‘Magic School Bus’ live-action movie is finally in works — with Elizabeth Banks playing fan-favorite character
Elizabeth Banks is all set to bring another beloved character to the screen. After playing popular roles like Avery Jessup from '30 Rock' and Effie Trinket in 'The Hunger Games' series, the actress will take on another beloved part in the form of Ms. Frizzle from the 90s animated series 'The Magic School Bus.' Banks will take over the part from Lily Tomlin, who voiced it both in the original animated series and the sequel. Moreover, this is not the first time Banks' name has come up regarding 'The Magic School Bus' adaptation, according to THR. In 2020, her name also came up in conversations.
The animated show was based on a series of Scholastic books by authors Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen. The live-action adaptation's plot details have been kept under wraps. However, it likely will follow the series' storyline, according to Variety. Ms Frizzle takes her class on field trips in a yellow bus that transforms into anything their imagination wants, from a plane and submarine to a spaceship and surfboard.
The original animated series ran for four seasons on PBS. It aired in over a hundred countries and was a resounding hit. It was the highest-rated PBS program for school-age children during its run. Later, Netflix came out with an animated sequel titled 'The Magic School Bus Rides Again.' Here, Ms. Frizzle was also voiced by Lily Tomlin. The Netflix adaptation ran for three seasons. Now, Legendary Entertainment is collaborating with Scholastic to produce a new adaptation of the series, but this time in live-action. Iole Lucchese and Caitlin Friedman will serve as producers for Scholastic, while Banks, Max Handelman, and Alison Small will be labeled the same through Brownstone Productions. Marc Platt and Adam Siegel from Marc Platt Productions, and Mary Parent, Ali Mendes, and Cale Boyter from Legendary will also participate in the project.
Legendary Entertainment has taken over development from Universal, which handled the project since 2020. Rob Letterman of 'Detective Pikachu' fame has now been hired to write and direct the movie. Letterman had previously worked on another Scholastic adaptation called 'Goosebumps', which starred Jack Black and was released in 2015. The book series recently celebrated its 40th anniversary and has reportedly sold more than 90 million copies. Hence, this update comes at a very opportune time. Over the years, the series has also led to a touring stage musical (The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System) and multiple video games.
