Taika Waititi's upcoming film Next Goal Wins now has an official release date. Waititi is a breakout director known for his quirky, comedic style, having directed such projects as What We Do In The Shadows, Jojo Rabbit, Thor: Ragnarok, and, most recently, Thor: Love and Thunder. Jojo Rabbit won Waititi an Academy Award and a BAFTA for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2020.
Now, Searchlight Pictures has announced that Next Goal Wins will be released in theaters on April 21, 2023. Next Goal Wins follows the true story of the American Samoa soccer team, who became infamous for losing a FIFA game 31-0. The underdog team hires coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) to turn the team's chances around. The film will reportedly be a heartfelt sports comedy that will be directed, co-produced, and co-written by Waititi. Other notable cast members include Will Arnett and Elisabeth Moss.
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Also originally slated to star in the film was Armie Hammer, who was removed from the project after abuse allegations and was ultimately replaced by Arnett. Though Next Goal Wins being a comedy is right up Waititi's alley, this will be the first feature film Waititi has ever made that is based on a true story. While the film is directly based on a 2014 documentary of a same name, Waititi's version of Next Goal Wins will undoubtedly have the quirky, unique, comedic spin on it that Waititi's work has become famous for. Next Goal Wins will be released on April 21, 2023.