy in the rock ’n’ roll hall of fame—before time finally runs out.

The original 1984 mockumentary only found modest success in theaters, earning $5.8 million against a $2 million budget, but grew a cult following on VHS. Now considered one of the greatest comedies ever made, it ranked 29th on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Laughs list in 2000. Legal rights and royalty disputes long stalled a sequel, with development on Spinal Tap II moving forward only after a lawsuit was resolved. In today’s Hollywood climate of endless reboots and sequels, it was perhaps inevitable that the band’s misadventures would hit the big screen once again.

In Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, the plot centers on a reunion concert of the estranged bandmates. Hope Faith (Kerry Godliman), daughter of late manager Ian Faith, inherits a contract calling for one final show. DiBergi takes on the task of tracking down David, Nigel, and Derek while catching audiences up on their lives since the first film. Relocating the action to New Orleans provides the venue—an arena suddenly available after a canceled Stormy Daniels gig—where the reunion finally begins to take shape.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues features the return of familiar faces, including manager Bobbi Flekman (Fran Drescher) and PR man Artie Fufkin (Paul Shaffer), but they are no longer working with the bnd. David’s wife Jeanine (June Chadwick) has shockingly become a nun, while archival footage from the original film is used where necessary. Their new concert promoter, Simon Howler (Chris Addison), proves hilariously unfit for the job. He has no ear for music but this only adds to the film’s comedy aspects.

One running gag revolves around the band’s disastrous history with drummers. Given the history, who would want to drum for Spinal Tap? Their search for a new one includes brief cameos by Questlove, Chad Smith, and Lars Ulrich, before they ultimately settle on Didi Crockett (Valerie Franco), who pays tribute to some of the original drummers. The band also adds CJ “Caucasian Jeff” Vanston on keyboards as original keyboardist David Kaff did not return as Viv Savage, having left Spinal Tap after its SNL appearance in 1984.

The highlights come when music legends join the fun. Paul McCartney pops in for a jam session of “Cups and Cakes,” offering guidance the band predictably ignores. Elton John later appears for rehearsal and shares the stage during the big concert. True to Spinal Tap form, things spiral out of control by the end. While Spinal Tap II: The End Continues brings heavy nostalgia and a parade of cameos, the sequel struggles to match the inspired brilliance that made the original a classic.

DIRECTOR: Rob Reiner
SCREENWRITERS: Christopher Guest & Michael McKean & Rob Reiner & Harry Shearer
CAST: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Rob Reiner, Harry Shearer, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, Questlove, Chad Smith, Lars Ulrich, Fran Drescher, Paul Shaffer, Valerie Franco, CJ Vanston, Chris Addison, Kerry Godliman, June Chadwick, John Michael Higgins, Nina Conti, Kathreen Khavari, Don Lake, Griffin Matthews, Jason Acuña, Jean Cromie Smith, Brad Williams, David Furnish

Bleecker Street released Spinal Tap II: The End Continues in theaters on September 12, 2025. Grade: 3/5

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