World Courant
Quick-rising and BAFTA-nominated Irish star Éanna Hardwicke (“The Sixth Commandment,” “Lakelands”) is ready to play Manchester United and Eire soccer legend Roy Keane within the upcoming Irish characteristic “Saipan,” Selection can reveal. Hardwicke shall be joined by two-time Oscar nominee Steve Coogan (“Philomena,” “The Reckoning”), who will star as Mick McCarthy, the previous Eire soccer supervisor with whom Keane had an notorious falling out.
“Saipan” is being directed by Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D’Sa — the duo behind the critically-lauded 2013 Irish comedy-drama “Good Vibrations” and the 2019 romance “Abnormal Love,” starring Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville — working from an authentic script by Paul Fraser (“Useless Man’s Footwear”), with manufacturing set to begin this summer season.
The movie’s title comes from the notorious so-called “Saipan Incident” in 2002, when Keane was captaining the Irish nationwide aspect forward of the FIFA World Cup finals in Japan. Whereas getting ready on the tiny island of Saipan, the soccer star — recognized for his hot-headed temperament on and off the sector — had a really public, very bitter disagreement with McCarthy, reportedly livid on the coaching situations, technique, journey preparations, weight loss plan and likewise McCarthy’s competence.
A subsequent interview with Keane within the Irish press sparked a significant fallout on the camp, the place the footballer is alleged to have delivered an indignant verbal tirade at McCarthy in entrance of his teammates, telling him to “stick your World Cup up your arse” earlier than flying again to Eire (though McCarthy later acknowledged he had despatched him house). The incident brought on an enormous controversy in Irish society over who was responsible and Keane would not play for his nation once more till 2004, after McCarthy had stepped down as supervisor.
“Saipan” — which is described as being about “the occasions main as much as Eire’s incendiary 2002 World Cup marketing campaign” — is produced by Macdara Kelleher and John Keville for Wild Atlantic Photos (“Evil Useless Rise,” “Cocaine Bear”) together with Trevor Birney and Oliver Butler for Superb Level Movies (“Kneecap,” “Bobby Sands: 66 Days”) with Patrick O’Neill, Eoin Egan and Rachael O’Kane serving as government producers.
Wildcard and Vertigo Releasing have acquired UK and Eire rights for the movie, and are scheduling a saturation theatrical launch for summer season 2025. Bankside Movies have boarded the characteristic for worldwide gross sales, with Stephen Kelliher and Sophie Inexperienced as government producers. “Saipan” shall be made in affiliation with Display screen Eire and Northern Eire Display screen, with a shoot set for Eire and Saipan. Greg Martin is government producer for Display screen Eire, with Ursula Devine government producer for Northern Eire Display screen.
“One million phrases have been written about what occurred on that fateful week in 2002 on the tiny island of Saipan,” stated producers Kelleher and Keville. “Subsequent yr, audiences will lastly get to expertise firsthand the feud between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy and why it was labeled ‘the worst preparation for a World Cup marketing campaign ever’. We’re so excited to have Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn direct this iconic story with our equally iconic forged.”
Added the administrators: “We’re thrilled to be working with this extraordinary forged and inventive staff to inform the story of an notorious second in Irish and soccer historical past that drew battle traces throughout a nation, forged its hopes, goals and sense of identification into disarray, and briefly made a tiny volcanic island within the Pacific one of the crucial well-known locations on earth.”
Apart from their appearing credentials, Hardwicke and Coogan each have vital connections to their characters. Hardwicke hails from Cork, which can also be Keane’s birthplace (he is typically thought of the town’s “most well-known son”). In the meantime, Coogan’s dad and mom are of Irish descent (his mom was born in County Mayo) and he lengthy thought of himself half-Irish, final yr receiving an Irish passport. McCarthy, who like Coogan was born in England, had an Irish father and performed for the Irish nationwide staff on the 1990 soccer World Cup, turning into its supervisor six years later.
“Vertigo Releasing and Wildcard are delighted to be partnering on ‘Saipan,’ which is ready to be a significant theatrical launch within the UK and Eire in summer season 2025,” stated the distributors. “The occasions of Saipan divided a nation, however we’re certain everybody shall be united of their love for this as soon as in a era Irish movie directed by the good filmmaking staff of Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D’Sa.”
Coogan is represented by Unbiased Expertise and CAA with Multitude Media dealing with PR. Hardwicke is represented by Curtis Brown and Susannah Norris Company with Multitude Media dealing with PR.
