Without Jack Black, ‘School of Rock’ Writer Mike White ‘Would Have Thrown the Script Away’
Jack Black has appeared in a ton of movies since making his film debut in the early 1990s. The actor has such a distinctive comedic style and onscreen presence that it’s easy to see why his fans have remained so loyal over the years. So it’s wild to think that, had he not signed on for one of his most iconic roles, screenwriter Mike White wouldn’t have made School of Rock at all.
‘School of Rock’ is one of Jack Black’s most beloved movies
Ask any fan of Black’s what their favorite role of the actor’s is, and a few highlights will likely rise to the top. Early on, Black broke through with standout supporting turns in movies like High Fidelity and Orange County. And he’s delivered broad, hilarious turns in films such as Nacho Libre, Tropic Thunder, and of course, both the Kung Fu Panda and Jumanji franchises.
However, perhaps Black’s most beloved role is that of aspiring rock star turned schoolteacher Dewey Finn in director Richard Linklater’s School of Rock. The movie earned Black heaps of critical praise, cemented him as a movie star, and even landed him some awards attention, including a Golden Globe nomination. But his performance is more intertwined into the movie than fans may realize.
Jack Black was writer Mike White’s only choice for Dewey Finn
Although Linklater often writes his own movies, School of Rock is one of the rare instances in which he directed someone else’s script. In this case, it helped that White had already written and co-starred with Black in Orange County. He even wrote School of Rock specifically for the actor, he admitted in an interview with Entertainment Tonight around the time of the film’s release.
“Had he not wanted to do it, I probably would have thrown the script away,” White told EW. “It was so inspired by just knowing him that I wouldn’t want to see anyone else do it.” Given Black’s own history with rock music – particulary as one-half of comedy musical duo Tenacious D – fans can probably spot a lot of his energy imbued into the script and character details of Dewey Finn.
‘School of Rock’ inspired a stage musical and a TV series
In the very same interview with EW, White addressed the potential for a TV series inspired by School of Rock. Admitting he was “scared” of that possibility, the writer remarked how “it’s sort of sad how if something hits it has to outstay its welcome, spinning into sequels or TV series” and confessed he probably wouldn’t “help facilitate” a television adaptation of the hit movie.
Of course, over the past couple of decades, the legacy of School of Rock has continued to evolve. Although development on a sequel stalled, a TV show did air on Nickelodeon from 2016 to 2018. And none other than Broadway legend Andrew Lloyd Webber composed an original score for a stage musical based on the movie. Tony Cavalero and Alex Brightman played Black’s role on the TV series and in the original Broadway cast, respectively.
