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 Hammer in playing a soccer executive working at the Football Federation American Samoa, which required reshoots.
“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 ahead of his 48th edition to run from Sept. 7 to 17. Waititi was in Toronto for the world premiere of Jojo Rabbit, which won TIFF’s top audience award and an Academy Award for best adapted screenplay.
He was also in theaters with Marvel Studios’ Thor: Love and Thunder.
