🎸 Turning it Up to 11 on Max: Spinal Tap II Brings Rock Royalty to Streaming

The long-awaited, 41-year-delayed sequel to the cult classic This Is Spinal Tap has finally hit streaming, and it arrived with a massive surprise that only England’s loudest and most punctual band could orchestrate.

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues is now streaming on HBO Max (Max), and the film has delighted fans not just by reuniting the original, legendary trio—Nigel Tufnel (Christopher Guest), David St. Hubbins (Michael McKean), and Derek Smalls (Harry Shearer)—but by pulling off the most impressive cameo haul in the history of mockumentaries, featuring none other than Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John.

📅 The Sequel Arrives on Max

The film, which premiered in theaters in September 2025, made its highly anticipated streaming debut on HBO Max on December 12, 2025, reuniting the sequel with the original 1984 film which is also available on the platform.

Directed once again by Rob Reiner (returning as documentarian Marty DiBergi), The End Continues finds the estranged bandmates reuniting after the death of their long-suffering manager, Ian Faith. His widow uses a contractual obligation to force the band to play one final farewell concert in New Orleans. As expected, technical failures, miscommunication, and existential dread ensue.

✨ The Cameo Shocks: Paul McCartney and Elton John

While the original film famously featured cameos from celebrities like Billy Crystal and Anjelica Huston, the sequel reached for rock royalty, securing the appearances of two of the most iconic musicians in history. These cameos were kept largely under wraps until the film’s release, adding a genuine shock factor for viewers at home:

1. Sir Paul McCartney and the “Pink Torpedo”

Paul McCartney’s appearance is reportedly not a concert scene, but a classic Spinal Tap improvisational moment focused on the band’s songwriting prowess.

• In a clip reportedly highlighted in the film's promotion, McCartney is shown discussing one of the band’s infamously ludicrous lyrics, specifically one about a “pink torpedo” (a classic Spinal Tap-ian sexual euphemism).

• In the most perfect piece of dry, rock-and-roll deadpan, Sir Paul reportedly refers to the lyric as “literature,” lending an undeserved, high-brow critique to the band’s low-brow poetry.

2. Sir Elton John and the "Stonehenge" Encore

Elton John’s cameo is perhaps the most joyous for fans, as he joins the band on stage for a performance during their "final" gig in New Orleans.

• Elton John reportedly joins Spinal Tap for a rendition of their most notoriously disastrous song: “Stonehenge.”

• The joke plays on the band's continued failure to properly stage the diminutive monument, now featuring an actual rock legend having to navigate the comically tiny stage prop.

🥁 The Drummer Dilemma Continues

The cameos don't stop there. Continuing the running joke that all of Spinal Tap’s drummers meet an unfortunate, often absurd, end, the band goes through a series of auditions, leading to appearances from modern rock stars who politely (and wisely) decline the dangerous gig:

• Questlove (The Roots)

• Chad Smith (Red Hot Chili Peppers)

• Lars Ulrich (Metallica)

🤘 Why the Sequel Works After 41 Years

Spinal Tap II: The End Continues was praised by critics and fans for successfully walking the tightrope of a legacy sequel. It avoids simply repeating the gags of the original, instead leaning into the more subdued, existential humor that comes with aging rock stars contemplating mortality, relevance, and, of course, the ever-present drummer curse.

The willingness of music legends like McCartney and Elton John to participate confirms the unique place This Is Spinal Tap holds in rock culture: it’s not just a funny movie; it's a foundational text that every rock star understands, celebrates, and occasionally lives.