‘School’ is in for Paramount

Parents, be warned. Paramount Pictures is pulling a Disney –
not animating princesses or singing squirrels, but campaigning for the hearts
and minds for tween rock star wannabes a la their hit “High School Musical” (and spin-offs thereafter).  

The studio is developing a sequel to their box office hit “School
of Rock”, bringing the original director, Richard Linklater and Jack Black to
reprise his role as Dewey Finn, failed rocker and elite prep school substitute.
 Lacking the credentials to actually
teach fifth graders, he conspires to teach them “music appreciation” instead.

Mike White, screenwriter of the original “School of Rock”,
got called up to pen and produce the sequel, dubbed “School of Rock 2: America
Rocks”.  Black is set up with a gang of
summer school kids on a cross-country musical field trip, tracking the history
of rock ‘n’ roll, blues, rap and country at the same time.

White has written two films for Black : “Nacho Libre” and “Orange
County” and Black is set for Ben Stiller’s “Tropic Thunder” action-comedy and
the Judd Apatow produced “Year One”.