Matthew McConaughey To Star In ‘The Misplaced Bus’ With Paul Greengrass Directing And Jamie Lee Curtis And Jason Blum Producing; Apple In Talks To Purchase

Not since 2019’s crime thriller The Gentleman has Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey gotten an opportunity to thrill audiences, nevertheless it seems to be like he’s getting nearer at discovering his subsequent undertaking in a giant manner. Sources inform Deadline that McConaughey is in negotiations to star in Comet Movies and Blumhouse’s The Misplaced Bus, with Paul Greengrass in negotiations to direct and Apple Authentic Movies in discussions to board the movie.

Brad Ingelsby tailored the Misplaced Bus script from Lizzie Johnson’s ebook Paradise: One City’s Battle to Survive an American Wildfire by Lizzie Johnson, in regards to the 2018 Camp Hearth that grew to become the deadliest hearth in California historical past.

The movie’s story might be advised by way of the angle of heroic bus driver Kevin McKay and faculty trainer Mary Ludwig, who helped navigate a bus full of youngsters by way of the lethal wildfire because the city of Paradise is caught within the destruction and chaos. The fireplace destroyed many of the mountain city and killed 85.

Sources stress that offers nonetheless want to shut and the movie continues to be awaiting a studio greenlight, however insiders say all events are excited in regards to the movie given the expertise behind it. The brand new undertaking might be produced by Jamie Lee Curtis’ Comet Footage, Jason Blum’s Blumhouse, Ingelsby and Greg Goodman. Johnson and Amy Lord are government producers.

Curtis has spearheaded the undertaking’s growth after listening to the writer on NPR, studying the ebook and bringing the undertaking to Blumhouse, the place she has a first-look deal.

Whereas Curtis and Blum have been growing Misplaced Bus since 2022, the undertaking began to achieve momentum when producers received Ingelsby’s script in entrance of Greengrass within the spring, with the director immediately being drawn to it. Issues slowed through the twin Hollywood strikes final 12 months, however as soon as each have been settled not solely did Greengrass zero in on this as his subsequent movie, however McConaughey additionally took an curiosity after assembly with producers.

Greengrass did come on to Warner Bros’ adaptation of the bestselling novel Drowning final 12 months, however sources say script work continues to be being accomplished and the plan is he’ll shoot The Misplaced Bus first after which dive in to Drowning as soon as manufacturing wraps.

If the greenlight is given, the movie would mark a number of reunions for expertise and the studio, with Apple just lately wrapping manufacturing on the Ingelsby-scripted pic Echo Valley starring Julianne Moore and Sydney Sweeney. Whereas that is McConaughey’s first main characteristic movie in a while, he additionally just lately signed on to the Apple TV+ comedy sequence the place he’ll star alongside Woody Harrelson.

McConaughey is repped by WME and attorneys Kevin Yorn and David Krinzman. Greengrass is repped by CAA. Ingelsby is repped by LBI Leisure and CAA, and Curtis and Comet Movies are repped by CAA.