Spinal Tap II: The End Continues – HBO Max Release Date & Details

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues is finally coming to HBO Max next month. Directed by Rob Reiner as a sequel to his 1984 cult classic, This Is Spinal Tap, the new mockumentary comedy was released in theaters on September 12.

Now, two months later, Warner Bros. has officially announced that Spinal Tap II: The End Continues is coming to HBO Max on December 12, along with the original movie, This Is Spinal Tap (1984). The sequel has been available to buy or rent on digital platforms since September 30, and was also released on Blu-ray on November 11.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues follows the titular fictional heavy metal band 40 years later as they reunite for one final show. The cast includes Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Harry Shearer reprising their roles as members of the band, alongside Rob Reiner as documentary filmmaker Marty Di Bergi. All four are credited as writers, as the film was only loosely scripted and largely improvised by the actors.

Additional cast members include Valerie Franco, C.J. Vanston, Fran Drescher, Don Lake, John Michael Higgins, Nina Conti, Griffin Matthews, Kerry Godliman, Chris Addison, Jason Acuña (Wee Man), Brad Williams, Paul Shaffer, June Chadwick, and Kathreen Khavari. Spinal Tap II‘s cameos include Paul McCartney, Elton John, Garth Brooks, Questlove, Trisha Yearwood, Chad Smith, and Lars Ulrich, all appearing as themselves.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues received mixed reviews from critics, resulting in a 66% Rotten Tomatoes score. Though it reunites the group for one more go around, the sequel’s understated humor doesn’t quite match the original’s peak absurdity, but it still plays to its nostalgic strengths and leans into a more seasoned and self-aware charm.

Audience reactions were much more positive, indicated by its 90% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, as the sequel pays warm tribute to the original Spinal Tap and serves up a playful, off-the-wall encore that pleased the most devoted fans.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues was a sequel more than 40 years in the making. Following the release of the original film in 1984, creators Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and Rob Reiner became entangled in a lengthy legal battle over its rights. By late 2020, following years of litigation, it was ruled that the rights belonged to the four creators, allowing them to finally make a sequel.

Release Date

September 12, 2025

Runtime

83 Minutes

Director

Rob Reiner