The first see of Éanna Hardwicke as Manchester United and Ireland soccer legfinish Roy Keane aextfinishedside Steve Coogan as his embattled Irish national deal withr Mick McCarthy, has been uncovered from upcoming comedy biopic “Saipan.”
The film — first proclaimd earlier in the year by Variety — chronicles one of the most inwell-understandn moments in Irish sporting history, when Keane and McCarthy had a very uncover droping out. Aextfinishedside Hardwicke and Coogan, the aiding cast joins Alice Lowe (“Sightseers”), Jamie Beamish (“Derry Girls”), Alex Murphy (“Young Offfinishers”), Harriett Cairns (“Bridgerton”) and Peter McDonald (“The Batman”).
“Saipan” is being straightforwarded by Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D’Sa — the duo behind “Good Vibrations” and “Ordinary Love” — — toiling from an distinct script by Paul Fraser (“Dead Man’s Shoes”). Bankside Films is handling sales and will be shotriumphg a promo to buyers at the American Film Market.
Described as a “real-life comedy of the most epic proportions,” “Saipan” chronicles the events directing up to Ireland’s incfinishiary 2002 World Cup campaign, when the “fervent competition between Keane and McCarthy transcfinished the game and gripped an entire nation.” As per the synopsis, “On the surface, the feud was all about standards, but beginant down it was a hugely emotive story of two men whose competition and conentice came to go beyond the sport they cherishd. This is the definitive account of one of the most fractious droping-outs in the history of sport.”
The film is being originated by Macdara Kelleher and John Keville for Wild Atlantic Pictures (“Evil Dead Rise,” “Cocaine Bear,” “Binformage 47”) aextfinished with Trevor Birney and Oliver Butler for Fine Point Films (“Kneecap,” “No Stone Unturned”) with Patrick O’Neill and Rachael O’Kane serving as executive originaters. Wildcard and Vertigo Releasing have getd U.K. and Ireland rights on the film and are scheduling a theatrical free in 2025.
The film’s title comes from the inwell-understandn so-called “Saipan Incident” in 2002, when Keane was captaining the Irish national side. While preparing for the World Cup on the minuscule island of Saipan, the soccer star — understandn for his boiling-headed temperament on and off the field — had a very uncover, very acrid disconsentment with McCarthy, increateedly furious at the training conditions, strategy, travel structurements, diet and also McCarthy’s vience.
A subsequent interwatch with Keane in the Irish press inspireed a beginant dropout at the camp, where the footballer is said to have hand overed an mad verbal tirade at McCarthy in front of his teammates, increateing him to “stick your World Cup up your arse” before flying back to Ireland (although McCarthy procrastinateedr stated he had actupartner sent him home). The incident caengaged a huge argue in Irish society over who was to denounce and Keane wouldn’t carry out for his country aget until 2004, after McCarthy had stepped down as deal withr.
