About five years ago, the idea of a **School Of Rock 2 **was floated by director Richard Linklater and star Jack Black, but it crashed and burned in the funding stages. A stage musical, however, looks more than likely now that Andrew Lloyd Webber has got the rights to take Mr. Schneebly S to Broadway / the West End (delete as appropriate).
The musical maestro behind Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, Cats, Phantom Of The Opera and dozens more was talking to CBC Radio when he let slip that, "Another thing that I've just got the rights to that I am very excited about - there may be songs for me in it, but it's obviously got songs in it as it stands - is that movie School Of Rock."
There are no dates, locations, directors, actors or songs confirmed, but you'd imagine that Linklater and Black will have some sort of approval over the project. The trouble will be whether Webber will be able to secure rights to songs like Back In Black by AC/DC, Stay Free by The Clash and, of course, Fight by No Vacancy - arguably the trickiest one of the lot.
What fans of the film won't want is watered-down track choices from producers who couldn't get the rights to the real deal - or, perhaps even more worryingly, Lloyd Webber-written psuedo-rock ditties. We've got our extended index and pinkie fingers crossed - which is rather tricky, actually - that this works out well. Oh, and for those about to rock (on a stage near you), we salute you.