This Goes To 11: Spinal Tap Movie Trivia

A Massive Lawsuit

In 2016, This is Spinal Tap co-star Harry Shearer filed a $125 million lawsuit against the company that owns the film, Vivendi, which is the parent company of Universal Music and StudioCanal. Vivendi obtained the rights to the film through StudioCanal in 1989. In the suit, Shearer claimed that the company failed to pay millions of dollars owed to the movie’s stars. The shocking complaint alleges that between the time Vivendi acquired the film and 2006, it reported a measly $98 in total income from soundtrack music sales.

In February 2017, Shearer was joined by Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, and director/narrator Rob Reiner in the suit. As a group, they decided to boost the amount sought to $400 million. Reiner declared, “Such anti-competitive practices need to be exposed. I am hoping this lawsuit goes to 11,” a reference to one of the film’s most recognizable scenes.