Although superstition suggests otherwise, the number “13” was lucky for Ron Howard. The filmmaker won his first DGA award for the 1995 hit “Apollo 13,” which documented the troubled 1970 lunar mission. Now he’s earning accolades for “Thirteen Lives,” another true story about the 2018 effort to rescue a youth soccer team from the Tham Luang caves in Thailand.
Speaking to the Variety Awards Circuit podcast, Howard discusses making “Thirteen Lives.” He admits he was briefly hesitant to sign because he wondered if the films would draw comparisons – not just for their titles: “I recognized that in many ways it resembled ‘Apollo 13′”, admits Howard. “But then I started thinking, ‘Well, that’s a great story.’ And there are some things that I learned in “Apollo 13” that I can apply to that, but there’s a whole other set of challenges.
Howard says he also realized there were other themes he wanted to explore – mainly that of volunteering and “people who didn’t have to be there at huge – physical risks. , emotional, political, career. Just because they decided it was the right thing. Listen below:
Howard has now embraced the comparison between his “13” movies. He even recently took part in a double cast of “Apollo 13” and “Thirteen Lives” at the Aero Theater, doing a Q&A between the two movies. Maybe he needs another “13” movie to complete the trilogy – what about a “Friday the 13th” reboot or sequel?
Howard laughs at the idea. “Well, you know, there’s a certain kind of horror movie that I haven’t done that I would love to do,” he says. “Probably not ‘Friday the 13th’, the stalker thing is a little too intense for me.” But he’s open to something involving “paranormal, supernatural monsters, you know. Things that we kind of know aren’t real.
Now streaming on Amazon Prime Video, “Thirteen Lives” not only details the cave rescue, but also the people who took part in the relief effort, including farmers ready to flood their land and divers volunteering for a mission. seemingly impossible. Howard says the film is one of his toughest — but also most rewarding — experiences: “I’ve never had a project where there were fewer complaints.”
Both the story of “Thirteen Lives” and the story of the making of the film are moving, and it’s hard not to choke when the filmmaker talks about it. Howard also touches on other topics, including what it would take to get him back at an acting gig. (Hint: It would probably have to be a project directed by his daughter, Bryce Dallas Howard. And he’d expect her to audition him. Howard laughs: “I’d be a little disappointed if she didn’t. “)
Also in this episode, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” star Angela Bassett talks about her feelings about returning to the franchise following the death of star Chadwick Boseman. And she talks about the sequel’s shocking twist on her character and how she felt about it at first. But first, the Awards Circuit Roundtable gives its Golden Globe nomination predictions.
Variety’s “Awards Circuit” podcast, produced by Michael Schneider, who also co-hosts with Clayton Davis, is your one-stop-shop for lively conversations about the best in film and TV. Each week, “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top film and TV talent and creatives; discussions and debates about awards races and industry headlines; And much more. Subscribe through Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify or wherever you download podcasts. New episodes released every week.