Finally, A Matthew McConaughey Movie After Six Long Years

It’s taken no less than an inferno to bring Matthew McConaughey back to the screen. The actor will be back to live-action roles after six years, in the survival thriller The Lost Bus, directed by Paul Greengrass, the teaser trailer for which dropped yesterday.

Nothing has ailed North America and Hollywood together in the recent past than the wildfires raging through Los Angeles, where most of the country’s film industry is based. Greengrass’ latest is set against the deadly Camp Fire of 2018 that’s held as the most destructive wildfire in the state of California. Sparked by transmission lines used by Pacific Gas & Electric, the fire killed 85 people, displaced 50,000 and charred 1,53,000 acres of late.

Greengrass has co-written the film with Brad Ingelsby (Mare of Easttown, Echo Valley, Run All Night).

Described by the streamer as a “white-knuckle ride through one of America’s deadliest wildfires”, the film co-stars America Ferrara as schoolteacher Mary Ludwig who partners up with driver Kevin McKay (McConaughey) to save 22 schoolchildren from being gutted by the blaze.

The Lost Bus will also star McConaughey’s son, Levi Alves McConaughey, in his first feature role, the 16-year-old posted on Instagram.

Based on Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire, the book by Lizzie Johnson, the trailer depicts an intense McConaughey, his character possibly struggling with a turbulent past, navigating tough emotions in the driver’s seat of the school bus. The trailer depicts California skies enveloped by clouds of dark, billowy smoke, and the bus weaving through twisting roads as the duo attempts to rescue the children from the flames.

And there couldn’t have been a better premise and collaborator for Matthew McConaughey to have made a comeback with, after his voice roles in Sing 2 and Agent Elvis. The 55-year-old has previously portrayed a weathered and raw flavour of Americana that sits deliciously at the intersection of rugged individualism and civic disillusionment. Moreover, his hold over depictions of quiet grief and resilience amid life-threatening situations make him an especially compelling choice.

Greengrass, arguably best known for the Bourne franchise, has previously directed intense real life-inspired survival dramas such as United 93 (2006) and Captain Phillips (2013). His 2018 film 22 July followed a terror attack in Norway.