hree Mexicans who spent nine months lost at sea are to be paid at least $3.8 million to turn their story into a movie.

The men, who hail from San Blas, were feared lost when their 25-foot (8-meter) fiberglass boat ran into trouble off Mexico's Pacific coast last November.

With their families believing they were dead, the three men drifted more than 5,000 miles before being picked up in August by a Taiwanese tuna trawler near the remote Marshall Islands in the South Pacific.

Their incredible tale of survival included catching birds and fish to eat and drinking rainwater-and occasionally their own urine.

According to government official Silverio Aspericueta, the Atlanta-based company, Ezekiel 22, negotiated 8-year exclusive rights to market the story to film companies, book publishers and merchandisers.

According to the report, potential film locations include Hawaii, Los Angeles and the poorer town of San Blas, Mexico-the small fishing village where the men initially departed.