Pratik Handore
The filming of Apple TV+’s survival thriller ‘The Lost Bus’ will start in New Mexico next month. Paul Greengrass is directing the film based on a screenplay by Brad Ingelsby. Matthew McConaughey headlines the cast.
The film revolves around the 2018 “Camp Fire,” the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in the history of California, following a bus driver named Kevin McKay (McConaughey) and a school teacher named Mary Ludwig, who help navigate a bus full of children through the fire. In reality, the Camp Fire lasted from November 8 to November 25, 2018, burning down 153,336 acres of land and resulting in the deaths of 85 individuals.
Greengrass rose to prominence with the 2004 spy-thriller movie ‘The Bourne Supremacy,’ starring Matt Damon. The writer-director followed up the movie’s success with 2007’s ‘The Bourne Ultimatum.’ However, Greengrass is best known for directing the 2013 action-thriller ‘Captain Phillips.’ His recent credits also include Netflix’s adventure drama ‘News of the World‘ and the biographical crime drama ’22 July.’ Given Greengrass’ pedigree in directing documentaries and movies based on real events, he is an ideal choice to helm the project.
Ingelsby penned the film based on Lizzie Johnson’s book ‘Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire.’ He is best known for his work on the HBO mystery drama series ‘Mare of Easttown.’ Ingelsby’s other credits include films such as the Ben Affleck-starrer sports drama ‘The Way Back‘ and the Jason Segel and Casey Affleck-led 2019 drama ‘Our Friend.’
McConaughey is joining the movie after completing the shooting of Andrew Patterson’s crime thriller ‘The Rivals of Amziah King,’ also starring Kurt Russell. The actor lent his voice to Elvis Presley in Netflix’s animated series ‘Agent Elvis‘ and Buster Moon in ‘Sing 2.’ His most recent live-action feature is the 2019 action thriller ‘The Gentlemen,’ directed by Guy Ritchie. The actor also portrayed himself in ‘Between Two Ferns: The Movie,’ Moondog in ‘The Beach Bum,’ and Baker Dill in ‘Serenity.’
The Camp Fire has been the subject of several media pieces, including a Netflix documentary titled ‘Fire in Paradise,’ released in 2019. A film adaptation of LA Times columnist Bill Plaschke’s book ‘Paradise Found: A High School Football Team’s Rise from the Ashes,’ set during the Camp Fire, was reportedly being developed at 101 Studios in 2021.
‘The Lost Bus’ is produced by Blumhouse Productions’ Jason Blum, actress and producer Jamie Lee Curtis (‘Halloween’), Ingelsby, and Greg Goodman.
Read More: Best Adult Movies on Apple TV+
