Teaser released for Spinal Tap II as Elton John confirmed for cameo
By Charlotte McLaughlin, PA Senior Entertainment Reporter
A teaser has been released for Spinal Tap II: The End Continues as singer-songwriters Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney are confirmed to be joining the rock mockumentary sequel.
The brief clip shows an amp being set to maximum as the release date is revealed as September.
The sequel to the 1984 cult film This Is Spinal Tap will see British-US actor Christopher Guest and US stars Michael McKean and Harry Shearer reunite with director Rob Reiner.
A teaser said the film will turn it “up to 11″ and added that Sir Elton, Sir Paul and US country singers Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will make cameo appearances.
The number 11 is a reference to Nigel Tufnel (Guest) – the guitarist in “one of England’s loudest bands” – showing off in the original film that his amp goes higher the standard top setting of 10.
Also appearing will be Canadian singer Paul Shaffer, The Nanny star Fran Drescher and British comedians Nina Conti, Kerry Godliman and Chris Addison.
McKean plays lead singer David St Hubbins, Shearer is bassist Derek Smalls and Reiner was the original film’s documentarian Martin “Marty” DiBergi.
In the original, Drescher played Bobbi Flekman of Polymer Records, who criticised the band’s album cover for being “sexist”, while Shaffer was Artie Fufkin, also of the label.
The 1984 film poked fun at heavy rock bands for their backstage antics, ridiculous outfits and serious musicians, and was critically acclaimed for skewering the genre.
Nearly a decade ago, Reiner and the actors sued French media group Vivendi and its subsidiary StudioCanal for hundreds of millions of pounds over claims that the studio withheld profits from the film, its music and its merchandise.
They reportedly settled the lawsuit in 2020.
Spinal Tap have briefly performed as a real band, reuniting for a tribute to Freddie Mercury, Glastonbury and environmental Live Earth concerts.
In 2009, the mock group were nominated for Classic Rock magazine’s Roll of Honour.
Reiner has also directed The Princess Bride and A Few Good Men, both featuring Guest, and When Harry Met Sally.
McKean and Guest worked together on comedy films Best In Show, For Your Consideration and A Mighty Wind, as well as Chris O’Dowd-starring BBC show Family Tree, which had mockumentary and spoof elements.