Matthew McConaughey Stars in Film on Deadly 2018 California Camp Fire

Matthew McConaughey stars in the upcoming Apple Original Film "The Lost Bus," a survival thriller directed by Paul Greengrass that dramatizes the 2018 Camp Fire, California's deadliest wildfire. The film, based on Lizzie Johnson’s nonfiction book "Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire," follows a school bus driver and a dedicated teacher, played by America Ferrera, as they race to rescue 22 schoolchildren trapped by the fast-moving blaze. The story highlights the harrowing real-life choices faced by the bus driver, including a personal dilemma involving his own family, with McConaughey's actual mother and son portraying his on-screen relatives. Produced by notable figures including Jamie Lee Curtis and Jason Blum, the movie captures both the epic scale of the disaster and intimate human resilience. "The Lost Bus" will premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival before releasing in theaters on September 19 and streaming globally on Apple TV+ starting October 3, 2025. The film resonates deeply given the ongoing wildfire crises in California, adding emotional and topical weight to its portrayal of heroism amid disaster.