The Lost Bus
Updated: 5/24/2026, 7:05:35 PM Wikipedia source
The Lost Bus is a 2025 American survival drama film directed by Paul Greengrass, who co-wrote the screenplay with Brad Ingelsby based on the 2021 book Paradise by Lizzie Johnson. It stars Matthew McConaughey, America Ferrera, Yul Vazquez and Ashlie Atkinson. It portrays a fictionalized version of the evacuation of schoolchildren during the 2018 Camp Fire in northern California by bus driver Kevin McKay and teacher Mary Ludwig. The Lost Bus premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 5, 2025, and received a limited theatrical release in the United States on September 19. It began streaming on Apple TV+ on October 3. Critics gave The Lost Bus mostly positive reviews, praising Greengrass for the highly realistic visual effects and strong acting from McConaughey and Ferrera, though some reviewers felt the story was a bit predictable. At the 98th Academy Awards, it was nominated for Best Visual Effects.
Infobox
Directed by
Paul Greengrass
Screenplay by
Brad Ingelsby Paul Greengrass
Based on
Paradise by Lizzie Johnson
Produced by
Jamie Lee Curtis Jason Blum Brad Ingelsby Gregory Goodman
Starring
Matthew McConaughey America Ferrera Yul Vazquez Ashlie Atkinson Katie Wharton
Cinematography
Pål Ulvik Rokseth
Edited by
William Goldenberg Paul Rubell Peter M. Dudgeon
Music by
James Newton Howard
Production companies
Apple Studios Blumhouse Productions Comet Pictures
Distributed by
Apple Original Films
Release dates
September 5, 2025 (2025-09-05) (TIFF) September 19, 2025 (2025-09-19) (United States)
Running time
130 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Tables
· Reception › Accolades
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards
Award
AARP Movies for Grownups Awards
Date of ceremony
January 10, 2026
Category
Best Intergenerational Film
Nominee(s)
The Lost Bus
Result
Nominated
Academy Awards
Academy Awards
Award
Academy Awards
Date of ceremony
March 15, 2026
Category
Best Visual Effects
Nominee(s)
Charlie Noble, David Zaretti, Russell Bowen, and Brandon K. McLaughlin
Result
Nominated
Celebration of Cinema and Television
Celebration of Cinema and Television
Award
Celebration of Cinema and Television
Date of ceremony
October 24, 2025
Category
Trailblazer Award
Nominee(s)
America Ferrera
Result
Honored
Visual Effects Society Awards
Visual Effects Society Awards
Award
Visual Effects Society Awards
Date of ceremony
February 25, 2026
Category
Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature
Nominee(s)
Charlie Noble, Gavin Round, David Zaretti, Russell Bowen, Brandon K. McLaughlin
Result
Nominated
Outstanding Environment in a Photoreal Feature
Outstanding Environment in a Photoreal Feature
Award
Outstanding Environment in a Photoreal Feature
Date of ceremony
Jamie Haydock, Francesco Ferraresi, Sergei Konorev, Frederick Vallee
(for "The Wildfires of Roe Road")
Category
Nominated
David Schulz, Mareike Loges, Björn Markgraf, Philipp Hafellner
(For "Feather River Canyon by the Pulga Bridge")
David Schulz, Mareike Loges, Björn Markgraf, Philipp Hafellner
(For "Feather River Canyon by the Pulga Bridge")
Award
David Schulz, Mareike Loges, Björn Markgraf, Philipp Hafellner
(For "Feather River Canyon by the Pulga Bridge")
Date of ceremony
Nominated
Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature
Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature
Award
Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature
Date of ceremony
Billy Copley, Mathieu Chardonnet, Chetan Patkar, David Schott
(For "Escape from Hell")
Category
Nominated
| Award | Date of ceremony | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
| AARP Movies for Grownups Awards | January 10, 2026 | Best Intergenerational Film | The Lost Bus | Nominated | |
| Academy Awards | March 15, 2026 | Best Visual Effects | Charlie Noble, David Zaretti, Russell Bowen, and Brandon K. McLaughlin | Nominated | |
| Celebration of Cinema and Television | October 24, 2025 | Trailblazer Award | America Ferrera | Honored | |
| Visual Effects Society Awards | February 25, 2026 | Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature | Charlie Noble, Gavin Round, David Zaretti, Russell Bowen, Brandon K. McLaughlin | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Environment in a Photoreal Feature | Jamie Haydock, Francesco Ferraresi, Sergei Konorev, Frederick Vallee (for "The Wildfires of Roe Road") | Nominated | |||
| David Schulz, Mareike Loges, Björn Markgraf, Philipp Hafellner (For "Feather River Canyon by the Pulga Bridge") | Nominated | ||||
| Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature | Billy Copley, Mathieu Chardonnet, Chetan Patkar, David Schott (For "Escape from Hell") | Nominated |
References
- The Lost Bushttps://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-lost-bus-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0xmdmxnjgx
- The Lost Bushttps://people.com/the-lost-bus-true-story-11822777
- Rotten Tomatoeshttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_lost_bus
- The A . Clubhttps://www.avclub.com/the-lost-bus-review
- The Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/sep/19/the-lost-bus-review-matthew-mcconaughey-america-ferrera-paul-greengrass
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://web.archive.org/web/20220622170434/https://deadline.com/2022/06/jamie-lee-curtiss-blumhouse-lizzie-johnsons-paradise-one-towns-struggle-to-survive-an-american-wildfire-1235050073/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2024/01/matthew-mcconaughey-the-lost-bus-paul-greengrass-1235805812/
- The Hollywood Reporterhttps://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/apple-the-lost-bus-matthew-mcconaughey-paul-greengrass-1235808116/
- Varietyhttps://variety.com/2024/film/news/america-ferrera-the-lost-bus-matthew-mcconaughey-paul-greengrass-1235917619/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2024/05/the-lost-bus-movie-adds-yul-vazquez-apple-1235903652/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2024/05/the-lost-bus-movie-adds-ashlie-atkinson-spencer-watson-1235910515/
- Entertainment Weeklyhttps://ew.com/matthew-mcconaughey-snuck-son-levi-audition-lost-bus-11804907
- The Washington Posthttps://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/movies/2025/09/25/lost-bus-mcconaughey-greengrass-review/
- Village of Rudiosohttps://www.ruidoso-nm.gov/news-info/the-lost-bus-film-hub
- "The Lost Bus"https://tiff.net/films/the-lost-bus
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2025/07/tiff-lineup-wake-up-dead-man-roofman-the-lost-bus-1236459268/
- Deadline Hollywoodhttps://deadline.com/2025/07/the-lost-bus-trailer-matthew-mcconaughey-america-ferrera-1236472841/
- The Lost Bushttps://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_lost_bus
- The Lost Bushttps://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-lost-bus
- The New York Timeshttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/movies/the-lost-bus-review-matthew-mcconaughey.html