THIRTEEN LIVES recounts the incredible true story of the tremendous global effort to rescue a Thai soccer team who become trapped in the Tham Luang cave network during an unexpected rainstorm. Faced with insurmountable odds, a team of the world’s most skilled and experienced divers — uniquely able to navigate the maze of flooded, narrow cave tunnels — join with Thai forces and more than 10,000 volunteers to attempt a harrowing rescue of the twelve boys and their coach. With impossibly high stakes and the entire world watching, the group embarks on their most challenging dive yet, showcasing the limitlessness of the human spirit in the process.
Academy Award® winning director RON HOWARD (A Beautiful Mind, Apollo 13, Frost/Nixon) tells this unbelievable true story in a visceral style. With riveting cinematography by SAYOMBHU MUKDEEPROM (Call Me By Your Name) and a screenplay by Academy Award® nominee WILLIAM NICHOLSON (Gladiator), from a story by Nicholson and DON MACPHERSON (The Gunman), the film depicts how rescuers, engineers, and divers tried everything in the face of outrageous odds — coming down to a moment when a group of ordinary people tried one final, extraordinary attempt to save THIRTEEN LIVES.
“This story is so full of suspense and mystery, and just fraught with danger. Not just physical danger — it’s also emotional danger,” says Howard. “What’s it going to mean if there’s a misstep? What is the rescue really going to take? What price is paid to try to achieve it? I’ve found that in making films based on real events, including Apollo 13, that audiences are captivated by details. As we spent time with Rick Stanton and Jason Mallinson, and spoke with John Volanthen, Chris Jewell, and Dr. Harris, we kept collecting information — and finding out the things which very easily could have gone wrong.” Adds Howard, “THIRTEEN LIVES tries to help us understand why this particular cave rescue went so remarkably right.”
The filmmakers made the film as an international production, as evidenced by the Thai co-producers who collaborated with Howard and the Thai crew members and extras on the film. Crucially, the THIRTEEN LIVES production team recognized how important cooperation was to the rescue, and so they coordinated throughout production with Thai experts, advisors, and authorities to help keep the film rooted in the truth.
Co-producer RAYMOND PHATHANAVIRANGOON also notes how important accuracy and respect was to the production. “There were so many details that went into this film,” says Phathanavirangoon. “Ron and I always talked about what things to add. For example, how important the role of prayer was to the community around the boys, and many other things to make the film more truthful. Ron was really attentive to those kinds of details, and he was very sensitive about Thai culture and wanted to make sure that everything was represented correctly — including, obviously, the casting and making sure the extras looked they way they needed to, and that the monks shown in the film chanted properly. All of these details were really important to the film.”
Director: Ron Howard
Screenplay by: William Nicholson
Story by: Don Macpherson and William Nicholson
Producers: P.J. van Sandwijk, p.g.a., Gabrielle Tana, p.g.a., Karen Lunder, p.g.a., William M. Connor, Brian Grazer, p.g.a., Ron Howard, p.g.a.
Executive Producers: Jon Kuyper, Carolyn Marks Blackwood, Marie Savare, Michael Lesslie, Aaron L. Gilbert, Jason Cloth
Cast: Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, Tom Bateman, Paul Gleeson, Pattrakorn Tungsupakul, Tui Thiraphat Sajakul, James Teeradon Supapunpinyo, Sahajak Boonthanakit, Weir Sukollawat Kanaros
