Taika Waititi Fox Searchlight Pic ‘Next Goal Wins’ Rounds Out Cast

Anthony D'Alessandro

Click here to read the full article.

Taika Waititi’s next movie Next Goal Wins for Fox Searchlight has added to its cast Oscar Kightley (Aroha Bridge, The Breaker Upperers), David Fane (The Barefoot Bandits, Westside), Beulah Koale (Hawaii Five-0), Lehi Falepapalangi (Future Man, Hawaii Five-0), Semu Filipo (Harry), Uli Latukefu (Alien: Covenant), Rachel House (Thor: Ragnarok) are joining the cast with Kaimana in her debut role.

Searchlight has global rights to the pic, which is their second with Waititi following this fall’s Jojo Rabbit which has racked up north of $10M in its specialty release stateside. Production began last week in Honolulu, Hawaii.

More from Deadline

Pic tells the 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 (Michael Fassbender) to help turn their fate around. Waititi and Iain Morris wrote the script. Elisabeth Moss also stars.

Waititi is producing alongside Jonathan Cavendish and Garrett Basch, with Andy Serkis, Will Tennant, and Kathryn Dean serving as executive producers. Additional producers include Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, who directed the 2014 documentary from which the film is based. The film will be overseen by Searchlight Presidents of Production for Film and Television David Greenbaum and Matthew Greenfield, SVP of Production DanTram Nguyen, and VP Production Taylor Friedman.

Waititi stated, “I’ve just started production on my next film, Next Goal Wins. We have such an amazing cast and crew behind this film, and I’m stoked to be partnering once again with the lovely people at Fox Searchlight Pictures.”

“Taika is an incredible talent and master at bringing honesty and humanity to the surface in any story. We are thrilled to be working with him again on such an extraordinary true story of perseverance in the face of defeat. He has brought together a terrific group of actors, craftspeople and sports players to bring this unique story to life,” said Greenfield and Greenbaum.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.