Legendary Entertainment and Scholastic Entertainment have announced a partnership to bring the beloved children’s book series, “The Magic School Bus,” to the big screen in a live-action feature film adaptation. Elizabeth Banks is set to star as the eccentric Ms. Frizzle and will also produce the film alongside Rob Letterman. The announcement coincides with the 40th anniversary of “The Magic School Bus,” a series that has sold over 90 million books worldwide.
“The Magic School Bus,” created by Joanna Cole and illustrated by Bruce Degen, follows Ms. Frizzle as she takes her students on extraordinary field trips aboard a magical school bus. The franchise, which debuted in 1986, has seen immense success across various platforms, including television. The most notable adaptation was the PBS animated series, which aired from 1994 to 1997 and was widely popular among children worldwide.
Netflix later released “The Magic School Bus Rides Again,” a reboot of the series featuring Lily Tomlin reprising her role as Ms. Frizzle. The new series ran for three seasons between 2017 and 2021. Elizabeth Banks’ involvement in the upcoming film is not new, as she was previously associated with the project when it was under Universal Pictures before moving to Legendary Entertainment.
