American film crew already in Chiang Rai plotting movie
As the rescue mission around the cave swings into a huge clean up operation, a US film crew has already arrived in Chiang Rai. Two American producers have been sniffing around plotting a movie project about the 12 young Mu Pa Academy footballers and their assistant coach who were trapped in the cave for more than two weeks.
The final five of the group was rescued from the cave yesterday after a marathon, multinational operation that captivated the world. One Navy SEAL did, however, die trying to save the team which became trapped on June 23.
The story has all the elements required for a movie – young innocents, drama, tragedy, heroes, anguished waiting and impoverished back stories. Of course it was always going to made into a film.
According to news.com.au, the American producers are plotting a movie about the boys’ ordeal in anticipation of a global box office hit. Pure Flix films managing partner Michael Scott said: “I see this as a major Hollywood film with A-list stars”.
Scott and co-producer Adam Smith have already conducted preliminary interviews. Scott and Smith also plan to bring in a screenwriter and interview key players from the team of foreign rescuers and Thai Navy SEALS, the trapped footballers and their families and seek exclusive rights to their stories.
Asked if their actions might be seen as insensitive at such a delicate time, Smith said: “There’s going to be other production companies coming in so we have to act pretty quickly.”
Scott, who’s married to a Thai woman and spends three months a year in Thailand, said they were not pressuring people over the interviews.
“I’ve told them: once this has died down let’s really sit down and have a more in-depth interview on what’s really happening,” he said.
SOURCES: The Nation
