TIFF48: Taika Waititi’s ‘Next Goal Wins’ to World Premiere at 2023 Toronto International Film Festival

TIFF announced today that Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins, a soccer comedy directed and co-written by the New Zealand filmmaker, will make its World Premiere at the 48th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival (September 7–17). It is the first announcement of the 2023 lineup to be revealed with more in the coming weeks.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Taika back to the Festival and share his audacious take on the most popular sport in the world,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF. “Next Goal Wins is perfect for TIFF fans of the beautiful game looking for their football fix until the 2024 World Cup arrives.”

The TIFF Ebert Director Award recipient was last at the Festival in 2019 with the World Premiere of Jojo Rabbit. The film went on to win the TIFF People’s Choice Award and an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Next Goal Wins stars Academy Award nominee Michael Fassbender, Rhys Darby, Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Uli Latukefu, Semu Filipo, Lehi Falepapalangi, with Kaitlyn Dever, Emmy Award nominee Will Arnett and Emmy Award winner Elisabeth Moss. The sports comedy is based on the 2014 documentary of the same name, and follows the American Samoa soccer team, infamous for their brutal 31-0 FIFA loss in 2001. With the World Cup Qualifiers approaching, the team hires down-on-his-luck, maverick coach Thomas Rongen (Fassbender) hoping he will turn the world’s worst soccer team around.

Filming on the feature began in Honolulu in November 2019 with Armie Hammer originally in the Will Arnett role (playing an executive with Football Federation American Samoa) and initially wrapped in January 2020. In December 2021, it was announced that Arnett would be stepping in for Hammer, who was accused of sexual assault by multiple women, allegations which he has denied. The part, initially intended as a cameo, was expanded when Arnett joined. This caused extensive delays with the film’s production and release, with an initial release date of April 21, 2023, then September 22 to its new, awards-friendly fall date.

In between production and release of the film, Waititi was last in theaters directing 2022’s Thor: Love and Thunder for Marvel Studios. Next Goal Wins is a Searchlight Pictures film and will be released in theaters on November 17, 2023.

Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures