A 76-second teaser trailer for the upcoming Saipan film has been released – and met with a mixed reaction from Irish football fans.
Éanna Hardwicke has been cast as Roy Keane while Steve Coogan will play Mick McCarthy.
@WildCardDistribKeane walked out/was kicked out of the Ireland squad before the 2002 World Cup[/caption]
The Man United icon flipped out over the state of the training pitches on the tiny island
@WildCardDistribTwo-time Oscar nominee Steve Coogan is playing manager Mick McCarthy[/caption]
@WildCardDistribIronically, Saipan was an R&R pit stop with facilities on their main training base turning out to be excellent[/caption]
The trailer showcases the remote island in the Pacific Ocean that went down in Irish football infamy as a blazing row between the two resulted in Ireland’s captain playing no part in the 2002 World Cup.
We hear both actors in character and naturally enough, their voices are raised in virtually every snippet.
There’s also atmospheric news bulletins read out in order to hammer home how this was a story that dominated front pages as well as back across the entire Irish media landscape.
76 seconds is never going to be enough to make a worthwhille judgement from any film but the prevailing point of debate touched upon Hardwicke’s appearance.
Several fans voiced their concern that no matter how adept of an actor he is, he simply doesn’t bear enough of a resemblance to Keane to fully inhabit the role.
Paul commented: “As expected, Coogan nails McCarthy but they could have at least attempted to cast an actor with some kind of resemblance to Keane.”
Similarly, Michael added: “That bloke looks nothing like Roy Keane, he looks more like Vinny Jones. I mean Roy Keane is alive should have just got the man himself.”
Additionally, Steven expressed his anger by quoting Keane’s most famous catchphrase.
He quipped: “It doesn’t look like they can do their job i.e. Be believable as Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy!!”
However, not everyone was immediately casting a pessimistic eye based off what they saw from the cast and the wider film-making style on show.
IFB Media posted: “Excited to see this! The Saipan incident is/was one of the most divisive stories in modern memory and it’s not even close.
“What could’ve been with Roy will never be known but it’s sad when you consider we haven’t returned to the World Cup since the 2002 tournament. 2026?”
Philip also sounded keen on it as he drew a parallel between the World Cup flashpoint and an equally significant historic event.
He tweeted: “Can’t wait for this – the trailer is giving Cuba Missile Crisis vibes.”
GettyHardwicke, 28, is best known for his work BBC series The Sixth Commandment[/caption]
The production behind the project – Wild Atlantic Pictures – was involved with the likes of the award-winning Kneecap movie as well Cocaine Bear.
It has yet to be given a precise release date but will be in cinemas some time this summer.
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