Tham Luang Mission Series, ‘Thai Cave Rescue’ Trailer and Release Date on Netflix

Netflix has revealed the first trailer (watch above) for its upcoming limited series based on the true story of the Tham Luang mission in Thailand. The limited series ‘Thai Cave Rescue’ will release on September 22 on Netflix, worldwide.

In 2018, 12 boys from the same football club, Wild Boars, decided to spend the afternoon touring the Tham Luang caves in northern Thailand with their coach. What was supposed to be a fun vacation evolved into a big international rescue mission that enthralled the world when rain flooded the caves and trapped them within. This remarkable story will now be portrayed via the untold views of the boys at the heart of the mission in Thai Cave Rescue.

The show, which was entirely filmed in Thailand, contains exclusive insights from the Wild Boars football team's young members and their experiences at the edge of human endurance, as well as the stories of their families and the large worldwide team that came together to save them.

Thai Cave Rescue stars an expansive Thai cast led by Papangkorn “Beam” Lerkchaleampote (died in March 2022) as Coach Eak, Thaneth "Ek" Warakulnukroh as Chiang Rai governor Narongsak Osottanakorn, and Urassaya "Yaya" Sperbund and Manatsanun "Donut" Phanlerdwongsakul as Kelly and Pim — fictional representatives of the real-world hydraulic engineers and park rangers that made the incredible rescue possible. Supakorn "Tok" Kitsuwan also joins the cast as former Navy SEAL diver Saman “Ja Sam” Gunan, while Bloom Varin plays army doctor, Colonel Bhak Loharjun.

The 12 Wild Boars are played by local boys Pratya "Tiger" Patong, Songpol "Pangpon" Kantawong,  Teeraphat "Gun"' Somkaew, Chakkapat "Junior" Sisat, Thanawut "Bank" Chetuku, Apisit "Chit" Saengchan, Thanaphong "Pluem" Kanthawong, Aphisit "Fluke" Yookham, Thanapat "Utha" Phungpumkaew, Watcharaphol "Kim" Puangsawan, Thapanot "Nam-Ning" Huttapasu, and Rattaphoom "Fluke" Nakeesathid. Filming took place at the homes of the real boys in Tham Luang itself.

As with the real mission, the series has assembled a cast of international actors to portray key contributors in this rescue, including Nicholas Bell as Vern Unsworth, Christopher Stollery as Rick Stanton, Rodger Corser as Dr. Richard “Harry” Harris, Nicholas Farnell as John Volanthen, and Damon Herriman as Dr. Craig Challen.

Created by Michael Russell Gunn (Billions, Designated Survivor) and Dana Ledoux Miller (Designated Survivor, Narcos), the six-episode limited series is directed by Baz Poonpiriya and Kevin Tancharoen (The Brothers Sun, The Book of Boba Fett, Warrior) and showcases a dramatized retelling of the astonishing rescue that gripped the world in 2018.

Both directors also serve as executive producers alongside Jon M. Chu and Lance Johnson for Electric Somewhere; John Penotti for SK Global Entertainment; John Logan Pierson; and Tim Coddington. Below are the first-look images:

 

Dive into what the boys & their coach, their families, their community, and volunteers from all over the world experienced together in the fight against both nature and time to save the boys. pic.twitter.com/u5T00QvX9s

— Golden (@netflixgolden) July 27, 2022

From the team that brought you Crazy Rich Asians, directors Baz Poonpiriya & Kevin Tancharoen, and writers Michael Russell Gunn & Dana Ledoux Miller.

This September 22 on Netflix. pic.twitter.com/QJQkNaBALu

— Golden (@netflixgolden) July 27, 2022

“Thai Cave Rescue is the first opportunity for audiences worldwide to see the Tham Luang story in a new and more emotional light,” said Baz Poonpiriya, Director and executive producer. “Centering the perspectives of the 12 Wild Boars, Coach Eak, and heroes like Saman “Ja Sam” Gunan, whose lives beyond the operation remain largely outside the public spotlight. I am very proud to have this opportunity to tell the stories behind the faces and names we have come to know well throughout this world-famous rescue operation.”

Kevin Tancharoen, who also serves as director and executive producer, said: "As a Thai American, I consider myself extremely privileged to be able to tell this story through the eyes and souls of the Thai people. I wanted to use what I'd learned from telling large superhero stories in the real world. One in which real-life superheroes worked together for a common cause regardless of where they came from, and the only superpowers are the human spirit's perseverance and what we can do when we work together."

Showrunner, writer, and executive producer Michael Russell Gunn added: “Thai Cave Rescue is essentially a story about family and what we define as family. The entire world came together as one large family, from the boys' own parents and guardians to the thousands of local and international rescuers who joined the expedition. We intended for the show to cover not only the rescue operation but also what the Wild Boars went through inside the cave, and we believe that our emphasis on achieving authenticity - from characters and languages to locations and emotions - will shine through and have an impact on viewers around the world via Netflix.”

“We started writing this show at the start of the pandemic lockdowns in the United States. It became an unusual source of consolation to share a narrative that is such a powerful reminder that, while we are frequently characterized by our differences - in language, belief, or socioeconomic class - the human spirit's hope and tenacity are universal. In the end, we are all at the mercy of Mother Nature,” said Dana Ledoux Miller, co-showrunner, co-writer, and executive producer.