Overview

• Matthew McConaughey plays bus driver Kevin McKay opposite America Ferrera as teacher Mary Ludwig as they guide 22 children to safety during the 2018 wildfire.
• The film is directed and co-written by Paul Greengrass and is adapted from Lizzie Johnson’s 2021 nonfiction book Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire.
• Following its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 5, the movie opened in a limited theatrical run on Sept. 19 and streams on Apple TV+ on Oct. 3.
• Early reviews highlight strong lead performances and immersive, handheld disaster filmmaking, with outlets noting ratings around 3 to 3.5 stars and an 83% Rotten Tomatoes critic score reported in coverage.
• Critics note the narrative condenses and fictionalizes aspects of real events, and the cast includes McConaughey’s son Levi and mother Kay in supporting roles.