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4w ago

TIFF Hit 'The Lost Bus' Draws Strong Early Reviews Ahead of Sept. 19 Theatrical Release

Greengrass uses practical fire effects with real firefighters to ground a true-story evacuation in visceral detail.

America Ferrera and Matthew McConaughey in “The Lost Bus.”
FILE: Yul Vazquez attends the premiere of Apple TV+’s “Severance” at DGA Theater Complex on April 8, 2022, in Los Angeles.
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A scene from “The Lost Bus.”

Overview

  • The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 5, earning strong notices, with outlets reporting Rotten Tomatoes snapshots from 100% based on 13 reviews to 84% from 19 reviews.
  • Apple Original Films will open The Lost Bus in select theaters on September 19 before a global Apple TV+ debut on October 3.
  • Matthew McConaughey and America Ferrera star in Paul Greengrass’s dramatization of a real 2018 Camp Fire evacuation led by bus driver Kevin McKay and teacher Mary Ludwig.
  • Production favored realism by staging controlled gas burns near Santa Fe and casting real firefighters, including Cal Fire chief John Messina appearing as himself.
  • Coverage highlights a tense, horror-like tone with flames as the on-screen threat, while creators balance a focus on human resilience with the story’s implicit resonance with wildfire realities.