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Thirteen Lives

Thirteen Lives is a 2022 biographical survival film directed and produced by Ron Howard and written by William Nicholson.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Thirteen Lives is a 2022 biographical survival film directed and produced by Ron Howard and written by William Nicholson. It dramatizes the Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand, in which a boys' football team and their coach were trapped in a flooded cave and later rescued. The film stars Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, and Tom Bateman.

Premise

Thirteen Lives follows the rescue of a Thai boys' football team and their coach after they became trapped in the Tham Luang cave system during flooding. The story focuses on the international effort to locate and extract them.

Production

The film was directed and produced by Ron Howard from a screenplay by William Nicholson. It is a dramatization of real events rather than a documentary.

Release

Thirteen Lives opened in select U.S. theatres on July 29, 2022, and began streaming on Prime Video on August 5, 2022.

Cast and characters

The principal cast includes Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, and Tom Bateman. The film depicts both the trapped team and the divers and rescuers involved in the mission.

Key facts

  • The film dramatizes the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand.
  • It was directed and produced by Ron Howard and written by William Nicholson.
  • Cast includes Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, and Tom Bateman.
  • Released in selected U.S. theatres on July 29, 2022, and streamed on Prime Video from August 5, 2022.
  • The film focuses on the international effort to rescue a boys' football team and their coach.
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Canadian context

The film was widely available to Canadian audiences through Prime Video after its 2022 release, and it may be of interest in Canada because it is a high-profile international survival drama based on a globally followed rescue story.

Frequently asked questions

What is Thirteen Lives about?
It is about the 2018 Tham Luang cave rescue in Thailand, where a boys' football team and their coach were trapped by flooding and later rescued.
Who directed Thirteen Lives?
Ron Howard directed and produced the film.
When was Thirteen Lives released?
It was released in selected U.S. theatres on July 29, 2022, and streamed on Prime Video from August 5, 2022.
Who wrote the screenplay?
William Nicholson wrote the screenplay.
Who stars in the film?
The film stars Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, and Tom Bateman.

References

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteen_Lives
    Supports: Basic film identification, director, writer, cast, and release dates
  2. Rotten Tomatoes — https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/thirteen_lives
    Supports: Plot premise, genre, and release/streaming dates
  3. Common Sense Media — https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/thirteen-lives
    Supports: Runtime, rating, release dates, cast, and director
  4. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12262116/
    Supports: Film synopsis and identification
  5. RogerEbert.com — https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/thirteen-lives-movie-review-2022
    Supports: Context that the film dramatizes the 2018 cave rescue and features rescue divers