A fresh look at the enigmatic story of a young American hiker named Chris McCandless, who was found dead in an abandoned bus in the Alaskan wilderness and became the subject of the best-selling Jon Krakauer book and Sean Penn-directed movie Into the Wild. Chris McCandless' own letters, released for the first time, as well as new and surprising interviews probe the mystery that still lies at the
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Return to the Wild is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
About the Show
Premiered November 2014
Twenty years ago, a young American hiker named Chris McCandless, the accomplished son of successful middle class parents, was found dead in an abandoned bus in the Alaskan wilderness and became the subject of the best-selling book and movie “Into the Wild.” PBS retraces Chris McCandless’ steps to try to piece together why he severed all ties with his past, burnt or gave away all his money, changed his name and headed into the Denali Wilderness.
McCandless' own letters, released for the first time, as well as new and surprising interviews, probe the mystery that still lies at the heart of a story that has become part of the American literary canon and compels so many to this day.
Producers
Lincoln Square Productions
Coneflower Productions
The McCandless bus in Alaska.
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Coneflower Studios
Healy, Alaska as seen from a chopper.
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PBS
The abandoned bus where Chris McCandless lived and died in the Alaskan wilderness.
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PBS
The interior of the McCandless bus.
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Coneflower Studios
The area around the McCandless bus in Healy, Alaska.
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PBS
Carine McCandless in front of the bus where her brother, Chris McCandless, was found.
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PBS
This chopper transported the McCandless sisters and the program crew to the bus where Chris McCandless died.
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PBS
Northern Lights in Alaska.
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Coneflower Studios
An Alaskan moose.
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Coneflower Studios
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