Taika Waititi Already Filming His New Movie ‘Next Goal Wins’

After “Jojo Rabbit,” director Taika Waititi is already busy filming his next project. The New Zealand native has just begun production on his next movie “Next Goal Wins” with actor Michael Fassbender.

Collider released an image offering a first look at the upcoming film, which follows the true story of an American Somoa soccer team. Fassbender will be portraying the role of a team’s coach Thomas Rongen, and he appears to be sporting a different kind of look for the character by dying his hair blond like the Dutch-American figure. Fassbender was cast in the film back in October, the same month that Waititi’s film “Jojo Rabbit” got released.

Other than Fassbender, the “Thor: Ragnarok” director has also hired non-binary actor Kaimana to portray real-life Samoan soccer team player Jaiyah Saelua. The sports athlete has been known to be the first non-binary player on a men’s FIFA World Cup qualifier. As in tradition, both Kaimana and Saelua are considered a third gender in their Samoan community know as fa’afafine. They are accepted in New Zealand and Polynesian society. “It’s an accepted part of the culture and of life,” Waititi said. “It’s very inclusive.”

The film shows the Samoan team as they make a turnaround from being one of the worst soccer teams in the world and manage to qualify for the 2014 World Cup. There was also a documentary in 2014 that goes into the team’s fight to earn a spot at the global tournament. The documentary made its premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2014 and was released in the U.K. on May 9. It won several awards and nominations, including Best Documentary at the 2014 British Independent Film Awards.

Directors Mike Brett and Steve Jamison from the documentary will serve as producers on the feature film version.

Production for the film began in early November in Honolulu, Hawaii. “Next Goal Wins” currently doesn’t have a date scheduled for its release. Waititi is also attached to direct Marvel’s upcoming film “Thor: Love and Thunder” with much of the main cast returning.