Back in 2019, Netflix announced a new project based on 2018's famous Tham Luang rescue mission wherein a Thai local football team of 12 players and one coach were trapped inside a flooding cave in Chiang Rai. After a couple of years of pre-production, the streaming giant has updated on where the series is at.
Netflix revealed that the filming has started the shooting process in northern Thailand, and the one-and-only Nattawut "Baz" Poonpiriya from Bad Genius is taking over the directing gig to bring back the story of Moo Pa (Wild Boars) Football Academy to the screen. The series will be shot with support from Hollywood film studio SK Global Entertainment (Crazy Rich Asians and Palmer) and a long list of high-caliber producer/filmmakers like Dana Ledoux Miller (Designated Survivor and Lodge 49); Kevin Tancharoen (Warrior and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.); John Penotti (Crazy Rich Asians and Palmer); Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians and In the Heights); Lance Johnson (Troop Zero and The Magnificent Seven); John Logan Pierson (Spenser Confidential and Mile 22); and Tim Coddington (Mulan and Crazy Rich Asians). Looks like this upcoming series is going to be a real deal, you think?
The now-untitled series will feature a cast of 12 all-new faces as the portrayals of the hapless young footballers, namely Pratya Patong, Thanaphong Kanthawong, Songpol Kanthawong, Thanawut Chetuku, Thapanot Huttaprasu, Chakkaphat Sisat, Thanapat Phungpumkaew, Teerapat Somkaew, Rattapoom Nakeesathid, Watcharaphol Poungsawan, Apisit Saengchan, and Aphisit Yookham. Papangkorn “Beam” Lerkchaleampote from the first Thai Netflix original The Stranded will play coach Ekkapol “Ek” Chantawong.
Netflix's take on the Tham Luang incident isn't the only work in progress at the moment, as Academy Awards-winning director Ron Howard is also producing a feature film based on this rescue mission, starring a cast of Thai and Hollywood actors.
Netflix looks to premiere this series sometime next year.