Thailand cave rescue to be turned into Hollywood movie

Production house Pure Flix wants to bring the story of the 12 boys and their football coach to screen

Volunteers celebrate at a makeshift press centre in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai province on July 10, 2018, after the twelve boys and their football coach were rescued. AFP/Ye Aung THU

The mission to rescue 12 boys and their football coach from a cave in Thailand is to get the Hollywood treatment in a movie announced by faith-based production house Pure Flix.

Managing partner Michael Scott, who lives in Thailand and was at the rescue site in Chiang Rai as the boys were being pulled to safety, made the announcement onTuesday on Twitter.

“I couldn’t be more excited. This story has meant so much to me as I have followed it in Thailand this summer,” he said in a video filmed at the scene of the flooded cave in the country’s north.

“My wife actually grew up with the Thai Navy Seal that died in the cave. To see all that heroic bravery in the cave, and to get all the divers out, it’s just such a touching event and so personal to me.”

Video footage emerged on Wednesday of several of the Wild Boars team – aged 11 to 16 – being freed from the Tham Luang cave on stretchers, ending a three-day rescue.

The boys are in good physical and mental health, said doctors, despite 18 days inside the dank, dark cave before a risky rescue operation that was dubbed Mission: Impossible.

Mr Scott’s wife has been involved with planning the funeral for Saman Kunan, the former Seal who died on July 6 while helping install oxygen tanks in preparation for the extraction.

“We’re here really looking at this as a movie that could inspire millions of people across the globe,” Mr Scott said.

“And we’re here witnessing the events, gathering some contacts and everything, to really tell a story about an international effort, the entire world coming together to save (12) kids trapped in this Thai cave.”

Pure Flix co-founder David AR White told The Wall Street Journal the company – which was behind the 2014-18 God's Not Dead trilogy – was talking to actors, writers and potential investors.

"Pure Flix joins the rest of the world in thanking God for answering prayers for the successful rescue of those trapped in the cave in Thailand," the company said.