Sony signs on to make Slater's drug smuggling TV series
A year ago Kelly Slater bought the rights to Thai Stick: Surfers, Scammers, and the Untold Story of the Marijuana Trade, a book about marijuana smuggling co-written by Peter Maguire and Mike Ritter. At the time Slater told Swellnet the "motivation was simply it being an interesting story politically and personally" though admitting he never uses marijuana or any other recreational drug.
Rather than being a silent investor, Slater was very keen to be involved if the project was picked up. "I'm no filmmaker but I have opinions about the stories and visuals and I do have a little experience over the years. I'd just like to have enough control retained on the production side."
Since that conversation twelve months ago the project has been shopped around the Hollywood studios with Sony Pictures recently giving it the green light. No production dates have been set yet.
Also, while Maguire, Ritter, and Slater were doing the Hollywood rounds for the TV series they were approached by two young documentary film makers, Jeff Miller and Kevin Klauber. Miller and Klauber made "King Corn" and "20 Feet From Stardom", two documentaries that impressed the Thai Stick team.
Keep an eye out for the Thai Stick story to be told on both big screens and small.
Read: Kelly Slater and Peter Maguire on telling the 'untold story' of the marijuana trade
Swellnet review: Thai Stick: Surfers, Scammers, and the Untold Story of the Marijuana Trade
Comments
Forget CT trophies, of which he hasn't won any in three years, Slater's had some big wins on the buisness front. First Firewire/Slater Designs, then the wavepool, now this. He's a one man multinational corporation.
Who plays mike boyum?
They'll probably give it to James Franco.
Serious amounts of fingers in pies
Well, James Franco is too cute for Mike Boyum!
Who will play Mike Ritter? He is the cutest!! I am still in love with him!
;-)
An unconfirmed report had Kelly out drumming up business for his organic chia juice,he was in a shopping mall approaching random people offering a free sample.His spiel was he wanted his products to save the world!One guy remarked that he had God on his side and asked Kelly if he remembered JC nailed to a cross.Kelly replied that he wasn't around all those years ago but did remember Buddha on a stick, so make sure you see the movie.