Hollywood for trapped Chile miners

(Reuters)

The story of the Chilean miners who were trapped underground for more than two months is on its way to the big screen.

The 33 miners have sold the rights to their story to producer Mike Medavoy. The film will recount the remarkable plight of the miners who were trapped for 69 days after the mine they were working in collapsed.

Medavoy grew up in Chile and has produced films including "Shutter Island" and "Black Swan." "Motorcycle Diaries" screenwriter Jose Rivera is set to write the script.

The production will also draw on the book being written about the miners by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Hector Tobar.

The miners are represented by William Morris Endeavor Entertainment.

Production is scheduled to begin next year.

"At its heart, this is a story about the triumph of the human spirit and a testament to the courage and perseverance of the Chilean people," Medavoy said. "I can't think of a better story than this one to bring to the screen."

Miner Juan Andrew Illanes called the project "the only official and authorised film about what we lived in the San Jose mine."

"Much of our story has never been told," he said.

The film will face obvious dramatic hurdles in that its conclusion - that all the miners were safely rescued - is already widely known. That much of their trial was in utter darkness, too, would not seem to easily lend itself to a cinematic rendering.

No studio is yet attached to distribute the film.

AP