Writer/director Taika Waititi highlights his losing credentials at the beginning of the official Next Goal Wins trailer. He lost out on a Best Picture Oscar for Jojo Rabbit and even missed out on taking home a Teen Choice Award for Thor: Ragnarok. Of course, given that Next Goal Wins is about a team of losers, Waititi refrains from boasting about his Oscar win for Jojo Rabbit‘s screenplay, his Independent Spirit Awards win for Reservation Dogs, or his Writers Guild Awards win.
Next Goal Wins is inspired by a true story that the trailer teases “pretty much actually happened.” Michael Fassbender leads the cast as soccer coach Thomas Rongen, a down-on-his-luck, recently fired coach who is charged with turning around the world’s worst soccer team. Rongen reluctantly takes over head coach duties after the American Samoa soccer team lost to Australia 31-0 in 2001.
The underdog comedy features Elisabeth Moss, Oscar Kightley, Uli Latukefu, and Rachel House. Kaimana, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Chris Alosio, Taika Waititi, Will Arnett, and frequent Waititi collaborator Rhys Darby also star.
Searchlight Pictures will be releasing Next Goal Wins in theaters on November 17, 2023.
