Hollywood directors plan movie about Thailand’s cave rescue drama
Hollywood movie director Jon M. Chu, best known for movies such as the Step Up series, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, Jem and the Holograms, G.I. Joe: Retaliation and his latest film Crazy Rich Asians, together with studio Ivanhoe Pictures is looking to adapt the story about the successful rescue of a Thai junior football team.
Ivanhoe Pictures president John Penotti announced on July 11 that the company was in talks with Thailand’s Navy and government to develop a movie based on the rescue which saw an international team of divers, cavers and special forces work with Thai authorities to reach a group of 12 boys and their coach trapped in a cave in northern Thailand.
The news came a day after Pure Flix CEO Michael Scott posted a video on Facebook saying he’s eyeing to secure movie rights to the story. He said the studio – which is behind the 2014-18 God’s Not Dead trilogy – was talking to actors, writers and potential investors.
Scott told The Hollywood Reporter that his studio’s film project would not be necessarily faith-based and would carry a budget between $30 million and $60 million and be released under the more mainstream banner Pinnacle Peak. Scott said he was lining up screenwriters in the next few weeks.
Chu. In turn, said that his movie would not be “whitewashing” the cave story but would have a respectful, realistic approach..
The ball is now with the Thai government if and to whom it will be granting the movie rights to the story.
Besides the Hollywood directors, Discovery Channel has announced it will air a documentary about the rescue on July 13.
Meanwhile, a group of Chilean miners which were themselves the focus of international media attention eight years ago when they were freed after 69 days trapped underground at the San Jose mine in northern Chile, warned the rescued Thai group to be careful about accepting movie offers and give the intellectual rights on the stories away too light-handedly.
The fate of the Chileans was turned into the movie The 33 which grossed $25 million at the box office, but the miners never saw a cent of it, saying they have been exploited by lawyers, producers and others who wanted to benefit from their story as they were badly advised and fell for promises they would be “made millionaires.”
Hollywood movie director Jon M. Chu, best known for movies such as the Step Up series, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, Jem and the Holograms, G.I. Joe: Retaliation and his latest film Crazy Rich Asians, together with studio Ivanhoe Pictures is looking to adapt the story about the successful rescue of a Thai junior football team. Ivanhoe Pictures president John Penotti announced on July 11 that the company was in talks with Thailand's Navy and government to develop a movie based on the rescue which saw an international team of divers, cavers and special forces work with Thai authorities to reach...
Hollywood movie director Jon M. Chu, best known for movies such as the Step Up series, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, Jem and the Holograms, G.I. Joe: Retaliation and his latest film Crazy Rich Asians, together with studio Ivanhoe Pictures is looking to adapt the story about the successful rescue of a Thai junior football team.
Ivanhoe Pictures president John Penotti announced on July 11 that the company was in talks with Thailand’s Navy and government to develop a movie based on the rescue which saw an international team of divers, cavers and special forces work with Thai authorities to reach a group of 12 boys and their coach trapped in a cave in northern Thailand.
The news came a day after Pure Flix CEO Michael Scott posted a video on Facebook saying he’s eyeing to secure movie rights to the story. He said the studio – which is behind the 2014-18 God’s Not Dead trilogy – was talking to actors, writers and potential investors.
Scott told The Hollywood Reporter that his studio’s film project would not be necessarily faith-based and would carry a budget between $30 million and $60 million and be released under the more mainstream banner Pinnacle Peak. Scott said he was lining up screenwriters in the next few weeks.
Chu. In turn, said that his movie would not be “whitewashing” the cave story but would have a respectful, realistic approach..
The ball is now with the Thai government if and to whom it will be granting the movie rights to the story.
Besides the Hollywood directors, Discovery Channel has announced it will air a documentary about the rescue on July 13.
Meanwhile, a group of Chilean miners which were themselves the focus of international media attention eight years ago when they were freed after 69 days trapped underground at the San Jose mine in northern Chile, warned the rescued Thai group to be careful about accepting movie offers and give the intellectual rights on the stories away too light-handedly.
The fate of the Chileans was turned into the movie The 33 which grossed $25 million at the box office, but the miners never saw a cent of it, saying they have been exploited by lawyers, producers and others who wanted to benefit from their story as they were badly advised and fell for promises they would be “made millionaires.”
