Matthew McConaughey insists his new film The Lost Bus "was never intended to be political".

The 55-year-old actor made the remark despite the movie's depiction of a real-life Californian disaster and themes that many might see as a comment on the climate crisis.

He told NME about his first feature film role since 2019, which was directed by Paul Greengrass: "It's been six years since I've been in a film.

"But I've created other characters for myself, such as a writer. I'm touring this Poems and Prayers book where I'm like a song and dance evangelist. Things had to be special or tickle me in the right way for me to come back to the screen."

Asked whether The Lost Bus was intended as a political statement, Matthew added: "Paul has his hints and nudges but it was never intended to be political."

The Lost Bus tells the true story of Kevin McCay, a school bus driver who in 2018 rescued 22 children during the Camp Fire - the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in California's history.

Matthew plays Kevin, a reluctant hero caught between his duty to family and his responsibility to his community.

He credited directed Paul, 69, best known for Captain Phillips and United 93, with finding a story that reignited his interest in acting.

Matthew said: "I didn't understand who the man was at the beginning but I trusted that I could find him after I talked to Paul.

"I know a lot of middle-aged men who are looking up from their life going, 'Gosh, what do I have to show for it?' Unlike first responders who are waiting to do heroic things, here's a guy who found himself in a predicament where he was in a rush to get home to evacuate his mom and son, but a call came in that there are 23 kids stranded on his side of town and he was the only bus there to go and pick 'em up. And he chose to do that."

Reflecting on what drew him to the story, he added: "Why does someone choose to do that? It could be as simple as it's his job - part of the reason the real Kevin did it.

"In amongst all the action - which is immensely urgent and has an epic scale to it - there's this great, personal story that I could connect with and wanted to study."

Filming wrapped just before another major wildfire hit California.

Asked whether it felt prescient to complete a film about such devastation only to see similar scenes unfold in real life, Matthew said: "To be fair, 10 years ago, it would have been prescient. Ten years from now, it's probably still going to be prescient. The fact that the major fire happened - and this is about the Camp Fire in 2018 - means the movie's coming out while the wound is still fresh to a lot of people in California.

"I'm curious to see what their reaction will be to the film. Is it going to be harder for them to see the film or cathartic? Time will tell. My hunch is that this film will be relevant for quite some time."