Unnecessary Sequel to "School of Rock" is Officially Moving Forward

By: Adam Quigley Posted: July 14, 2008 Filed under: Casting, Official Info

News of a possible School of Rock sequel has been openly discussed for about the past month (first with the announcement that Jack Black would only return if Richard Linklater did as well, and then with the reveal that Mike White was working on the screenplay), but now, it’s official. School of Rock 2: America Rocks is a go. And yes, that really is the title.

Both Jack Black and director Richard Linklater are set to return, as is producer Scott Rudin, and the plot is said to revolve around teacher Dewey Finn "leading a group of summer school students on a cross-country field trip that delves into the history of rock 'n' roll and explores the roots of blues, rap, country and other genres."

So, is this good news or bad?

On the one hand, you have all of the original gang returning, and School of Rock was definitely a better-than-average comedy. On the other hand, it’s been five years, and I don’t think anybody was begging for a sequel at this point.

It’s also abundantly clear this is being made strictly for money, as the first film had a budget of $30 million and grossed $131 million worldwide. The question then becomes, is this movie just an easy paycheck for everybody involved, or is there actually a good idea at the core of this that warrants a sequel?

I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.