'Crazy Rich Asians' Director Signs on to Another Thai Cave Rescue Movie
by EG
It's been less than a week, but there's already a second movie about the Thai cave rescue in the works. This new one will be supported by Thailand's government and directed by Crazy Rich Asians director Jon Chu. Chue says that he is determined not to let the story of the rescue, which was conducted primarily by Thais themselves, be whitewashed by Hollywood. That was a real possibility, given that the first announced movie version of the story will be produced by the people behind God's Not Dead and other low-budget Christian culture-war tales. Read on for details.
With the Thai cave rescue still fresh in people's minds, Hollywood is steaming ahead with big-screen adaptations of the dramatic story, with two declared projects now in development.
A day after faith-based production company Pure Flix revealed its project, Ivanhoe Pictures president John Penotti announced Wednesday that the company had been selected by Thailand's Navy and government to develop a movie based on the rescue which saw an international team of pers, 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 soccer team's ordeal began June 23 when rising water trapped them inside a cave, and the last of the dozen boys and one coach were rescued on Tuesday after a harrowing 18 days that sparked global media interest.
Ivanhoe is reteaming with Crazy Rich Asians helmer Jon M. Chu on the potential film. Chu is set to direct and took to Twitter on Wednesday confirming the project and also vowing to not let Hollywood whitewash the story.
"I refuse to let Hollywood #whitewashout the Thai Cave rescue story! No way. Not on our watch. That won’t happen or we’ll give them hell. There’s a beautiful story abt human beings saving other human beings. So anyone thinking abt the story better approach it right & respectfully,” the filmmaker tweeted.
Get the rest of the story at The Hollywood Reporter.
Which Thai cave rescue movie are you more likely to see? Let us know in the comments below.