We are thrilled to announce that The Magic School Rides Again: Kids in Space special has hit Earth’s orbit, and premieres today on Netflix!
The new 45 min feature follows The Magic School Bus kids as they blast into space and onto the International Space Station, only to find themselves on the run from a GIANT tardigrade! Not sure what a tardigrade is? Don’t worry, as always, the illustrious Ms. Frizzle is on the scene with all the answers!
And speaking of Ms. Frizzle, actress and comedian Kate McKinnon is back to resume her role as “The Frizz” – our favorite unconventional science teacher. McKinnon also played Ms. Frizzle in the Netflix series reboot The Magic School Bus Rides Again, which hit screens in 2017.
The Kids in Space special picks up where the series left off, taking viewers on an exciting adventure through the mysterious realm of micro-gravity to uncover the secrets of one of the toughest animals on Earth!
We spoke with Brown Bag Films’ Rich Weston—director of the new Magic School Bus feature—to get a behind the scenes scoop on what it takes to put “Kids in Space!” and find out how he would feel about meeting a human-sized tardigrade in real life.
Putting our kids in space was no easy task, but luckily, we had a very talented and dedicated team who worked tirelessly to make it happen.
Although this was a technically difficult special to create, it has been tremendously rewarding. Expanding to the forty-five-minute format has allowed us to tell a larger and more creative story while still maintaining a focus on the heart of the show: science. After all, science should be exciting and inspirational, and that’s what our show has always been about – Inspiration!
As for the story itself, there’s never been a better time to tell this one. We just had the twentieth anniversary of continuous crewed presence on the international space station. Added to that, the historic return of crewed flights to the ISS from the US. The only thing missing from the news lately is the giant tardigrade. Which, personally I would not be looking forward to meeting no matter how cute its little legs are.
~ Rich Weston, Director, Magic School Bus Rides Again: Kids in Space
Watch The Magic School Bus Rides Again: Kids in Space special NOW on Netflix.