Taika Waititi's Next Goal Wins: Everything we know so far

Taika Waititi's upcoming comedy-drama Next Goal Wins is set to release on November 17, 2023, in theaters worldwide. The film is set to have its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, which will take place from September 7, 2023, to September 17, 2023.

The 47-year-old filmmaker from New Zealand brings a story about the American Samoan football team. The team is associated with the "greatest losing streak in history" in the history of the FIFA World Cup and the film adaptation puts Michael Fassbender as the protagonist in the middle of it all.

The release of the movie was postponed from its previous release date of September 22, 2023, and rescheduled to November. The official film synopsis by Fox Searchlight reads:

"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 (Fassbender) to help turn their fate around."

Michael Fassbender plays Thomas Rongen, the Dutch American football coach who won the MLS Coach of the Year. He was named the Chief Scout of the United States national men's soccer team.

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Taika Watiti promises a journey of redemption and resilience in Next Goal Wins

After bagging the TIFF People’s Choice Award, Next Goal Wins will be premiering at the 48th Toronto International Film Festival in 2023. The festival will take place from September 7, 2023, and continue for ten days.

While the festival schedule will be released in due course, fans can keep up with the exclusive stills from Entertainment Daily that are released since the rescheduling of release dates.

The movie is based on the 2014 British documentary of the same name, created by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison. Next Goal Wins is based on a true story of a soccer coach asked to train the American Samoan team following the 31-0 loss against Australia in the 2001 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

At the heart of Next Goal Wins lies a powerful message of redemption. Lachlan Milne's cinematography thoroughly captures the essence of the film that explores the human capacity to overcome adversity through self-belief. Taika Waititi and Iain Morris wrote the screenplay for the movie thereby promising a classic Watiti rollercoaster.

The CEO of TIFF, Cameron Bailey told Variety that they are "thrilled" about welcoming Taika back to the Festival and to see him share his "audacious take" on the sport. Cameron added that Next Goal Wins is perfect for TIFF attendees who love the game and are looking for their "football fix" as they await the 2024 World Cup.

The upcoming dramedy from the creator of Thor: Love and Thunder and Hunt for the Wilderpeople has an ensemble cast. They include Elisabeth Moss, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Uli Latukefu, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Semu Filipo, Lehi Falepapalangi, and Will Arnett among others.

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More on Next Goal Wins

Gaining widespread acclaim for his ability to mix humor and pathos to make a social commentary, Taika Watiti's creative vision is unparalleled when it comes to Next Goal Wins. Watiti has been celebrated for his commitment to representing diverse voices and cultures in his work - his upcoming film continues the trend.

According to a Variety exclusive published in November 2019, Watiti said that it was vital to cast Kaimana as Jaiyah Saelua, the first fa’afafine (non-binary) player to play in a men’s FIFA World Cup qualifier.

“It was vital. There was no way we would have approached it in any other way,” he said.

Fans can watch Fassbender embark on an emotional and transformative journey in November this year. As mentioned earlier, the film is set to be released in theaters on November 17, 2023.