Words: Caine Blackthorn
Spinal Tap II The End Continues turns the amps up to 11 in 2025, reuniting Nigel, David, and Derek for one last absurd encore. Forty one years after This Is Spinal Tap debuted, the long awaited sequel finally drops. Spinal Tap II: The End Continues. Directed by Rob Reiner and co written with Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer, this mockumentary returns with a vengeance, complete with aging rockers, absurd cameos, and all the cheese you can handle.
A Brief History: How Tap Turned Up to Eleven
Back in 1984, This Is Spinal Tap skewered hair metal clichés and unintentionally launched the mockumentary genre. The improvised performances and “these go to eleven” amplifier gag became comedy legends. Over decades, the imaginary band released Break Like the Wind (1992), appeared on The Simpsons, and played real stages like Glastonbury and Live Earth.
The Sequel: What’s New in The End Continues
In May 2022, Reiner finally greenlit the sequel after years of “nah”s. Filming began in New Orleans in March 2024, with a $22.6M budget before tax incentives. The trailer premiered at San Diego Comic‑Con in July 2025.
Plot & Cast Highlights
Nigel Tufnel (Guest), David St. Hubbins (McKean), and Derek Smalls (Shearer) are scattered across humdrum careers with cheese making, mariachi, crypto promos, and pub gigs. But they reunite, reluctantly for one final show in New Orleans. The pressure mounts when they realize they need a twelfth drummer. Their eleventh drummer “sneezed himself into oblivion,” and Questlove declines the gig with a dry “I don’t want to die”.
Spinal Tap Drops New Album Alongside Sequel
Spinal Tap isn’t just turning the amps up for the big screen, there’s new music coming too. Interscope Records will be including a remastered vinyl release of their 1992 album Break Like The Wind. The band is also releasing a brand new album in 2025 via Interscope Records to coincide with the film’s premiere. Among the fresh tracks is a Derek Smalls composition titled “Rockin’ In The Urn.”
Fans can also expect legendary guest appearances, including Paul McCartney and Elton John, who lend their iconic touch to the record. Other cameos include Metallica‘s Lars Ulrich, Garth Brooks, and Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Chad Smith. This marks Spinal Tap’s first full-length release since 1992’s Break Like the Wind, proving the band still knows how to rock… and roll… and roll some more.
Celebrity Cameos & Running Gags
The trailer teases appearances from music royalty. Paul McCartney praises “Big Bottom,” Elton John rocks their “Stonehenge” riff, and Questlove delivers the ultimate drum audition. Fran Drescher (Bobbi Flekman), Paul Shaffer, Trisha Yearwood, Garth Brooks, and Lars Ulrich round out the guest list with Shaffer’s original promo role and Drescher returning as publicist Bobbi.
Spinal Tap Trivia That Turns It Up to 11
1. The Original Mockumentary Was Almost a Flop
When This Is Spinal Tap debuted in 1984, critics loved it—but audiences didn’t know what to make of it. The film barely broke even in theaters but went on to become one of the most influential comedies in history.
2. “These Go to Eleven” Is in the Dictionary
That iconic amplifier joke from the original movie—“These go to eleven”—is now officially listed in the Oxford English Dictionary as a phrase meaning “to take something to the extreme.”
3. Spinal Tap Played REAL Shows
Unlike most fictional bands, Spinal Tap actually hit the road, performing at massive events like Live Earth in 2007 and even releasing real albums, including Break Like the Wind in 1992.
4. The Drummer Curse Continues
The sequel stays true to Spinal Tap tradition with yet another drummer catastrophe. According to Rob Reiner, one dies in a completely absurd new way—but no spoilers here.
5. Real Rock Legends Said Yes
Paul McCartney, Elton John, and Questlove didn’t hesitate to cameo in The End Continues. Even Lars Ulrich shows up, proving that metal royalty still bows to the Tap.
6. Nearly all dialogue is improvised, just like the original classic. Reiner had upheld a no‑sequel policy for decades, but reclaimed rights and fresh creative energy finally changed his mind. The imaginary band’s history is absurdly real, Live shows, albums, and massive cult appeal.
Release Date You Should Bookmark
U.S. & U.K. Premiere: September 12, 2025 Australia: September 25, 2025 Mark your calendars, this will be the most hilarious band comeback in cinematic history.
Why It Matters (Hint: Nostalgia Plus Laughs)
The original Spinal Tap is beloved not just by fans, but by musicians because it’s dead on satire. Critics and artists are still quoting the film to this day. Reuniting the original filmmakers and adding modern celebrity cameos gives the sequel both heart and fresh appeal
Check Out Our Tribute To Ozzy Osbourne Here:
For the full official trailer release coverage, visit The Guardian.
FOLLOW SPINAL TAP ONLINE
