Next Goal Wins is a 2023 American sports comedy-drama film directed by Taika Waititi, who co-wrote the screenplay with Iain Morris. It is based on the 2014 documentary of the same name by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison about Dutch-American coach Thomas Rongen's efforts to lead the American Samoa national football team, considered one of the weakest soccer teams in the world, to qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The film stars Michael Fassbender as Rongen, alongside Oscar Kightley, Kaimana, David Fane, Rachel House, Beulah Koale, Will Arnett, and Elisabeth Moss.
Next Goal Wins premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2023, and was released in the United States on November 17, 2023, by Searchlight Pictures.[4][5]
Premise[]
Dutch American football coach Thomas Rongen faces the option of being fired or accepting an almost impossible task: to convert the American Samoa national team, considered one of the weakest football teams in the world, into an elite squad. The storyline also includes fa'afafine player Jaiyah Saelua, who was the first transgender player ever to compete in a World Cup qualifier game.[6]
Cast[]
- Michael Fassbender as Thomas Rongen
- Oscar Kightley as Tavita[7]
- Kaimana as Jaiyah Saelua
- David Fane as Ace
- Rachel House as Ruth
- Beulah Koale as Daru Taumua[7]
- Will Arnett as Alex Magnussen
- Elisabeth Moss as Gail
- Uli Latukefu as Nicky Salapu
- Chris Alosio as Jonah[7]
- Lehi Makisi Falepapalangi as Pisa
- Semu Filipo as Rambo
- Ioane Goodhue as Smiley[7]
- Rhys Darby as Rhys Marlin
- Angus Sampson as Angus Bendleton[7]
- Luke Hemsworth as Keith
- Kaitlyn Dever as Nicole
- Hio Pelesasa as Samson
- David Tu'itupou as Tall David
- Levy Tuiala as Chief Sila
- Loretta Ables Sayre as Rambo's mother
- Frankie Adams as Frangipani
- Taika Waititi as an American-Samoan priest[7]
Production[]
TBA
Release[]
The film premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival on September 10, 2023,[2] prior to its commercial release on November 17, 2023.[8] The film was originally set to be released on April 21, 2023,[9] before being postponed to September 22, 2023,[10] and then to its current date. The film's cast, however, was unable to attend the premiere due to the restrictions imposed by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike.[8]
Home media[]
Next Goal Wins will release for digital platforms on January 16, 2024, followed by a Blu-ray and DVD release on February 27, 2024.[11]
Reception[]
Box office[]
As of January 7, 2024[update], Next Goal Wins has grossed $6.7 million in the United States and Canada, and $7.4 million in other territories, for a worldwide gross of $14.1 million.[4][5]
In the United States and Canada, Next Goal Wins was released alongside The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, Trolls Band Together, and Thanksgiving, and was projected to gross around $5 million from 2,240 theaters in its opening weekend.[12] It went on to debut to $2.5 million, finishing eighth at the box office.[13] The film made $1.6 million in its second weekend (a drop of 35.1%), finishing in 11th.[14]
Critical response[]
On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, 44% of 5.2 critics gave the film a positive review, with an average rating of 152/10. On the website, the critics' consensus reads, "Next Goal Wins finds director/co-writer Taika Waititi with his heart in the right place, even if his crowd-pleasing aim has noticeably strayed from its target." Using a weighted average calculator, Metacritic assigned the film a score of 44 out of 100, based on 42 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by PostTrak gave it an 86% overall positive score, with 65% saying they would definitely recommend the film.[13]
See also[]
- List of association football films
References[]
- ↑ [TBA Next Goal Wins (12A)] (November 17, 2023).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 [TBA Next Goal Wins].
- ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (June 28, 2023). [TBA Taika Waititi Returning To Toronto Film Festival With World Premiere Of 'Next Goal Wins'].
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 [TBA Next Goal Wins].
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 [TBA Next Goal Wins].
- ↑ Richards, Will (November 15, 2019). [TBA 'Next Goal Wins': Non-binary actor Kaimana to star in Taika Waititi film about first transgender footballer].
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 [TBA Taika Waititi's Next Goal Wins: Where You Know the Cast] (May 16, 2023).
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 McClintock, Pamela (April 12, 2023). [TBA Taika Waititi's Next Goal Wins Kicks Box Office Release to November 2023].
- ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (September 15, 2022). [TBA Disney Release Dates Coming Out Of D23: Snow White Eyes Spring 2024, Rogue Squadron Scrubbed From Schedule & More].
- ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 21, 2022). [TBA Taika Waititi's Next Goal Wins Heads To Early Fall].
- ↑ [TBA 'Next Goal Wins' Scores Digital and Physical Home Release Dates] (January 4, 2024).
- ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 15, 2023). [TBA 'Hunger Games: Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes' Looks To Sing $100M+ Worldwide Opening – Preview] (en-US).
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 19, 2023). [TBA 'The Hunger Games: Ballad Of Songbirds & Snakes' Chirps $44M Opening: Enough To Reignite Franchise?; 'Marvels' Suffers Worst MCU 2nd Weekend Drop – Sunday Box Office Update] (en-US).
- ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 26, 2023). [TBA 'Songbirds & Snakes' Reigns Supreme Over Thanksgiving Stretch With $42M 5-day; 'Napoleon' Steps On Disney's 'Wish' With $32M+ — Box Office] (en-US).
External links[]
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