Elizabeth Banks to play Ms. Frizzle in Magic School Bus live movie

Elizabeth Banks has signed on to produce and star in a live-action adaptation of The Magic School Bus, based on the bestselling book series from author Joanna Cole and illustrator Bruce Degen.

Banks will star as the intrepid teacher, Ms. Frizzle, who takes her students on various educational adventures in the aforementioned Magic School Bus that can transform into other modes of transportation including an airplane, a submarine, a spaceship, and even a surfboard.

The book series has sold over 80 million copies worldwide and was also adapted into a successful PBS animated series in the 1990s with Lily Tomlin voicing Ms. Frizzle. The series ran for 18 years. In 2017, Netflix premiered an animated sequel called The Magic School Bus Rides Again, eaturing Kate McKinnon as Ms. Frizzle’s sister, Fiona, and with a theme song performed by Lin-Manuel Miranda.

Variety reports that Banks will produce the film with “Max Handelman for Brownstone Productions, as well as Scholastic Entertainment’s president and chief strategy officer Iole Lucchese and senior VP and general manager Caitlin Friedman, and Marc Platt and Adam Siegel for Marc Platt Productions. Alison Small will serve as executive producer for Brownstone Productions.”

Scholastic Entertainment’s president and chief strategy officer Iole Lucchese shared the news in a statement, saying:

“We are delighted to bring to life the iconic Ms. Frizzle and her zest for knowledge and adventure in a fresh new way that inspires the next generation of kids to explore science and supports the dedicated teachers who help make science real and accessible for young learners every day.”

Banks is best known for her roles in the Pitch Perfect series, the Hunger Games trilogy, and for directing the recent Charlie’s Angels reboot. She is set to star in a remake of Invisible Woman. 

Watch this space for more updates on the live-action version of The Magic School Bus.