The upcoming live-action adaptation of “The Magic School Bus” has secured a major creative force, with the director of “Detective Pikachu” set to helm the project, starring Elizabeth Banks as the iconic Ms Frizzle.

Based on the beloved children’s book series by authors Joanna Cole and Bruce Degen, the film will bring the educational franchise to a new generation of viewers. While plot details remain under wraps, the original series follows the eccentric teacher Ms Frizzle and her students on extraordinary adventures aboard a magical yellow school bus.

The vehicle famously transforms into different modes of transport, becoming everything from “a plane and submarine to a spaceship and surfboard” as the class explores destinations ranging from outer space to the human body.

The franchise first gained widespread popularity in the 1990s when PBS adapted “The Magic School Bus” into an animated television series. The show aired in more than 100 countries and featured Lily Tomlin as the voice of Ms Frizzle.

A sequel series, “The Magic School Bus Rides Again,” later debuted on Netflix in 2017, introducing viewers to Fiona Frizzle, the teacher’s sister, voiced by Kate McKinnon.

The new film is being produced by Legendary Entertainment in partnership with publisher Scholastic. Producers include Iole Lucchese and Caitlin Friedman for Scholastic; Banks, Max Handelman and Alison Small for Brownstone Productions; Marc Platt and Adam Siegel for Marc Platt Productions; and Mary Parent, Ali Mendes and Cale Boyter for Legendary.

Legendary’s recent credits include “A Minecraft Movie,” “Dune,” “Dune: Part Two,” and “Godzilla vs. Kong.”