Elizabeth Banks has officially been cast as Ms. Frizzle in the upcoming live-action adaptation of The Magic School Bus (via The Hollywood Reporter). This marks her second involvement with the project, as she was previously attached to a version being developed by Universal Pictures in 2020.
Ms. Frizzle, the beloved science teacher and adventurous leader of her students, is the central character of The Magic School Bus series, known for taking her class on educational journeys through time, space, and the human body.
The film will be written and directed by Rob Letterman, renowned for adapting popular children’s properties for the big screen. His past works include Detective Pikachu, Gulliver’s Travels, and more. The project is a joint production involving Legendary, Scholastic, Brownstone Productions, and Marc Platt Productions. Notably, Letterman previously directed the Goosebumps TV series, which aired from 2023 to 2025, based on Scholastic’s popular book series.
The Magic School Bus books were created by Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen, with the first publication in 1986. The series was adapted into a TV show in 1994, featuring Lily Tomlin as the voice of Ms. Frizzle, which ran for four seasons. In 2017, Netflix launched a revival series with Tomlin reprising her role, both versions earning critical acclaim.
Elizabeth Banks has appeared in various films and franchises, including The Miniature Wife, The Better Sister, and the Wet Hot American Summer series. She played Rita Repulsa in the 2017 Power Rangers movie and has directed multiple films, such as the Charlie’s Angels reboot, Cocaine Bear, and Pitch Perfect 2. Additionally, Banks is set to star in a new comedy series on Apple TV from Liz Heldens.
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