Christopher McCandless became a worldwide legend for his insatiable hunger for the wild, nature, and life itself.

The academically high achiever graduated from university in 1990, looking toward a bright career, as he also came from a wealthy family. But he had no interest in any of that. Cutting up his cards and donating his college savings of $24,000 to Oxfam, Chris began a journey that would become a lifelong quest. Not least as an escape from an abusive household, he traveled from South Dakota to California, first by car (without insurance and with expired license plates), then by hitchhiking, canoeing down the Colorado River, and walking with minimal equipment before reaching his final destination: Alaska.

During his travels, he got arrested, beaten up, and challenged by nature’s obstacles. More importantly, however, he met people along the way—remarkable personalities who each left him with different lessons.

After a two-year journey, Christopher was found in 1992 in his “Magic Bus,” an abandoned bus in the Alaskan wilderness where he had been seeking shelter. One of the last images found on his camera, before he presumably died of starvation, shows him holding a note that reads: “I HAVE HAD A HAPPY LIFE AND THANK THE LORD. GOODBYE AND MAY GOD BLESS ALL.”

When Sean Penn first read Jon Krakauer’s biography Into the Wild, published in 1996, he was immediately captivated by this extraordinary story. What followed was a ten-year process of securing the film rights, which Chris’s family initially denied him. Thanks to Penn’s unwavering dedication, they finally agreed, and production began. Featuring a high-calibre cast, including Marcia Gay Harden and Kristen Stewart, Emile Hirsch is the undisputed star of the film. He embodies Chris’s courage, dedication, and passion brilliantly. Accompanied by a moving soundtrack by Pearl Jam lead singer Eddie Vedder, the film becomes a stunning portrait of a man who died in pursuit of adventure—leaving behind all material possessions to discover the true meaning of life and to understand both nature and his place within it.

First released in 2007, Into the Wild is now returning to the big screen from 7 July 2026 in German cinemas.