Why Is U2 Drummer Larry Mullen Jr. Missing From the U2 Disney Plus Special? Details

What better way to celebrate St. Patrick's Day than talking about iconic Irish rock band U2? The group, featuring members Bono, the Edge, Adam Clayton, and Larry Mullen Jr., have been rolling out hits since they formed their legendary band back in 1976.

Their story gets a new spotlight in the Disney Plus special Bono & the Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, With Dave Letterman.

However, as the special reveals, the legendary band actually hasn't had all of its original members recently.

So what happened to U2 drummer Larry Mullen Jr? Fans were worried about his health given the fact that he hasn't performed with U2 recently.

In a post on the band's website in February 2023, U2 mentioned that Larry would be stepping away from performing duties for a while, so he could take the time necessary to recuperate from surgery.

Larry previously said in December 2022 that he was struggling with pain in his neck, elbows, and knees, and planned to get better before playing again.

Larry joined his fellow bandmates that previous month in November 2022 when U2 was honored during the Kennedy Center Honors awards. However, he has not performed with the band since.

Naturally, U2 fans want to know the following — when will Larry return to his rightful place as the U2 drummer? Who has stepped in while Larry's been out recovering?

Unfortunately, it's currently uhknown as to when Larry will return to performing with his bandmates. He isn't even featured at all in Bono & the Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, because he was out injured when the special documentary was filmed.

Drummer Bram van den Berg stepped in as Larry's temporary replacement. However, everything that the band has stated up to this point indicates that Larry has every intention of returning to the stage, once he recovers.

U2, who will be performing a highly anticipated show in Las Vegas this fall to launch a new venue called the Sphere, had this to say about Larry's absence at the upcoming concert:

"It's going to take all we've got to approach the Sphere without our bandmate in the drum seat," they wrote in their February 2023 message, "but Larry has joined us in welcoming Bram van den Berg who is a force in his own right."

The Las Vegas U2 concert will be the band's first live outing in four years (click here for more info on how to get tickets, which don't appear to be on sale yet). The shows will feature songs from U2's hit album Achtung Baby.

Hopefully Larry will be striking a strong downbeat for the band during their next set of shows! Wishing the legendary drummer a speedy recovery.

You can stream Bono & The Edge: A Sort of Homecoming, With Dave Letterman now on Disney Plus.