Yasiel Puig’s harrowing journey from Cuba to the United States and eventually to Chavez Ravine will be turned into a blockbuster movie.
According to a report in the Hollywood Reporter, Brett Ratner acquired the rights to Jesse Katz’ Los Angeles Magazine article, “Escape From Cuba: Yasiel Puig’s Untold Journey to the Dodgers”:
The article, which appeared earlier this month in Los Angeles magazine, chronicles Dodgers superstar Puig’s repeated attempts to escape his home country of Cuba. He finally succeeded when a wealthy but shady sponsor arranged for smugglers working for one of Mexico’s murderous drug cartels to pick Puig up in a speed boat and take him to the Yucatan Peninsula. But when his backer allegedly did not immediately pay the agree-upon fee, the smugglers held Puig captive for almost three weeks. His journey ended successfully — he now has a seven-year, $42 million contract with the National League team – but the piece also highlighted the dangers for other Cubans trying to find a better life in the U.S.
Beau Flynn will also produce the movie with Ratner.