Paul Greengrass to Direct 'The Lost Bus' for Apple Original Films, Matthew McConaughey to Star

by Darian Scalamoni

    It appears that everything seems to be alright, alright, alright by Matthew McConaughey's standards as he appears to have lined up his next feature film project. According to multiple sources, McConaughey (Interstellar) will star in The Lost Bus, a dramatic thriller which will be directed by Paul Greengrass (Captain Phillips). The project was set up at Blumhouse with Jason Blum and Jamie Lee Curtis' Comet Pictures producing. Apple is in talks to acquire the film.

    The Lost Bus is based on Liz Phillips' book, Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire, a true story from 2018 which became the deadliest fire in California's history. The blaze took place at, ironically enough, Camp Fire, and the film will star McConaughey as bus driver Kevin McKay, who along with schoolteacher Mary Ludwig, heroically led a school bus filled with students throughout the wildfire that engulfed the town of Paradise, CA. The fire tragically ended the lives of 85 civilians and will aim to tell that story through the perspective of McKay and Ludwig. The latter role has not yet been cast.

    It's truly a horrifying real account of what came forth in this town and Mare of Easttown creator Brad Inglesby is set to write the screenplay that will be directed by Greengrass. This is not the first collaboration set for McConaughey and the streamer AppleTV+, as he signed onto a Texas-set comedy series reuniting with True Detective co-star Woody Harrelson last March. The Lost Bus will mark McConaughey's first live-action role since 2019's The Gentlemen, however, he recently wrapped filming on The Rivals of Amziah King, a crime thriller from Andrew Patterson.

    Greengrass has not directed a film since 2020's News of the World starring Tom Hanks. The former Oscar-nominated director has a niche for telling thrilling stories in the film space for decades including such movies as Captain Phillips, the Bourne franchise and United 93, which earned him his Best Director nomination. Inglesby is currently setting up another HBO series after his massive success with Mare of Easttown. He also penned the screenplay for the upcoming thriller Echo Valley starring Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney.