Steve Coogan to Play Mick McCarthy, Éanna Hardwicke Cast as Roy Keane in 'Saipan' Film About Irish Soccer Icon's Infamous World Cup Walkout (EXCLUSIVE)
.jpg)
The captivating saga of the infamous "Saipan Incident" involving Irish soccer legend Roy Keane and his national team manager Mick McCarthy is set to hit the silver screen. In a major casting coup, fast-rising Irish star Éanna Hardwicke ("The Sixth Commandment," "Lakelands") has been tapped to portray Keane, while two-time Oscar nominee Steve Coogan ("Philomena," "The Reckoning") will take on the role of McCarthy in the upcoming film "Saipan."
Directed by the critically acclaimed duo of Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D'Sa, the filmmakers behind the acclaimed 2013 Irish comedy-drama "Good Vibrations" and the 2019 romance "Ordinary Love," "Saipan" delves into the explosive events leading up to Ireland's 2002 World Cup campaign. The title refers to the tiny Pacific island where the now-infamous clash between Keane and McCarthy took place, igniting a major controversy that would have lasting repercussions for Irish soccer.
As captain of the Irish national team, the mercurial Keane, known for his fiery temperament both on and off the pitch, clashed bitterly with McCarthy over the team's preparation, training conditions, travel arrangements, and McCarthy's managerial competence. The confrontation culminated in a now-legendary verbal tirade by Keane, who reportedly told McCarthy to "stick your World Cup up your arse" before abruptly leaving the team's training camp and returning to Ireland, effectively ending his participation in the World Cup.
The incident sent shockwaves through Ireland, sparking intense public debate over who was to blame and leaving the nation's World Cup aspirations in disarray. Keane would not represent his country again until 2004, after McCarthy had stepped down as manager.
"A million words have been written about what happened on that fateful week in 2002 on the tiny island of Saipan," said producers Macdara Kelleher and John Keville. "Next year, audiences will finally get to experience firsthand the feud between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy and why it was labeled 'the worst preparation for a World Cup campaign ever'. We are so excited to have Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn direct this iconic story with our equally iconic cast."
The casting of Hardwicke and Coogan in the lead roles is particularly fitting, as both actors have strong personal connections to their characters. Hardwicke, hailing from Keane's hometown of Cork, is seen by many as the perfect choice to embody the legendary midfielder. Meanwhile, Coogan's own Irish heritage – his mother was born in County Mayo – and his longstanding personal identification as half-Irish make him an ideal fit for the role of McCarthy, who like Coogan was born in England but played for and managed the Irish national team.
"Vertigo Releasing and Wildcard are delighted to be partnering on 'Saipan,' which is set to be a major theatrical release in the U.K. and Ireland in summer 2025," said the distributors. "The events of Saipan divided a nation, but we are confident everyone will be united in their love for this once-in-a-generation Irish film directed by the superb filmmaking team of Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D'Sa."
With a script by acclaimed writer Paul Fraser ("Dead Man's Shoes") and a production team led by Kelleher and Keville of Wild Atlantic Pictures, alongside Trevor Birney and Oliver Butler of Fine Point Films, "Saipan" is poised to be a must-see event for Irish soccer fans and cinema-goers alike. Bankside Films have boarded the project for global sales, with Stephen Kelliher and Sophie Green as executive producers.
"We're delighted to be working with this fantastic cast and creative team to tell the story of an infamous moment in Irish and soccer history that drew battle lines across a nation, cast its hopes, dreams and sense of identity into disarray, and briefly made a tiny volcanic island in the Pacific one of the most famous places on earth," said directors Leyburn and Barros D'Sa.
As production gears up to begin this summer, with a shoot scheduled for Ireland and Saipan, anticipation is building for what promises to be a cinematic exploration of a captivating chapter in Irish sports and cultural history.
Comments
Post a Comment