DRUMMERS LARS ULRICH & CHAD SMITH JOIN ‘THIS IS SPINAL TAP’ SEQUEL

The drummers join a stacked cast that also includes Fran Drescher, Paul McCartney, Questlove, Elton John and more.

The much anticipated sequel to 80s mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap has announced a bunch of new cast members today, including legendary drummers Lars Ulrich and Chad Smith. The Metallica and Red Hot Chili Peppers stickmen will do their best to beat the drummer’s curse in the Rob Riener-directed flick.

As reported by Deadline, Ulrich and Smith are just two of the new names added to the film that also include Fran Drescher, who will be reprising her role from the 1984 original as publicist Bobbi Flekman. Joining Drescher will be Don Lake, Nina Conti, John Michael Higgins, Griffin Matthews, Jason Acuña, Chris Addison, Brad Williams and Paul Shaffer.

Deadline also reports production on the film is already underway in New Orleans, with original cast members Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer getting the band back together and reprising their roles as Nigel Tufnel, David St. Hubbins and Derek Smalls. Riener will also be coming back as Marty DiBergi, the character who filmed the band in the cult classic.

Musicians such as Elton John, Paul McCartney, Questlove, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood will all be making cameos in the movie, which is currently filming under the title Goodbye, Cleveland, a reference to a scene from the original This Is Spinal Tap.

Plot details are scarce, but it’s believed the film will centre on the rock act reforming after a 15-year hiatus for one final gig.

“I recently spoke to Marty DiBergi who said that he was more than happy to take a sabbatical from his position as a visiting Professor's Assistant at the Ed Wood School of Cinematic Arts to once again document SPINAL TAP to ensure their place in the pantheon of rock and roll,” Reiner said in a statement about the film.

There is no release date for the This Is Spinal Tap sequel, with early 2025 most likely.