No longer in elementary school and now a few weeks from high school graduation, Ms. Frizzle’s class is all grown up and going their separate ways. Ralphie’s got an athletic scholarship to USC, Tim’s going to study art at the Rhode Island School of Design and Phoebe’s found her calling with history. Dorothy Ann is about to start her pre-med program at her top choice school and Wanda’s got plans to travel the world. Keesha is spending a year in Guatemala with the Peace Corps and Carlos is heading off to New York to try his luck with stand up comedy. However, when their English teacher Mr. Jenkins disappears into a dormant volcano on their senior trip, it’s up to the kids to figure out what exactly happened and how to get him back. They call up the most resourceful adult they know, the ever outrageous Ms. Frizzle, for one last field trip— one that will make their old ones look tame in comparison.
So basically in casting this, I wanted people who would believably do an ensemble family-friendly adventure movie and who actually are around the right ages (franchise opportunities!). In my head, the kids kind of grew apart after their elementary school days— different schedules and different activities but they all wind up on the senior trip together. There are a couple of jokes about how it’d be fun at the volcano and at least they won’t be going in it like they’d do back in elementary school. But then stuff happens! Basically, Mr. Jenkins will be a Stanley Tucci type like his character in Easy A and just a lot of fun but he accidentally gets caught up in a mystery while they are all on their senior trip. Arnold suggests they get in touch with Ms. Frizzle who would be able to help but there are some doubters in the bunch, thinking that their adventures with the Friz were all part of their imagination and nothing really happened. But then of course, Ms. Frizzle saves Mr. Jenkins and the day via time travel and space travel and other science and history things and maybe possibly makes a love connection as Jenkins and the Friz realize actually have loads in common. There are lots of old callbacks to the show, like everyone shouting “CARLOS!” when he tells a bad joke. Besides all the science and history things, the kids also learn that you are never too old to have adventures. El fin.
*cry*
“Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy”
