The critically acclaimed Irish drama Saipan, about the infamous feud between former Irish soccer star Roy Keane and national team manager Mick McCarthy, is headed to the US in time for this summer’s World Cup.
Sunrise Films has acquired the North American rights to the film from Bankside Films, starring BAFTA nominee Eanna Hardwick (Lakelands, The Sixth Commandment) as Keane and two-time Oscar nominee Steve Coogan (Philomena, The Reckoning) as McCarthy. Sunrise is currently scheduled for a theatrical release in select U.S. theaters on March 13th.
Directed by Lisa Barros-Dosa and Glenn Raeburn (Good Vibrations, Ordinary Love), Saipan chronicles some of the most infamous moments in Irish sporting history and the events leading up to Ireland’s sensational 2002 World Cup campaign. While preparing for the tournament on the Japanese island of Saipan, Keane, the notoriously short-tempered Irish captain, had a very public and very bitter disagreement with manager McCarthy, which resulted in him being flown home before the match began. Described as “a true story comedy on the grandest scale,” the film explores this bitter rivalry that has captivated an entire nation and transcends the game.
Saipan is based on an original screenplay by Paul Fraser (Heartlands, Romeo Brass) and also stars Alice Lowe (Sightseers), Jamie Beamish (Derry Girls), Alex Murphy (Young Offenders), Harriet Keynes (Bridgerton) and Peter McDonald (The Batman).
It has already proven to be a box office hit in Ireland, and will be theatrically released in the UK by Vertigo Release on January 23rd.
“Following its release across the UK, we are pleased to be able to bring ‘Saipan’ to audiences in North America,” said Andrew Nagar, Sunrise’s head of US and international distribution. “Steve Coogan and Eanna Hardwick are absolutely fantastic in their roles, elevating this film to be a compelling character portrayal that transcends football and is sure to connect with audiences beyond the sport. With World Cup year just around the corner and the Republic of Ireland vying for a spot for the first time since the events depicted in 2002, our return to Saipan in 2026 couldn’t be more timely.”
The deal was negotiated by Nerger on behalf of Sunrise, along with Yana Georgieva and Krista Laszlo of Bankside Films on behalf of the filmmakers.
The film was produced by Wild Atlantic Pictures’ MacDara Kelleher and John Keville (Evil Dead Lies, Cocaine Bear, Black 47), Fine Point Films’ Trevor Burney and Oliver Butler (Kneecap, No Stone Unturned), and executive produced by Patrick O’Neill and Rachel O’Kane.
“Saipan” is produced in association with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen. Greg Martin is Executive Producer of Screen Ireland and Ursula Devine is Executive Producer of Northern Ireland Screen. Funding has also been received from BFI Global Screen, Coimisiún na Meán and RTÉ. Bankside Films sells worldwide.
