Taika Waititi's 'Next Goal Wins' kicks off with Hollywood premiere

Searchlight Pictures' 'Next Goal Wins' hits theaters November 17.

ByAmy Becker OTRC logo
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
Taika Waititi's 'Next Goal Wins' kicks off with Hollywood premiere
Searchlight Pictures' 'Next Goal Wins,' written and directed by Taika Waititi hits theaters November 17.

LOS ANGELES -- Coming to theaters this Friday, "Next Goal Wins" tells the story of one of the greatest losing streaks in sports history. The movie follows Thomas, played by Michael Fassbender, a down-on-his-luck soccer coach, who must turn around the world's worst soccer team, American Samoa, after a 31-nil loss.

Written and directed by Taika Waititi, the movie is filled with tremendous humor and heart.

"Sports are great, but the film, it's really about people. It's about family," Waititi explained to On The Red Carpet at the premiere.

Jaiyah Saelua, an American Samoan footballer who played on the team said, "there's nobody else in Hollywood who would do this film or our story justice, because of course, he's a pacific islander. It's a Pacific story."

Also starring in the film are Oscar Kightley, Will Arnett, Rhys Darby, Elisabeth Moss and newcomer Kaimana.

Searchlight Pictures' "Next Goal Wins" premieres in theaters this Friday, November 17.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Searchlight Pictures and this ABC station.