According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Magic School Bus will receive a live action adaptation with Elizabeth Banks (The Hunger Games, Pitch Perfect 2) playing the dazzling Ms. Frizzle. Rob Letterman (Pokémon: Detective Pikachu, Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie) will direct and write.
Scholastics will produce the film as they were also the publisher behind the book series. Other producers include Marc Platt Productions, Legendary and Brownstone Productions owned by Banks.
The Magic School Bus book series was published initially in 1986. The book was written by Joanna Cole (Bony-Legs, I’m a Big Sister) and illustrated by Bruce Degen (Jamberry, The Josefina Story Quilt). The series centered around teacher Ms. Frizzle who takes her classroom of students on special kinds of field trips with her yellow bus that would replicate the environment needed for wherever they went. The series was later adapted into a television animated series that premiered from 1994-97. The original voice of Ms. Frizzle belonged to Lily Tomlin (Ponyo, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse). The 90’s series aired 52 episodes.
Tomlin reprised her voice acting role in the 2017 reboot The Magic School Bus Rides Again. Kate McKinnon (Barbie, Ghostbusters) starred in the reboot as Ms. Frizzle’s younger sister. The show was released on Netflix and had three seasons, airing thirty episodes.
Leave a Comment