Taika Waititi has directed the upcoming biographical sports comedy-drama movie ‘Next Goal Wins’ which is adapted from the same named documentary of 2014 that is about the effort of Dutch-American coach Thomas Rongen to lead one of the weakest football teams in the world- American Samoa national football team to qualification for 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The plot explores how the team enters into the elite squad from being a weakling.
When Is ‘Next Goal Wins’ Releasing?
In August 2019 Fox Searchlight Pictures announced an unspecified project under the direction of Taika Waititi. The project was later revealed as a feature film adaptation of the documentary ‘Next Goal Wins’.
Michael Fassbender and Elisabeth Moss were cast as lead cast members of the movie in October 2019.
Other cast members joined in November and December of that year. Filming began in November 2019.
The movie was first set to premiere at Toronto International Film Festival on April 21, 2023. But the release date has been postponed to September of 2023. The commercial release date is scheduled on November 17, 2023.
Also Read: Irish Wish Netflix Movie Release Date: When Is It Coming?
Cast Members of ‘Next Goal Wins’:
Michael Fassbender-
Dutch-American football coach Thomas Rongen will be seen portrayed by Academy Award-nominated Irish actor Michael Fassbender in the upcoming movie.
Fassbender is listed as number nine of Ireland’s greatest film actors on The Irish Times list. In 2014 he was nominated for Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role of Edwin Epps in the biographical drama film ‘12 Years a Slave.
In 2016 he gained an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for playing the titular character in the biographical drama movie ‘Steve Jobs’. His other film credits include ‘Hunger’, ‘Centurion’, ‘Jane Eyre’, ‘X-Men: First Class’, ‘A Dangerous Method’, ‘Prometheus’, ‘Slow West’, ‘Macbeth’, ‘The Light Between Oceans’, ‘Trespass Against Us, ‘Assassin’s Creed’, ‘Alien: Covenant’, ‘The Snowman’, etc.
Fassbender is also set to star in the upcoming films ‘The Killer and ‘Kung Fury 2’.
Elisabeth Moss-
British-American actor-producer Elisabeth Moss who is famed for the portrayal of June Osborne in The Handmaid’s Tale drama series is another undisclosed cast member of the upcoming movie.
Her film credits include ‘The Joyriders, ‘Virgin’, ‘The Attic’, ‘Queen of Earth’, ‘Her Smell’, ‘The Kitchen’, ‘Shirley’, ‘The Invisible Man’ etc.
Oscar Kightley-
Samoan-born New Zealand actor Oscar Kightley is another cast member of the upcoming movie. He previously portrayed Albert in the 2006 New Zealand comedic movie ‘Sione’s Wedding’ and its 2012 sequel ‘Sione’s 2: Unfinished Business‘.
Uli Latukefu-
Australian actor-singer Uli Latukefu is another cast member of the upcoming movie. He previously appeared in the films ‘Alien: Covenant’ and ‘Black Adam‘.
David Fane-
New Zealand actor David Fane has also been cast in the upcoming movie. His other film credits include ‘Tongan Ninja’, ‘The Legend of Johnny Lingo’, ‘Sione’s Wedding’, ‘Eagle vs Shark’, ‘Love Birds’, and ‘Sione’s 2: Unfinished Business’.
Beulah Koale-
Another New Zealand actor Beulah Koale will be seen starring in the movie. Koale was previously cast in the 2017 New Zealand drama film ‘One Thousand Ropes’.
The same year he was also cast as Specialist Tausolo Aieti in the American biographical war drama film ‘Thank You for Your Service’.
In the 2020 action horror movie ‘Shadow in the Cloud‘ he played Anton Williams. And in 2022 in the satirical science fiction thriller movie ‘Dual’, Koale was cast as Peter.
Taika Waititi-
Academy Award winner New Zealand actor and filmmaker Taika Waititi will also star in the upcoming movie. He won Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the 2019 comedy-drama movie ‘Jojo Rabbit’ which he directed, wrote, and produced.
He was also nominated for the same movie for Academy Award for Best Picture. His other Academy Award nomination came as Best Live Action Short Film for the short film ‘Two Cars, One Night’.
Waititi’s acting credits include ‘Green Lantern’, ‘What We Do in the Shadows‘, ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’, ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, ‘Seven Stages to Achieve Eternal Bliss’, ‘Avengers: Endgame’, ‘Jojo Rabbit’, ‘The Suicide Squad’, ‘Free Guy’, ‘The Electrical Life of Louis Wain’ etc.
Will Arnett-
As Alex Magnussen, we will find Canadian actor Will Arnett in the upcoming movie. His previous film credits include ‘Blades of Glory’, ‘Let’s Go to Prison’, ‘Semi-Pro’, ‘Jonah Hex’, ‘G-Force’, ‘Show Dogs‘, ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’, ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows’, etc.
Rhys Darby-
New Zealand actor and renowned comedian Rhys Darby will star in the upcoming movie as well. He previously starred in the films ‘Love Birds’, ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’, ‘Killing Hasselhoff’, ‘Guns Akimbo‘, ‘Relax, I’m from the Future, etc.
Other cast members of the movie are Kaimana, Chris Alosio, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo, Frankie Adams, Angus Sampson, Sisa Grey, James Gawel, Ativalu Scanlan, Kaitlyn Dever, and Luke Hemsworth.
