Summary
Matthew Mcconaughey fans will be glad to know he’sstarring in an AppleTV+ movie calledThe Lost Bus, and the teaser is particularly impressive. While of course sometimes audiences will want to check out a movie or TV series based on the main cast members or an elevator pitch or brief description, teasers and trailers are still important. However, there’s always one big question:should a trailer give the entire story away, or be vague and mysterious?
While Mcconaughey starred inan underrated horror movie calledFrailtyin 2001, he’s best known forTrue Detectiveseason 1 and movies ranging from the emotionalDallas Buyers Clubto the sci-fi storyInterstellar.His next project looks great, and other movie studios should make trailers that are just as memorable as this one.
The Teaser For The Lost Bus Starring Matthew McConaughey Is Perfect, And Other Movie Studios Should Take Inspiration From It
The Lost Busteaser shares the main characters and premise without giving everything away, and audiences can tell that it’s going to be a thrilling tale.Beloved and talented starMatthew McConaughey plays a bus driver named Kevin McCay, and over the radio, he hears a voice say:
“There’s a situation evolving at Ponderosa Elementary. There are tweny-three kids who are stranded. Is there anyone in the area who can pick them up?”
The teaser then shows trees on fire and suggests the premise:a teacher (played by America Ferrera) and her students are caught in the 2018 Camp Fire, which was a terrifying and dangerous fire in the Butte County area of Northern California. Co-written by director Paul Greengrass and adapted from the bookParadise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfireby Lizzie Johnson, andproduced by Jason Blum and Jamie Lee Curtis,The Lost Buslooks likean emotional and moving story of survival and braveryand it’s a reminder that whileAppleTV+ is known for memorable TV shows likeTed Lasso, the streaming service puts out some excellent films, too.
Other movie studios should create teasers and trailers that are as great as the one forThe Lost Bus. It lets people knowthe two main characters and the scary and compelling storyline without spoilers or too much information. It’s unclear who will survive and if the story has a happy ending, and even the overall tone of the movie is a bit of a mystery. However, it’s a gripping teaser, and it works well.
TheStranger Thingsseason 5 trailer, which was shared at Netflix’s Tudum live event on May 31st, 2025,went too far in the opposite direction. Instead of sharing some of the final season’s storyline or giving fans an idea of what to expect, the trailer is mostly a montage of familiar scenes and moments that viewers have been analyzing for years. While of course Netflix wasn’t going to spoil anything, fans would have appreciated a bit more.
How Much Of The Story Do Audiences Want To Know Before Seeing A Movie?
There’s a fine line between including every single plot point in a trailer and releasing something that is so confusing and vague that no one has any clue what they’re going to see. However, althoughmany would likely say that spoilers should always be kept out of a movie teaser or trailer, it turns out that some research suggests this is a good strategy.
According toMarketplace.org, movie studios test trailers in focus groups, andmany people are fine with knowing the story before they head to the theater. In fact, they often prefer it. Marketing executive David Singh from Solstice Studios worked on the trailer forthe sci-fi movieThe Martian, which spoils in the trailer that Matt Damon’s character is still alive and, more than that, he’s leaving Mars and going back home to Earth. Singh told Marketplace.org that audiences:
“want to know what they’re buying. You know, they want to know a little bit more about the plot.”
Although people might complain when a trailer spoils a big plot twist, it’s interesting to hear that audiences will still check out the movie even if they know what’s going to happen. In the case ofThe Lost Bus,Matthew McConaughey’s many fanswould be more than happy to check out any project he’s in, even if the teaser gave more away.
Ultimately, when it comes to what a trailer should and shouldn’t show,a huge plot twist or major moment should never be included. It would be a shame to watchthe ’90s horror movieThe Sixth SenseorA Beautiful Mindand already know the twists. Sure, the impressive performances and gripping storylines are other reasons to watch those popular movies. But, since movies are meant to be as entertaining as they are relatable and inspiring, those twists should never be spoiled.
