Matthew McConaughey is riding high at the top of the 
AppleTV+ movie chart this weekend after his new nail-biting survival thriller drove straight to the number one spot on its U.S. debut on the streaming platform. The Lost Bus, like many of Apple’s exclusive releases, comes with high expectations, and it has not disappointed with either its viewership or reviews.
Directed by Paul Greengrass, McConaughey stars as Kevin McKay, with America Ferrera in support as Mary Ludwig, two ordinary people thrown into an extraordinary rescue during California’s 2018 wildfires. Having already impressed at various festivals, the hook of a real-life, race-against-time drama is clearly working its magic for those with Apple TV+ subscriptions.
Greengrass directs from a script he co-wrote with Mare of Easttown’s Brad Ingelsby, adapting Lizzie Johnson’s nonfiction account “Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire.” At just over two hours, the movie is seemingly proving to be a star-driven thriller that viewers have been clicking on in droves, and it is perhaps not surprising as a story of the rescue of 22 children from Ponderosa Elementary gives the director plenty of room to tell the tale in his usual tight-focused, human-story driven way.
‘The Lost Bus’ Has Been a Critical Hit
The combination of McConaughey and Greengrass should have left little room for doubt when it comes to the quality of the movie that was being delivered in The Lost Bus, and it hasn’t disappointed when it comes to both its critical and audience reviews.
Following its festival debut, The Lost Bus immediately gained a strong reputation ahead of its wider release, landing an 87% score from critics. The story of human resilience in the face of adversity was hailed by many as Greengrass’ best movie since the Tom Hanks drama Captain Phillips. As Empire Magazine’s Helen O’Hara put it, “The fire scenes are terrifying and may well sear themselves into your brain,” while The Independent’s Clarisse Loughrey pointed out the slight contradiction the movie comes with, noting:
“The Lost Bus traps us in that disorientating push and pull — it’s a little too real to entertain, and a little too entertaining to feel real.”
On the audience side, the film’s 92% score speaks for itself. One review of the movie says, “Visually gripping, terrifying & directed, so that you feel as if you are in the chaos, bus & fire by Greengrass. Combine that with solid acting from America, Matthew & (despite a few clichés) this one is well worth your time.” Another added, “Very realistic to footage I’d seen from documentaries and personal footage of people escaping the fires and describing it. I was on the edge of my seat. I’m normally chilled lying back, but this is different.”
Combined with the chart-topping position of the movie on Apple TV+ right now, it should be enough of an incentive for even more people to seek out the film in the coming days and continue Apple’s trend of delivering some of the biggest and best dramas out there.
- Release Date
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October 3, 2025
- Runtime
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130 minutes
- Director
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Paul Greengrass