Metallica’s Lars Ulrich and Red Hot Chili Peppers’ Chad Smith will have cameos in the This Is Spinal Tap sequel

Lar Ulrich of Metallica and Chad Smith of Red Hot Chili Peppers in 2023 — (Image credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images | Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)

Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich and Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith will make cameo appearances in the upcoming This Is Spinal Tap sequel, according to a new report.

Deadline Hollywood revealed yesterday (March 26) that the two superstar rock and metal drummers had been cast, joining previously announced cameo performers Elton John, Paul McCartney, Questlove, Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood in the long-anticipated sequel.

The as-yet-untitled sequel follows 1984 heavy metal mockumentary This Is Spinal Tap, which was directed and co-written by Rob Reiner, who also starred as fictitious filmmaker Marty Di Bergi. Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Harry Shearer (also co-writers) starred as the members of the fictional metal band Spinal Tap, satirising the excess and antics of rock stars during the early 1980s.

Reiner, Guest, McKean and Shearer will all return to their previous roles and positions for This Is Spinal Tap’s sequel, with Reiner also acting as a producer, alongside Michele Reiner and Matthew George.

According to Deadline Hollywood, the story “follows England’s loudest and most punctual band as they reunite for one final concert after a 15-year hiatus”.

Deadline Hollywood has also announced new additions to the sequel’s main cast: Don Lake (The Bonnie Hunt Show), John Michael Higgins (Best In Show), Jason Acuña (Jackass), Nina Conti (Family Tree), Griffin Matthews (The Flight Attendant), Kerry Godliman (After Life), Chris Addison (Veep), comedian Brad Williams and musician Paul Shaffer. All of them will appear in as-yet-unannounced roles.

Shortly after its release, This Is Spinal Tap became a cult classic among metal fans and musicians for its humour and perceived accurate portrayal of the subculture.

Ulrich, in a 2016 interview with Craig Ferguson, deemed This Is Spinal Tap so accurate to real life in a rock band that it’s actually “a horror film”.

“Every single functioning band out there has sat and looked at that movie and cringed because we have all lived every one of those ‘Hello Cleveland’ moments,” Ulrich said, referencing a scene from the film. “You can’t find the stage; you’re stuck inside the stage prop.”

No release date for the second This Is Spinal Tap has yet been given, though filming reportedly commenced on March 6 and will wrap on April 12.

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Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Metal Hammer and Prog, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, NME and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.