After an explosive last ten years or so that kicked off with Hunger and Inglourious Basterds, Michael Fassbender has left the spotlight recently. Call it a Snowman-induced break, but since that unfortunate bomb, he’s only been seen in the contractually-obligated Dark Phoenix. While he’s currently filming Kung Fury 2, the actor has now found his next leading role.
Deadline reports he’s set for Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins, an adaptation of Mike Brett and Steve Jamison’s 2014 documentary, which explored the underdog story of the national football team of American Samoa. In 2001, they lost 31–0 to Australia, but would (spoilers?) go on to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Fassbender will take the role of the team’s Dutch coach Thomas Rongen. Only recently announced, filming will begin this fall before Waititi returns to the MCU with Thor: Love and Thunder.
Meanwhile, the director won the top prize at TIFF for Jojo Rabbit, interestingly enough following in the footsteps of another perhaps misguided comedic take on World War II, Life Is Beautiful. Check out the winners’ list below along with our reviews where available and see our favorites from the festival here.
GROLSCH PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
Grolsch People’s Choice Award
Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabbit (winner)
Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story (first runner-up)
Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite (second runner-up)
Grolsch People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award
Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia’s The Platform (winner)
Andrew Patterson’s The Vast of Night (first runner-up)
Jeff Barnaby’s Blood Quantum (second runner-up)
The Grolsch People’s Choice Documentary Award
Feras Fayyad’s The Cave (winner)
Garin Hovannisian’s I Am Not Alone (first runner-up)
Bryce Dallas Howard’s Dads (second runner-up)
IWC SHORT CUTS AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN SHORT FILM
Chloé Robichaud’s Delphine
IWC SHORT CUTS AWARD FOR BEST SHORT FILM
Lasse Linder’s All Cats Are Grey in the Dark
CITY OF TORONTO AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN FIRST FEATURE FILM
Matthew Rankin’s The Twentieth Century
CANADA GOOSE AWARD FOR BEST CANADIAN FEATURE FILM
Sophie Deraspe’s Antigone
NETPAC AWARD
Oualid Mouaness’ 1982