Spinal Top co-creators set up their own licensing unit

By Emmanuel Legrand

The creators of mock rockumentary ‘This Is Spinal Tap’ have set up Authorized Spinal Tap LLC, their wholly-owned company to manage the licensing of the rights to the movie and all its ancillary rights, effective January 1, 2021. 

  The creation of this new entity follows the agreement between the movies' co-creators Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and filmmaker Rob Reiner with French media company Vivendi, through its subsidiaries StudioCanal and Universal Music Group. 

  In 2016, Shearer, followed in 2017 by the three other co-creators, sued Vivendi for misrepresenting the financial revenues earned by the movie, its soundtrack and associated merchandising. 

Ensuring that the film continues to be available

  The two parties eventually signed a settlement agreement, which was communicated to the Californian court, where Shearer initially filed the lawsuit, in September of last year. The creation of Authorized Spinal Tap seems to indicate that the rights to the movie, its soundtrack and merch were reverted to the co-creators. It is unclear whether Vivendi will continue to have the distribution rights to the movie and the music.

  In a statement, the four co-creators said: “Rob Reiner, Harry Shearer, Christopher Guest and Michael McKean, creators of the iconic mockumentary ‘This Is Spinal Tap’, have set up a wholly-owned entity to manage the licensing of the film and all rights related to it. The much-beloved movie and all featured characters, trademarks and associated rights will be licensed via Authorized Spinal Tap LLC. Together, the four creators intend to ensure the film continues to be available for existing and future ‘Spinal Tap’ fans for years to come."