June 09, 2025

'Mare of Easttown' creator's new movie based on 2018 Calif. wildfire is coming to Apple TV+ this fall

Brad Ingelsby co-wrote 'The Lost Bus,' which is about the disaster in Paradise. The drama stars Matthew McConaughey as a driver.

By Kristin Hunt
PhillyVoice Staff

Provided image/Apple TV+

Matthew McConaughey plays a driver caught in the Paradise, California, wildfire in 'The Lost Bus.' Brad Ingelsby co-wrote the Apple TV+ movie.

Brad Ingelsby, the creator of "Mare of Easttown," has another streaming project lined up, this one a disaster thriller based on a true story.

The Berwyn native co-wrote the screenplay for "The Lost Bus," a movie coming to AppleTV+ this fall. The film dramatizes the real events surrounding the 2018 wildfire in Paradise, California, the deadliest and most destructive wildfire in state history.

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In the first teaser for "The Lost Bus," which debuted Sunday, responders put out a call for help transporting 23 children to safety. Kevin McCay, a school bus driver played by Matthew McConaughey, responds. America Ferrera also stars as a teacher aiding in the mission.

Ingelsby adapted the screenplay with the movie's director Paul Greengrass from the book "Paradise: One Town's Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire" by Lizzie Johnson. It's set to be an especially busy year for Ingelsby, who also wrote the Apple TV+ film "Echo Valley," streaming Friday, and created the HBO series "Task." That crime drama, which filmed in Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs in 2024, premieres in September.

"The Lost Bus" also features Yul Vazquez, Ashlie Atkinson and Spencer Watson. Check out the trailer below: