Taika Waititi’s new film is about the ultimate soccer underdogs — and is based on true events.
Next Goal Wins, which arrives in theaters Nov. 17 after its recent Toronto International Film Festival premiere, tells the real-life story of the American Samoa national football team’s quest to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
After seeing the award-winningdocumentaryof the same name, Waititi was inspired to directNext Goal Winsand, along with Iain Morris, cowrite its script.
“The story is about the worst soccer team in the world,” the Oscar-winningJojo Rabbitfilmmaker toldEntertainment Weeklyof the film. In 2001 after suffering “the biggest loss in an international match against Australia, 31-0,” as he said, “they applied to the soccer federation to find a coach who could get them from the very, very bottom of the FIFA rankings.”
PEOPLE has an exclusive glimpse of the upcoming Searchlight Pictures film, which stars Michael Fassbender as Dutch-born American Thomas Rongen, the real-life soccer coach hired to turn the team’s fortunes around.
“Gentlemen, I am proud to officially announce our new official national coach of the American Samoan soccer team!” Tavita exclaims. “He’s played with some of the top players in the world. And he’s originally from Europe!”
The team’s “warm American Samoan welcome” that follows is an impromptu yet slightly haphazard rendition ofPiliopo Nelson-Retzlaff’sclassic Samoan tune “Tautalatala.”
And when player Daru (Beulah Koale) approaches to ask about the process of hiring their new coach, Tavita is upbeat in his response — that Rongen was the only applicant.
“I really think things are gonna turn around,” says Knightley as Tavita. “It’s like inThe Matrix. I think this man is the Neo.”
Taika Waititi on the set of “Next Goal Wins”.Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/Searchlight Pictures
Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/Searchlight Pictures
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Waititi, 48, toldEWthat his adaptation ofNext Goal Winsis “a true story, but it’s got all the elements that all the great sports films have. It’s basically theCool Runningsof soccer.”
As with the New Zealand filmmaker’s past productions, including 2010’sBoyand 2016’sHunt for the Wilderpeople, the cast and crew ofNext Goal Winswere populated with Polynesian talent.
Of shooting in Honolulu, Hawaii in late 2019, Waititi said, “It’s just good to put brown faces on film and to have a Polynesian presence in cinema in a really significant way.”
Michael Fassbender and the cast of “Next Goal Wins”.Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/Searchlight Pictures
During an onstage talkback following a Toronto screening, hereiteratedthat his goal in bringing this real-life tale to the screen was “showcasing Pacific Islanders… and with a really cool, uplifting story.”
“No one wants to see a sports film about winners who just keep winning,” added Waititi.
Next Goal WinscostarsElisabeth Moss, Will Arnett, David Fane, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo, Uli Latukefu, Kaimana and Rachel House. It opens in theaters Nov. 17.
source: people.com
