Latest news with #MichaelMcKean
News.com.au
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
First hilarious look at movie sequel fans have waited 40 years for
'Tis the year for long, long-awaited comedy sequels. With the next instalment in the Naked Gun franchise about to hit cinemas – 31 years after the last film in the series came out – now comes a film fans have waited even longer for: A sequel to the 1985 comedy classic This Is Spinal Tap. The first trailer for Spinal Tap II: The End Continues was released today - check it out in the video player above. The original musical spoof pioneered the mockumentary genre, starring Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer as members of the titular hard rock act. It was the first outing in a genre Guest would master, with follow-up mockumentaries like Waiting For Guffman, Best In Show and A Mighty Wind considered some of the funniest films of all time. This new sequel reunites the trio with director Rob Reiner, and sees the members of Spinal Tap team up again for one final concert. As the trailer reveals, all three have fallen on hard times: Nigel Tufnel plays tiny pub gigs, David St. Hubbins is the least-convincing member of a Mexican mariachi band and Derek Smalls has resorted to hawking cryptocurrency online. As the trio prepare to reunite for one last show, one young PR hack has a suggestion to get them maximum publicity: Would one – or preferably two – members of the band be prepared to die mid-show? That would really g enerate some press. The new film also boasts celeb cameos from the likes of Elton John, Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, Questlove, and more. While the original film wasn't a huge box office success upon release – grossing $US5.8m in America against a $US2m budget – it became one of the best-loved (and most oft-quoted) comedy films in modern cinema.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Spinal Tap II: The End Continues': Everything to know about the mockumentary sequel as first-look images revealed
As the gentlemen of Spinal Tap surely know, it can take a while to find your back to the stage. In the case of their long-awaited sequel, it's been more than 40 years since Michael McKean, Christopher Guest, and Harry Shearer starred as "one of England's loudest bands." But that wait will soon be over. More from Gold Derby 2025 Emmys: These are the episodes every Best Drama Guest Actress/Actor submitted Selena Gomez, Martin Short, and Steve Martin in first look at Season 5 of 'Only Murders in the Building': Everything to know Hot off a rerelease earlier this month, the band is gearing up for Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, and now first-look images have debuted, teasing the band's big reunion and at least one of the special guests joining them. For everything you need to know about Spinal Tap II, as well as the first images, rock read on! Who's in it? The End Continues brings the core trio of McKean, Guest, and Shearer back together as David St. Hubbins, Nigel Tufnel, and Derek Smalls, respectively. Also returning from This Is Spinal Tap is Fran Drescher as Bobbi Flekman and Rob Reiner as Marty DiBergi. Spinal Tap II will also have a handful of major music cameos from stars such as Elton John (seen in one of the unveiled photos), Paul McCartney, and Garth Brooks. Who's directing? Speaking of Reiner, in addition to reprising his on-screen role, he's also back behind the camera as director. The film will be Reiner's first narrative feature as director since 2017's Shock and Awe, starring Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, and James Marsden. What's it about? The sequel will see the band forced back together for one last epic rock show. Whether the size of the on-stage Stonehenge has changed at all is TBD. When does it come out? Spinal Tap II: The End Continues will release in theaters on Sept. 12. Is the original available to watch? Thankfully, yes, and that hasn't always been the case. As a movie with a notoriously complicated rights history, This Is Spinal Tap is finally readily available to buy digitally. But fans of physical media will want to mark Sept. 16 on their calendars. That's when the Criterion Collection's new UHD 4K and Blu-ray hits shelves, replete with special features. Best of Gold Derby Everything to know about 'The Batman 2': Returning cast, script finalized Tom Cruise movies: 17 greatest films ranked worst to best 'It was wonderful to be on that ride': Christian Slater talks his beloved roles, from cult classics ('Heathers,' 'True Romance') to TV hits ('Mr. Robot,' 'Dexter: Original Sin') Click here to read the full article. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Look: Spinal Tap rocks with Elton John in 'Spinal Tap 2' pics
July 23 (UPI) -- Bleecker Street released three photos from the upcoming Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues on Wednesday. The film opens September 12. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer return as the heavy metal band from the 1984 comedy This Is Spinal Tap. Fictional filmmaker Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) chronicles their final performance. In real life, Reiner directed both Spinal Tap movies. One photo for the sequel shows Elton John joining the band at the piano. John performed his own farewell tour in 2023. The sequel also features a cameo from Paul McCartney. The group announced the follow-up movie in 2022 and released a teaser in March. The original This Is Spinal Tap re-released in theaters this month. UPI revisited This Is Spinal Tap upon its re-release and found it still relevant to the history of music. Also, there were a lot more jokes than the memorable amp that goes up to 11. The running joke about Spinal Tap's drummers dying continues as they have their 12th drummer in the sequel. Solve the daily Crossword
UPI
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- UPI
Look: Spinal Tap rocks with Elton John in 'Spinal Tap 2' pics
1 of 5 | From left, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest and Rob Reiner return in "Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues," in theaters Sept. 12. Photo courtesy of Bleecker Street & Authorized Spinal Tap LLC July 23 (UPI) -- Bleecker Street released three photos from the upcoming Spinal Tap 2: The End Continues on Wednesday. The film opens September 12. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer return as the heavy metal band from the 1984 comedy This Is Spinal Tap. Fictional filmmaker Marty DiBergi (Rob Reiner) chronicles their final performance. In real life, Reiner directed both Spinal Tap movies. One photo for the sequel shows Elton John joining the band at the piano. John performed his own farewell tour in 2023. The sequel also features a cameo from Paul McCartney. The group announced the follow-up movie in 2022 and released a teaser in March. The original This Is Spinal Tap re-released in theaters this month. UPI revisited This Is Spinal Tap upon its re-release and found it still relevant to the history of music. Also, there were a lot more jokes than the memorable amp that goes up to 11. The running joke about Spinal Tap's drummers dying continues as they have their 12th drummer in the sequel.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Spinal Tap Offers Bold ‘Promise' Amid Coldplay Jumbotron Scandal
Spinal Tap Offers Bold 'Promise' Amid Coldplay Jumbotron Scandal originally appeared on Parade. Spinal Tap is back and they're tapping into one of the buzziest viral moments of the week. The fictional classic rock band issued a bold take after two people were spotted together in an embrace on the video screen at a Coldplay concert, speaking directly to 'the spouses' of the people in the video in a humorous attempt to comfort them. 🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 'To the spouses who found out they were being cheated on via the Coldplay jumbotron: sorry to hear that. Come see Spinal Tap. We promise no jumbotrons, just ear damage and emotional closure,' they wrote, along with a photo of the alleged cheating couple, in a post on X on July 17. In true Tap fashion, some fans offered comments aligned with the fictional band's sense of humor. 'Do you think he sunk her with his pink torpedo?' one wrote. 'Plus the healing aura of the 18 inch Stonehenge,' another posted, referring to the scene in the 1984 film in which the band's tribute to the English landmark turns out all wrong. 'Last time I saw you guys a puppet show got top billing. Can you at least guarantee you guys will be the headliner?' another fan commented, referring to another scene in the original film. 'Or emotional damage and ear closure,' another fan posted, along with a GIF from the film featuring Michael McKean and Christopher Guest as their characters David St. Hubbins and Nigel Tufnel, respectively, with the words from the film, 'It's such a fine line between stupid and clever.'Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, the long-awaited sequel to the 1984 film This Is Spinal Tap, is scheduled for a Sept. 12 release. It reunites Guest and McKean as well as Harry Shearer as Spinal Tap band member Derek Smalls, Rob Reiner as documentarian Martin 'Marty' Di Bergi, and Fran Drescher as publicist Bobbi Flekman. The plot of the new mockumentary has the band reuniting after 15 years for one final show. Spinal Tap Offers Bold 'Promise' Amid Coldplay Jumbotron Scandal first appeared on Parade on Jul 18, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 18, 2025, where it first appeared. Solve the daily Crossword
