The 2018 Thai cave rescue was an event that gripped the world. Naturally, a few projects have been developed about the waterlogged story, and one of the higher profile examples is Thirteen Lives, directed by Ron Howard and starring Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell and Joel Edgerton alongside a host of local talent. Dive below for the trailer...
In June and July 2018, the members of a junior football team were trapped for 18 days in Thailand’s Tham Luang Nang Non cave, after heavy rainfall flooded the cave system and blocked their way out.
As the team – who ranged in age from 11-16 years old – and their coach remained trapped for weeks, the situation attracted global interest and an international rescue team was assembled to locate them. Howard’s film will chronicle the events of the rescue, focusing on the efforts of the divers to save the trapped team members.
Mortensen and Farrell lead the cast as Rick Stanton and John Volanthen, the British cave divers who volunteered their expertise to help find the group alongside anesthetist Harry Harris (Edgerton) and Chris Jewell (Tom Bateman). Sahajak ‘Poo’ Boonthanakit portrays Governor Narongsak, who headed the rescue operation, with Teeradon ‘James’ Supapunpinyo playing Ekkaphon Chanthawong, the team’s assistant coach.
Thirteen Lives will be in select UK cinemas from 29 July, followed by a global release on Prime Video on 5 August.