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Next Goal Wins Movie Review Rating:

Star Cast: Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale , Will Arnett, Elisabeth Moss, Uli Latukefu, Chris Alosio, Lehi Makisi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo

Director: Taika Waititi

Next Goal Wins Movie Review Out ( Photo Credit – IMDb )

What’s Good: While the film falls short in various aspects, non-binary actor Kaimana’s portrayal of Jaiaya, a transgender center forward, stands out with compelling scenes and effective chemistry with Fassbender. The film’s rooting interest in the big finale, particularly for Jaiaya, adds some emotional engagement. Michael Fassbender shines briefly in the face of adversity, showcasing his acting prowess.

What’s Bad: The film is criticized for being poorly crafted and notably unfunny, attempting to narrate an intriguing story in an unengaging manner. The exaggerated cartoonish comedic elements clash with Fassbender’s stoic seriousness, diluting the film’s sincerity. The lack of individual development...

One can’t say that writer-director Taika Waititi doesn’t do an efficient job at telling us just what kind of experience Next Goal Wins is going to be right from the outset. After all the studio logos, the very first image we see is of Taika himself, playing an American Samoan priest, explains to the audience the tale of the most embarrassing defeat ever to occur on a soccer pitch: a match from April 11, 2001 when Australia beat American Samoa 31-0.

The footage of that match starts both Waititi’s film and the 2014 documentary of the same name by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison that it’s based on. And it’s a perfect way to kick-start a movie about a bunch of loveable losers struggling for the meager goal of scoring a single point in literally any game. The cherry on top of it all is the darkly hilarious...

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Ahead of the theatrical debut of Taika Waititi “Next Goal Wins” this weekend, Searchlight Pictures and the lifestyle brand Accompany have released a limited-edition, artisan capsule collection for soccer players, consisting of a handmade soccer ball and athletic socks.

Waititi stars in a campaign for the new collection, called the Fa’atasi Capsule, in which he sits in an all-white ensemble on a crisp soccer field. “As a filmmaker, there’s nothing I love more than telling stories that represent different cultures,” he says in the campaign video. “For example, my latest film ‘Next Goal Wins’ takes place in the American Samoa. Where is that, you ask? It’s in the Pacific. Google it.”

“It’s the true story of the International Football team but it’s about way more than just soccer,...

The second official trailer for director Taika Waititi’s new film Next Goal Wins has just been released, and you can check it out above!

Directed by Academy Award Winner Taika Waititi, Next Goal Wins follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around in this heartfelt underdog comedy.

Kaimana in “Next Goal Wins.” Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle.

About The Film

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sport Cast: Michael Fassbender, Oscar Knightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, Lehi Falepapalangi, Will Arnett, and Elisabeth Moss Director: Taika Waititi Screenplay: Iain Morris, Taika Waititi Producer: Garrett Basch, Mike Brett, Jonathan Cavendish, Steve Jamison, Taika Waititi

Next Goal Wins is only in theaters on November 17, 2023!

For More Information,...

Taika Waititi, the filmmaker who won an adapted screenplay Oscar for “Jojo Rabbit” in 2020, has dropped a new trailer for his forthcoming sports-themed feature comedy “Next Goal Wins,” a mini-featurette that plays to the tune of Abba’s “Take A Chance On Me” and teases the film’s charming humor. The film opens in theaters on November 17, capping a lengthy delay for the project that wrapped production nearly four years ago. Watch the trailer above.

The Searchlight Pictures film, which Waititi co-wrote (with Iain Morris) as well as directed, is based on the 2014 documentary “Next Goal Wins” and tells the inspirational true story of the American Samoa soccer team, a squad “infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup qualifiers approaching, the team hires the down-on-his-luck maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around.”

Besides Fassbender, the film features Oscar Kightley,...

Searchlight has launched a new trailer for Taika Waititi’s ‘Next Goal Wins,’ starring Michael Fassbender.

The film tells the story of the American Samoa soccer team, who suffered the worst loss in World Cup history, losing to Australia 31-0 in 2001. With the 2014 World Cup approaching, the team recruits a down on his luck, maverick coach (Michael Fassbender) to help turn their fate around.

Directed by Taika Waititi, the film stars Elisabeth Moss, Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo, Uli Latukefu, Rachel House and Kaimana.

Waititi is producing alongside Jonathan Cavendish and Garrett Basch, with Andy Serkis, Will Tennant, and Kathryn Dean serving as executive producers.

Also in trailers – “Charge one, Mutiny!” Trailer drops for ‘The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial’

The post New trailer drops in for Taika Waititi’s ‘Next Goal Wins’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.

In trailer two for Searchlight Pictures’ Next Goal Wins, writer/director Taika Waititi jokes that he went into the comedy knowing nothing about soccer…and came out knowing even less. The new trailer also finds Waititi explaining that he was attracted to the sports film based on real events because it’s a story about triumphing over adversity.

The underdog comedy stars Michael Fassbender as soccer coach Thomas Rongen. Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, Lehi Falepapalangi, Will Arnett, and Elisabeth Moss also star in the PG-13 comedy.

Taika Waititi and Iain Morris wrote the screenplay, with Waititi, Jonathan Cavendish, Garrett Basch, Mike Brett, and Steve Jamison producing.

Next Goal Wins opens in theaters on November 17, 2023.

Michael Fassbender in ‘Next Goal Wins’ (Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures © 2022 20th Century Studios)

The Plot, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures:

Next Goal Wins...

Searchlight Pictures has released a new trailer for Next Goal Wins, the upcoming sports comedy directed by Taika Waititi.

Based on the 2014 documentary of the same name by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, Next Goal Wins follows the “infamously terrible American Samoa soccer team, known for a brutal 2001 FIFA match they lost 31-0. With the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around in this humorous and heartfelt underdog story.“

Michael Fassbender stars in Next Goal Wins as coach Thomas Rongen, with Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo, Uli Latukefu, Rachel House, Kaimana, Will Arnett, and Elisabeth Moss rounding out the rest of the cast. In addition to directing, Taika Waititi also co-wrote the script with Ian Morris and made a cameo appearance as a priest.

Related Next Goal Wins (TIFF...

Taika Waititi had two goals when approaching Next Goal Wins: one was to make sure people who looked like him found their way onto mainstream screens; two was making sure they were depicted taking the piss out of each other. He joked, after the world premiere, that Pacific Islanders are always shown playing majestic music and looking regal when reality was an infinite wealth of good-natured ribbing. And who better to embody that lack of self-satisfied pretension than arguably the worst soccer team to ever hit an international pitch: the American Samoa national football team, which lost to Australia 31 to nil in 2001.

As the island’s priest (Waititi) explains during his opening narration, the squad might have played even worse in the decade-plus that goes by once the film hits 2014. It’s here that Football Federation American Samoa president Tavita (Oscar Kightley) decides something needs to change. With World Cup...

Filmmaker Taika Waititi’s new film ‘Next Goal Wins’ is based on the true story of the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. Their story was immortalised in the 2014 documentary of the same name by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison.

Waititi has admitted that he took some creative liberties in adapting the story for the screen, reports Variety. “I had to twist the truth,” he told the audience before the world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. “Otherwise, watch the documentary.”

‘Next Goal Wins’ picks up with the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, as the team hires down-on-his-luck coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) in the hopes he will turn around their bleak track record.

Waititi, who was last at the festival with 2019’s Oscar-winner ‘Jojo Rabbit’, said that the film is about finding your family. “Sometimes it doesn’t need to be related by blood,...

Taika Waititi’s quirky sense of humor isn’t for everyone. The New Zealand filmmaker repeatedly punched the podium microphone during his introduction of “Next Goal Wins” at its Toronto International Film Festival world premiere at the Princess of Wales Theatre on Sunday while TIFF CEO Cameron Bailey stood by gamely smiling at the antics of his guest. Waititi, after all, had won the 2019 TIFF audience award for his last film, “Jojo Rabbit,” which had premiered in the same room and had raised eyebrows with its Nazi satire.

That said, “Next Goal Wins” is his best and most crowd-pleasing effort to date. It’s the true tale of American Samoa’s abysmal soccer team gearing up for the 2011 World Cup qualifier under the coaching of Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), who had just been fired by the U.S. national team. The story spawned a 2014 documentary of the same title by Steve Jamison and Mike Brett.

Does it count as a white savior movie if the white character is the one who needs saving? In “Next Goal Wins,” the world’s top-grossing indigenous director, Taika Waititi, retells the story of how American Samoa went from having the world’s worst soccer team to, well, not the worst. While a white man was involved, the movie — which suggests how a film like “Cool Runnings” might be made with 30 years’ more cultural enlightenment — is mostly about how their coach (Michael Fassbender) needs an attitude adjustment. Come to think of it, that’s essentially the formula for most white savior movies.

In 2001, the American Samoa soccer team set a world record. They lost the World Cup Qualification game 31-0. Apparently, they only got worse from there. Enter Fassbender’s character, Thomas Rongen, a hothead with an alcohol problem and an emotional backstory which the movie keeps up its sleeve...

Fall film festivals are usually where we look for the more serious awards-bait pictures, but occasionally, as with tonight’s rousing world premiere of Taikia Waititi’s long-gestating soccer comedy Next Goal Wins, you get a real commercial crowd pleaser.

That is exactly what Waititi has delivered in adapting the 2014 documentary of the same time by filmmakers Mike Brett and Steve Jamison. Yes, this heartfelt movie fits right in with the well-overworked Hollywood sports movie formula — you know, the ragtag team that becomes triumphant against all odds. The triumph here wasn’t on a huge scale for the American Samoa men’s national team, which notoriously holds the record for the single-biggest loss in international football history when it lost a World Cup qualifier Australia 31-0 in 2001. The team remained at the bottom of the FIFA rankings until November 2011, when they finally got a goal, a victory itself, and beat...

Taika Waititi’s new film “Next Goal Wins” is based on the true story of the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. Their story was immortalized in the 2014 documentary of the same name by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, so Waititi admits he took some creative liberties in adapting the story for the screen.

“I had to twist the truth,” he told the audience before the world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival. “Otherwise, watch the documentary.”

“Next Goal Wins” picks up with the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, as the team hires down-on-his-luck coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) in the hopes he will turn around their bleak track record.

Waititi, who was last at the festival with 2019’s Oscar-winner “Jojo Rabbit,” says the film is about finding your family. “Sometimes it doesn’t need to be related by blood,” he said, adding in a sing-songy voice: “Find your tribe.

Although Taika Waititi is now known (for better or worse) mostly for his contributions to the Marvel Cinematic Universe with the polar opposite receptions of his two Chris Hemsworth Thor movies, the New Zealand native insists his career will not be primarily big-budget Hollywood movies. The Thor: Ragnarok and Thor: Love and Thunder director keeps one foot in smaller films. Waititi squeezed in the acclaimed Jojo Rabbit in between Marvel films, and he now helms the underdog soccer film Next Goal Wins.

The sports comedy will star Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, Lehi Falepapalangi, with Will Arnett and Elisabeth Moss.

Fox Searchlight Pictures has recently released a series of photos from the film as well as an official one-sheet poster. Now, the studio has unveiled the first clip from the film that showcases Fassbender’s apathy in coaching the collection of his underwhelming ragtag roster.

The Toronto International Film Festival is looking to score as the annual celebration prepares to host the world premiere of Taika Waititi’s soccer comedy Next Goal Wins. Waititi and TIFF are old friends, with the quirky director making a splash at the event in 2019 with his controversial buddy comedy Jojo Rabbit. The “anti-hate satire” earned the show’s coveted People’s Choice Award, producing solid box office earnings when the film went wide.

Scripted by Waititi and Iain Morris, Next Goal Wins is based on the 2014 documentary by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison. The movie is about “the worst soccer team in the world, who famously experienced the biggest loss in an international match against Australia, 31-0, which is about a goal every four minutes,” Taika Waitit told Entertainment Weekly. “After suffering that huge defeat, they applied to the soccer federation to find a coach who could get them from the very,...

In exciting news for movie lovers and soccer enthusiasts alike, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced that Taika Waititi’s soccer comedy, “Next Goal Wins”, will have its world premiere at the 48th edition of the festival.

Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF, expressed his enthusiasm for Waititi’s return to the festival: “We’re thrilled to welcome Taika back to the Festival and share his audacious take on the most popular sport in the world.” Bailey also highlighted that “Next Goal Wins” would treat TIFF fans craving football action until the 2026 World Cup arrives.

Read More: Steven Spielberg’s ‘The Fabelmans’ Wins TIFF People’s Choice Award

The New Zealand filmmaker previously premiered his acclaimed film “Jojo Rabbit” at TIFF in 2019. “Jojo Rabbit” won the TIFF People’s Choice Award and an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

“Next Goal Wins” boasts an impressive ensemble cast, including Michael Fassbender,...

The cast of Next Goal Wins. Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

TIFF announced today that Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins, a soccer comedy directed and co-written by the New Zealand filmmaker, will make its World Premiere at the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (September 7–17).

“We’re thrilled to welcome Taika back to the Festival and share his audacious take on the most popular sport in the world,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF. “Next Goal Wins is perfect for TIFF fans of the beautiful game looking for their football fill until the 2026 World Cup arrives.”

The TIFF Ebert Director Award recipient was last at the Festival in 2019 with the World Premiere of Jojo Rabbit. The film went on to win the TIFF People’s Choice Award and an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Taika Waititi...

Taika Waititi’s sports comedy “Next Goal Wins” will have its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Taika back to the Festival and share his audacious take on the most popular sport in the world,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF. “’Next Goal Wins’ is perfect for TIFF fans of the beautiful game looking for their football fix until the 2024 World Cup arrives.”

Waititi, who most recently directed Marvel’s “Thor: Love and Thunder,” was last at the festival in 2019 with “Jojo Rabbit.” The offbeat comedy, about a 10-year-old Hitler Youth member whose imaginary friend is the Führer himself, won the TIFF People’s Choice Award and an Academy Award for adapted screenplay. Waititi is also known for “Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” “Our Flag Means Death” and “What We Do in the Shadows.”

“Next Goal Wins” stars Michael Fassbender as a...

Michael Fassbender leads Searchlight Pictures’ ensemble comedy.

Taika Waititi’s true-life football underdog comedy Next Goal Wins will receive its world premiere at the 48th edition of Toronto International Film Festival.

Michael Fassbender leads Searchlight Pictures’ ensemble in the story of a down-on-his-luck maverick coach hired to reverse the fortunes of the world’s worst football team before the World Cup qualifiers.

The cast includes Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, Lehi Falepapalangi, with Will Arnett and Elisabeth Moss.

Next Goal Wins is based on the 2014 documentary of the same name about the American Samoa football team,...

Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins is set to receive a world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival.

The soccer comedy directed and co-written by the New Zealand filmmaker is set for a Nov. 17 release from Searchlight Pictures after bowing in Toronto.

Based on a 2014 British documentary of the same name from Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, Next Goal Wins is an underdog story that follows the national football team of American Samoa and their coach, Thomas Rongen (Fassbender), as they try to transform from perennial losers into a FIFA World Cup-qualifying outfit.

The film stars Michael Fassbender, Will Arnett, Elisabeth Moss, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Uli Latukefu and Semu Filipo.

Next Goal Wins was originally set to open in April 2023, but had to undergo reshoots when Armie Hammer exited the project after the actor was accused by multiple women of sexual assault. Arnett replaced...

The first world premiere for the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has been announced, with Taika Waititi’s “Next Goal Wins” debuting at this year’s festival.

The long-awaited sports comedy is directed and co-written by Waititi. “Next Goal Wins” will make its world premiere at the 48th annual film festival, which runs September 7 through 17.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Taika back to the festival and share his audacious take on the most popular sport in the world,” Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF, said in a press statement. “‘Next Goal Wins’ is perfect for TIFF fans of the beautiful game looking for their football fix…”

“Next Goal Wins” is based on the 2014 documentary of the same name and follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), hoping he...

The Toronto Film Festival is beginning to reveal the feature slate for its 48th edition, starting off with Searchlight’s Taika Waititi soccer comedy Next Goal Wins.

The pic, directed and co-written by the Oscar winner, is inspired by the true story of the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for its brutal 31-0 loss to Australia in a 2001 World Cup qualifying match. With more qualifiers approaching, the ragtag squad hires down-on-his-luck, maverick Dutch-American coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) in the hope he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around. Next Goal Wins is based on the 2014 documentary of the same name.

TIFF is a special place for Waititi. At the last pre-pandemic edition of the fest in 2019, he world premiered his Hitler satire Jojo Rabbit to a standing ovation, not a common occurrence at TIFF. The movie went on to notch the TIFF Grolsch People’s Choice Award,...

Deadline reports that Taika Waititi is in negotiations to direct Klara and the Sun for Sony’s 3000 Pictures.

Based on Kazuo Ishiguro’s New York Times best-selling novel, Klara and the Sun follows a robot girl created to prevent teenagers from becoming lonely. The film portrays her efforts to save the family of humans she lives with from heartbreak. Dahvi Waller (Mad Men) has penned the screenplay for the adaptation, which David Heyman will produce for Heyday Films. Should the deal close, Klara and the Sun will likely be the next movie from Taika Waititi.

“Here is the story of Klara, an Artificial Friend with outstanding observational qualities, who, from her place in the store, watches carefully the behavior of those who come in to browse, and of those who pass on the street outside,” reads the novel’s official description. “She remains hopeful that a customer will soon choose her.

Searchlight has debuted the long-awaited trailer for Takika Waititi’s ‘Next Goal Wins,’ starring Michael Fassbender.

The film tells the story of the American Samoa soccer team, who suffered the worst loss in World Cup history, losing to Australia 31-0 in 2001. With the 2014 World Cup approaching, the team recruits a down on his luck, maverick coach (Michael Fassbender) to help turn their fate around.

Kaimana and the cast. Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved. Michael Fassbender and Kaimana. Photo by Hilary Bronwyn Gayle. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

Directed by Taika Waititi, the film stars Elisabeth Moss, Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo, Uli Latukefu, Rachel House and Kaimana.

Waititi is producing alongside Jonathan Cavendish and Garrett Basch, with Andy Serkis, Will Tennant, and Kathryn Dean serving as executive producers.

Also in...

Following on from (even if it was shot before the Marvel movie)Thor: Love And Thunder, Taika Waititi's going back to more of a light-hearted, gentle comedy mode with Next Goal Wins. And, after a long wait, we finally have a first trailer.

Based on true events (and the eponymous 2014 documentary), Waititi's latest tells the story of the American Samoa soccer team, who suffered the worst loss in World Cup history, losing to Australia 31-0 in 2001. With the 2014 World Cup approaching, the team recruits a down on his luck, maverick coach (Michael Fassbender) to help turn their fate around.

There are strong Ted Lasso vibes here, but it's all shot through with Taika's trademark wit, a product of him writing the script with Iain Morris. And the co-writer/director talked to Empire about the movie last year.

Elisabeth Moss, Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo,...

The official trailer for the new film Next Goal Wins from director Taika Waititi has just been released, and you can check it out above!

Directed by Academy Award Winner Taika Waititi, Next Goal Wins follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around in this heartfelt underdog comedy.

About The Film

Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sport Cast: Michael Fassbender, Oscar Knightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, Lehi Falepapalangi, Will Arnett, and Elisabeth Moss Director: Taika Waititi Screenplay: Iain Morris, Taika Waititi Producer: Garrett Basch, Mike Brett, Jonathan Cavendish, Steve Jamison, Taika Waititi

Next Goal Wins is only in theaters on November 17, 2023!

For More Information, Please Visit:

Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / #NextGoalWins

The post...

Michael Fassbender is back, baby! In his first film since the one-two punch of mediocrity that was "The Snowman" and "X-Men: Dark Phoenix," Michael "Mr. Policeman" Fassbender is done giving you all the clues, and he's ready to come back to movie theaters after dedicating the past few years becoming a European Le Mans racer. His next project is the highly anticipated "Next Goal Wins," which also sees the return of Taika Waititi to his pre-franchise roots.

The film is based on, and titled after, the 2014 documentary "Next Goal Wins" from Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, which follows the story of the American Samoa association football team as they try to qualify for the FIFA World Cup despite having suffered a humiliating 31-0 loss back in 2001. The film stars Michael Fassbender as a coach with a drinking problem who is tasked with leading the American Samoa team to score their...

At one time, Searchlight Pictures was planning to release director Taika Waititi‘s new movie Next Goal Wins on April 21st. We already would have had the chance to see it last weekend. The release date ended up shifting back to September 22nd – and five days after the original release date, a trailer for the film has now arrived online! You can check it out in the embed above.

Scripted by Waititi and Iain Morris, Next Goal Wins is based on the 2014 documentary from Mike Brett and Steve Jamison. The movie is about “the worst soccer team in the world, who famously experienced the biggest loss in an international match against Australia, 31-0, which is about a goal every four minutes,” Taika Waitit told Entertainment Weekly. “After suffering that huge defeat, they applied to the soccer federation to find a coach who could get them from the very, very bottom of the FIFA rankings.

Searchlight Pictures has released the trailer for Taika Waititi’s upcoming sports comedy-drama film, “Next Goal Wins.”

Based on directors Mike Brett and Steve Jamison’s 2014 documentary of the same name, “Next Goal Wins” follows the true story of unorthodox coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) as he attempts to turn the American Samoa national soccer team into champions. The film takes place after the soccer team’s infamous 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001.

Along with Fassbender, the film stars Elisabeth Moss, Will Arnett, Uli Latukefu, Rhys Darby, Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo, Rachel House, Angus Sampson, Frankie Adams, Beulah Koale, Sisa Grey, Russell Satele, Karim Benz, and Chris Aloso. Variety exclusively reported in Nov. 2019 that Kaimana, a fa’afafine non-binary actor, will portray Jaiyah Saelua, the first non-binary player to compete in a men’s FIFA World Cup qualifier.

“It was vital,” Waititi told Variety about casting a non-binary actor for the role.

Taika Waititi is continuing his Hollywood winning streak with “Next Goal Wins.”

The long-awaited soccer-centric comedy, distributed by Searchlight Pictures, is based on the true story of a Dutch soccer coach who helps the American Samoa national team in Hawaii reach new heights.

Michael Fassbender stars as Thomas Rongen, the coach who finds himself on the other side of the world put in charge of the planet’s worst soccer team, per the official synopsis. After suffering a world record loss in a competitive international football match, a crushing 31-0 defeat to Australia, the American Samoa national team sought to uncover a hidden spark within their side by appointing a new and innovative coach with some different ideas.

Rongen’s life story was captured in a 2014 documentary of the same name, leading Waititi to co-write its adaptation alongside Iain Morris.

Elisabeth Moss stars as Coach Rongen’s ex-wife and Will Arnett plays a soccer executive.

Wake up, babe! Our first look at the next Taika Waititi movie just dropped! After sandwiching two "Thor" sequels for the Marvel Cinematic Universe in between his Oscars darling "Jojo Rabbit" in 2019, the quirky filmmaker is going back to his pre-franchise roots with "Next Goal Wins." The sports-centric comedy/drama should help wash off any bitter aftertaste from the somewhat mixed reception of "Thor: Love and Thunder," with this year's weeklong CinemaCon event providing the perfect launching pad to get this movie on everyone's radars. The film is based on a sports documentary from 2014 also titled "Next Goal Wins," adding a cinematic flair to the real-life story of the underdog American Samoa international football team reeling from their humiliating loss at the 2001 World Cup. The movie stars Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Elisabeth Moss, Will Arnett, and Polynesian actors David Fane, Beulah Koale, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo, Uli Latukefu, and Waititi regular Rachel House.

Searchlight Pictures has pushed back the release date for Taika Waititi‘s Next Goal Wins, the Michael Fassbender-led soccer comedy, which the Oscar winner wrote with Iain Morris. The Hawaii-set feature is now set to open on November 17th, having previously been dated for September 22nd.

Competitors for Next Goal Wins in its opening weekend at the box office will include Lionsgate’s The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, TriStar’s Eli Roth pic Thanksgiving and Uni’s Trolls Band Together. Pic had previously been set to open against Lionsgate’s The Expendables 4 and Sony’s The Book of Clarence.

Reteaming Waititi with Searchlight on the heels of his Oscar winner Jojo Rabbit, Next Goal Wins tells the story of the American Samoa soccer team, which suffered the worst loss in World Cup history, losing to Australia 31-0 in 2001. With the 2014 World Cup approaching, the...

One of the benefits of being a Taika Waititi fan (Waititians? Taikalites? I'll workshop it) these days is that you rarely have to wait long for his next project to pop up, be it something he directed, wrote, or stars in, if not all three (as is often the case). That also makes it less of a big deal when one of his ventures leaves you, shall we say, underwhelmed.

Case in point: If Waititi's superhero sequel "Thor: Love and Thunder" wasn't your cup of tea and left you wishing he would get back to his roots in making quirky low-budget dramedies, then I come bearing good news. His latest directorial effort, "Next Goal Wins," sees Waititi tackling another story about misfits that blends broad humor with real pathos. If that title sounds familiar, it's because the film is based on Mike Brett and Steve Jamison's 2014 sports documentary of...

Will Arnett will replace Armie Hammer in Taika Waititi’s “Next Goal Wins.”

Hammer’s exit comes after the actor was accused by multiple women of sexual assault. He denies the claims and says any sexual relationships were consensual, but the Los Angeles Police Department has launched an investigation. In the wake of the scandal, Hammer was fired from several films and series, including the Jennifer Lopez rom-com “Shotgun Wedding” and a Paramount Plus show about the behind-the-scenes action on “The Godfather.” Hammer also exited the upcoming Broadway production of “The Minutes.” He will appear in the Agatha Christie adaptation “Death on the Nile,” which opens in February.

“Next Goal Wins” is based on the 2015 documentary of the same name, which follows the true story of Dutch coach Thomas Rongen, who attempts the nearly impossible task of turning the American Samoa soccer team from perennial losers into winners. Waititi also...

Exclusive: Deadline has learned that 7x Primetime Emmy nominee Will Arnett has stepped in for Armie Hammer on Searchlight Pictures’ soccer comedy Next Goal Wins directed by Oscar winner Taika Waititi.

From what we understand, Waititi held reshoots and Hammer wasn’t available. The role that Hammer was playing, which Arnett took over, was that of an executive at the Football Federation American Samoa. The movie follows an infamously terrible American Samoa soccer team, known for a brutal 2001 FIFA match where they lost 31-0. With the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (played by Michael Fassbender) hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around. I also hear that Arnett’s role was developed to be slightly bigger versus Arnett’s which was a cameo.

Arnett joins a cast in the Iain Morris and Waititi penned movie that also includes Elizabeth Moss,...

Exclusive: Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins which is currently in production in Hawaii has added to the cast Flight of the Conchords’ Rhys Darby, Mad Max: Fury Road‘s Angus Sampson, Fighting Season‘s Chris Alosio and Smilf‘s Sisa Grey.

The foursome join previously announced cast members, Michael Fassbender, Elizabeth Moss, Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo, Uli Latukefu, Rachel House and Kaimana in the Fox Searchlight production, which is Waititi’s second for the specialty label after Tiff festival winner Jojo Rabbit. That movie recently climbed to a running total of $16.1M in its 6th weekend at the domestic B.O. in 787 theaters.

Next Goal Wins tells the story of the American Samoa soccer team, who suffered the worst loss in World Cup history, losing to Australia 31-0 in 2001. With the 2014 World Cup approaching, the team recruits a down on his luck, maverick...

Fox Searchlight Pictures recently announced that it has acquired Worldwide rights to Next Goal Wins, the new feature from director Taika Waititi (JoJo Rabbit and Thor: Ragnarok). The film began production last week in Honolulu, Hawaii and is written by Waititi and Iain Morris, and stars Michael Fassbender and Elisabeth Moss.

Waititi is producing the film alongside Jonathan Cavendish and Garrett Basch, with Andy Serkis, Will Tennant, and Kathryn Dean serving as executive producers. Additional producers include Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, who directed the 2014 documentary from which the film is based. The film will be overseen by Presidents of Production for Film and Television David Greenbaum and Matthew Greenfield, Svp of Production DanTram Nguyen, and VP Production Taylor Friedman.

Next Goal Wins tells the story of the American Samoa soccer team, who suffered the worst loss in World Cup history, losing to Australia 31-0 in 2001. With the 2014 World Cup approaching,...

Fox Searchlight Pictures announced on Thursday that it has acquired Worldwide rights to Next Goal Wins, the new feature from director Taika Waititi. The film began production last week in Honolulu, Hawaii. Next Goal Wins is written by Waititi and Iain Morris, and stars Michael Fassbender and Elisabeth Moss.

Waititi is producing alongside Jonathan Cavendish and Garrett Basch, with Andy Serkis, Will Tennant, and Kathryn Dean serving as executive producers. Additional producers include Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, who directed the 2014 documentary from which the film is based.

The film will be overseen by Presidents of Production for Film and Television David Greenbaum and Matthew Greenfield, Svp of Production DanTram Nguyen, and VP Production Taylor Friedman.

Next Goal Wins tells the story of the American Samoa soccer team, who suffered the worst loss in World Cup history, losing to Australia 31-0 in 2001. With the 2014 World Cup approaching, the team recruits a down on his luck,...

Taika Waititi’s next movie Next Goal Wins for Fox Searchlight has added to its cast Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Beulah Koale (Hawaii Five-0), Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo (Harry), Uli Latukefu (Alien: Covenant), Rachel House (Thor: Ragnarok) are joining the cast with Kaimana in her debut role.

Searchlight has global rights to the pic, which is their second with Waititi following this fall’s Jojo Rabbit which has racked up north of $10M in its specialty release stateside. Production began last week in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Pic tells the story of the American Samoa soccer team, who suffered the worst loss in World Cup history, losing to Australia 31-0 in 2001. With the 2014 World Cup approaching, the team recruits a down on his luck, maverick coach (Michael Fassbender) to help turn their fate around. Waititi and Iain Morris wrote the script.