THE STORY behind the rescue of 12 boys and their soccer coach who were trapped in a cave in Thailand is set to be turned into a feature-length Hollywood movie.
People across the globe were gripped by the story of the 12-strong Wild Boars football team, who were stuck underground for 18 days after monsoon floods blocked their only way of escape.
Now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, the wheels are already in motion to develop a film focusing on the harrowing events and their eventual rescue.
Pure Flix Entertainment, a production outfit known for faith-focused films like God's Not Dead, is taking on the project - though the film will not adopt the same religious tone.
Company co-founder and CEO Michael Scott, who is based in Thailand and has spent time at the scene of the rescue, told THR:
"The bravery and heroism I've witnessed is incredibly inspiring, so, yes, this will be a movie for us,"
"It's not necessary to make this a Christian film, just an inspirational one."
According to the report, Scott has already approached some of the 90 divers that contributed to the rescue mission and some of the families of the boys trapped in the cave.
He's now looking to line up screenwriters with the film set to be made on a budget of somewhere between $30 million and $60 million.
Scott has shot films in Thailand previously and has no qualms about returning to the caves or a similar setting for the movie.
The producer is also keen to stress the project is a personal one, rather than an attempt at a quick cash-in.
According to Scott, the former Thai Navy SEAl, Saman Kunan, 37, who died during the rescue, was a good friend of his wife.
"This isn't just about a movie, it's about honouring everybody involved, including the soldier who died," he said.
There's no word yet on who will star though given Pure Flix's reputation and the lack of a hefty budget, it's unlikely to be anyone from Hollywood's A-list.
However, given the eclectic make-up of the rescue team, which included experts from Australia, America and the British, some surprising names could yet be cast.
It's not the first time a major event of this kind has been turned into a film, with the recent Boston bombings inspiring films starring the likes of Mark Wahlberg and Jake Gyllenhaal.
