A book sharing the trauma to triumphant story of the Swift Current Broncos following the 1986 Bronco bus crash will be made into a live-action feature film.
Leesa Culp, one of the authors of Sudden Death: The Incredible Saga of the 1986 Swift Current Broncos, confirmed in an email that the book has been optioned by Trilight Entertainment Inc. in order to produce a feature film adaptation of the book. Award-winning Saskatchewan writer/director Rob King (Corner Gas, Hungry Hills) will write the screen adaptation of the book.
Sudden Death: The Incredible Saga of the 1986 Swift Current Broncos was the passionate project of crash eyewitness Leesa Culp and Bronco star Bob Wilkie who both steadfastly believed this emotional story needed to be shared with a wider audience. Veteran sports journalist Gregg Drinnan lent his writing talents to the 216 page book published by Dundurn Press.
The Dec. 30, 1986 crash took the lives of Trent Kresse, Scott Kruger, Chris Mantyka, and Brent Ruff, and the four players memories are forever etched into the minds of teammates, friends, team supporters and community members.
Sudden Death: The Incredible Saga of the 1986 Swift Current Broncos is a fascinating read, detailing the lead up to the crash, and the fact that a single instance changed the lives forever for both newcomers to the team and veteran junior players, many who were just three months into their time in Swift Current.
“We are extremely happy that we have been able to secure the option for this book,” stated Shayne Putzlocher of Trilight Entertainment Inc. “The story of these players, and the community of Swift Current, overcoming such a huge adversity has always been overshadowed by other very publicized events. It is time to have their story told.”
“It’s just a shame that due to recent decisions made by the Saskatchewan government and its continuing promotion of instability in the Saskatchewan film industry, we have to look at other jurisdictions in Canada to shoot this amazing story, which took place in none other than the Premier’s hometown,” commented Trilight Entertainment Inc.’s Holly Baird.
“Sudden Death is a remarkable story of loss and survival that resonates just as strongly now as it did twenty-seven years ago,” says Dundurn publisher Kirk Howard. “To have this remarkable story turned into a movie will not only introduce it to a new audience, it will ensure the legacy of the Swift Current Broncos.”
Trilight Entertainment Inc. is a partnership between film industry veterans Holly Baird and Shayne Putzlocher, with the duo having produced four feature films in Saskatchewan since forming in 2009.
