Taika Waititi directed the upcoming sports comedy-drama biographical film ‘Next Goal Wins’ which is adapted from the 2014 documentary of the same name which is about Dutch-American coach Thomas Rongen’s effort to lead one of the weakest football teams in the world-American. The Samoa national football team for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification.

The plot explores how the team goes from being weak to the elite squad.

When Will ‘Next Goal Wins’ Release?

In August 2019 Fox Searchlight Pictures announced an unspecified project under the direction of Taika Waititi. The project was later revealed as a film adaptation of the documentary ‘Next Goal Wins’.

Michael Fassbender and Elisabeth Moss were cast as main cast members of the film in October 2019.

Other cast members joined in November and December of that year. Filming began in November 2019.

The film was set to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on April 21, 2023. But the release date has been pushed back to September 2023. The commercial release date is scheduled for November 17, 2023.

‘Next Goal Wins’ cast members:

Michael Fassbender-

Dutch-American football coach Thomas Rongen to be portrayed by Academy Award-nominated Irish actor Michael Fassbender in the next movie.

Fassbender is listed as number nine of Ireland’s greatest film actors in The Irish Times list. In 2014 he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Edwin Epps in the biographical drama film ‘12 Years a Slave.

In 2016 he earned an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for playing the titular character in the biographical drama film ‘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 will also star in the upcoming films ‘The Killer’ and ‘Kung Fury 2’.

Elisabeth Moss-

British-American actor-producer Elisabeth Moss who is famous for playing June Osborne in the drama series The Handmaid’s Tale is another undisclosed cast member of the upcoming film.

Her film credits include ‘The Joyriders‘Virgin’, ‘The Attic’, ‘Queen of Earth’, ‘Her Smell’, ‘The Kitchen’, ‘Shirley’, ‘The Invisible Man’ etc.

Oscar Kightley-

Actor born in Samoan New Zealand Oscar Knightley is another cast member of the upcoming film. He previously portrayed Albert in the 2006 New Zealand comedy film ‘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 film. He previously appeared in the films ‘Alien: Covenant’ and ‘Black Adam‘.

David Fane-

New Zealand actor David Fane he was also cast in the following film. 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 appear as a star in the film. Koale was previously cast in the 2017 New Zealand drama film ‘One Thousand Ropes’.

In 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 film ‘Shadow in the Cloud” he played Anton Williams. And in 2022 in the satirical science fiction thriller film ‘Dual’, Koale was cast as Peter.

Taika Waititi-

Academy Award-winning New Zealand actor and filmmaker Taika Waititi will also star in the next film. He won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the 2019 comedy-drama film ‘Jojo Rabbit’ which he directed, wrote, and produced.

He was also nominated for the same film for the 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’ &c.

Will Arnett-

As Alex Magnussen, we find a Canadian actor Will Arnett in the next 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 film as well. He previously worked 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.