"Crazy Rich Asians" director to make 'non-whitewashed' Thai cave rescue movie
|
12 Jul – Yesterday, it was announced that Hollywood is already eyeing a blockbuster based on the recently-concluded Thai cave rescue story. Today, another Hollywood director is announcing that he will also be making a movie on it.
"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," director Jon M. Chu posted on social media just hours ago.
"There's a beautiful story abt [sic] human beings saving other human beings. So anyone thinking abt [sic] the story better approach it right & respectfully."
Having directed "Crazy Rich Asians", Chu said that the lesson he took away from that experience was Asians must tell their own stories, especially the important ones, so history doesn't get them wrong.
He stated so in the post he made two hours after his first one, adding that the Thai rescue story was too important to let others dictate who the real heroes are.
His concerns are not unfounded, as Hollywood does have a shoddy track record when it comes to whitewashing (think "Aloha", "Death Note", "Doctor Strange") and even though the Thai cave rescue effort was done by both locals and foreigners, prominent roles on the big screen could tip more in favour of the latter.
Chu will once again team up with Ivanhoe Pictures, who also produced "Crazy Rich Asians", for his own take on the story.
His announcement came after it was revealed that Pure Flix Entertainment's Michael Scott and Adam Smith have begun production on their own movie even before the rescue mission was successfully pulled off yesterday.
The Thai cave rescue story involves 12 young boys from Thailand's Wild Boars soccer team and their adult soccer coach who went missing late last month and were later discovered trapped inside a flooded cave in a northern part of the country.
All 13 were successfully rescued after being trapped for more than two weeks.
The rescue mission resulted in one casualty, former Thai Navy SEAL Saman Kunan who passed away after delivering oxygen tanks to the stranded boys.
(Photo source: AP)
