Taika Waititi is set to write and direct Next Goal Wins for producer Garrett Basch and Andy Serkis and Fox Searchlight Pictures before he tackles Thor 4, the fourth installment of the Marvel franchise, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed.
Serkis’ Imaginarium Productions optioned the rights to the 2015 British documentary Next Goal Wins, directed by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison. It is about the national soccer team for American Samoa. Imaginarium brought the project to Waititi, who then brought Basch on board.
Waititi and Iain Morris will co-write the adaptation. Jonathan Cavendish, Brett and Jamison will also produce.
Next up for Waititi is Jojo Rabbit, a Nazi-era satire he directed for Fox Searchlight, which is set to open Oct. 18 after debuting at the Toronto Film Festival. Scarlett Johansson stars in the picture alongside Waititi, who portrays a boy’s imaginary version of Adolf Hitler.
But Waititi’s director work on Thor 4 for Marvel put Warner Bros.’ long-gestating adaptation of Japanese manga Akira on pause as the two projects had conflicting production dates. With Warner Bros.’ next step for Akira unclear, it’s understood Waititi’s schedule opened up for him to direct another movie project for Fox Searchlight before he picks up Akira after Thor 4.
Waititi is repped by CAA and Manage-ment.
