A second movie is being developed on the rescue of the 12 Thai footballers and their coach from a flooded cave after an 18-day ordeal, reports said. The movie will be directed by Jon M Chu (Crazy Rich Asians) and will be produced by Ivanhoe Pictures.
Ivanhoe Pictures president John Penotti is negotiating with Thailand’s Navy and government to develop the film. The news comes a day after Christian content producer Pure Flix said it was seeking the rights to produce a cinematic adaptation of the rescue.
The football team of 12 boys aged 11-16 and their 25-year-old coach had hiked to the Tham Luang cave in Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand on June 23, but were trapped by rising flood waters. They were discovered on June 3 and rescued after a three-day operation involving experts from several countries, including the Thai Navy Seal, the United States Indo-Pacific Command and British cave diving experts.
Several studios have expressed interest in producing films based on the rescue, Deadline reported. Discovery Channel has also announced a documentary on the dramatic events, which will be released on Friday.
In a tweet on Wednesday, Chu indicated that he was determined not to let Hollywood “whitewash” the story of the rescue. He cautioned anyone thinking of approaching the story to do it “right and respectfully”.
Chu has previously directed films such as Step Up 2: The Streets (2008) and Now You See Me 2 (2016). His latest film Crazy Rich Asians will be released in the United States of America on August 15. Ivanhoe Pictures, and its parent company SKE Global, develop local-language content for audiences in the United States of America, India, Taiwan, South Korea, and Latin America. Their upcoming projects include Netflix’s first Indian horror series Ghoul, and Mexico-set drama La Caja.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!