Will Arnett Takes Over Armie Hammer’s Role in “Next Goal Wins” Directed by Taika Waititi

Will Arnett has replaced Armie Hammer in Next Goal Wins, a soccer comedy being directed by Taika Waititi and distributed by Searchlight Pictures.

(Disney/20th Century Studios

(Disney/20th Century Studios

What’s Happening:

  • Deadline revealed that Will Arnett has replaced Armie Hammer in Oscar-winner Taika Waititi’s new film Next Goal Wins.
  • The film was first announced in 2019, with principal photography beginning in November of that same year.
  • During a recent round of reshoots, Will Arnett took over the role of an executive at the Football Federation American Samoa that Armie Hammer previously played.
  • From the report, it sounds like Armie Hammer was replaced because the role was expanded and the actor was unavailable for reshoots. Armie Hammer has stepped away from the spotlight following allegations of sexual misconduct that arose in early 2020.
  • Armie Hammer is also part of the ensemble of Death on the Nile, Kenneth Branaugh’s follow-up to Murder on the Orient Express, scheduled for release on February 11th from 20th Century Studios.
  • Searchlight Pictures and 20th Century Studios are both owned by The Walt Disney Company.
  • Next Goal Wins doesn’t yet have a release date but is expected to be released after Taika Waititi’s next film, Marvel Studios Thor: Love & Thunder, coming to theaters on July 8th.