The summer of 2002 divided Ireland, and now it’s coming to the big screen. Vertigo Releasing and Wildcard have unveiled the first teaser trailer for SAIPAN, chronicling the explosive feud between Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane and manager Mick McCarthy during the team’s chaotic 2002 FIFA World Cup preparations.
At the center of this highly anticipated film stands Éanna Hardwicke, the BAFTA-nominated Cork native who has rapidly become one of Ireland’s most compelling young actors. Following his breakthrough performances in LAKELANDS and THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT, Hardwicke now tackles his most challenging role yet: embodying Roy Keane, the most famous and controversial Corkman in football history.
The casting feels inspired. Hardwicke has built his career on complex, morally ambiguous characters, making him perfectly suited to capture Keane’s mercurial personality. His recent work demonstrates a remarkable ability to convey both vulnerability and explosive rage, essential qualities for portraying a player who was simultaneously revered and feared. In LAKELANDS, he proved he could carry a film through subtle expression and minimal dialogue. THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT showcased his range in handling real-life controversy with nuance and depth.
The trailer offers compelling glimpses of Hardwicke’s transformation, delivering Keane’s words with chilling conviction: “You don’t ever tell me we’re done. I’m just getting started.” Despite immense expectations surrounding this iconic figure, Hardwicke appears ready for the challenge.
Directed by Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn, who helmed GOOD VIBRATIONS and ORDINARY LOVE, SAIPAN promises depth beyond typical sports films. These filmmakers consistently find human truth within cultural moments, understanding that the Keane-McCarthy confrontation transcended football facilities to become a clash of fundamentally different philosophies about leadership, standards, and national representation.
Steve Coogan brings his understated intensity to Mick McCarthy, supported by Alice Lowe, Jamie Beamish, Alex Murphy, Harriet Cains, and Peter McDonald in what promises to be a richly textured ensemble piece.
The film’s timing is particularly intriguing. More than two decades later, this wound remains fresh in Irish culture, with pub debates still raging over who was right. SAIPAN arrives precisely when Hardwicke’s career trajectory positions him for such weighty material. His recent performances reveal an actor unafraid of difficult subjects, capable of finding humanity in flawed characters without excusing their actions.
For Hardwicke, SAIPAN represents a career-defining moment. Taking on Roy Keane means embodying not just a footballer, but a cultural lightning rod whose legacy remains fiercely contested. His Cork origins provide authenticity, but more crucially, his proven ability to navigate moral complexity suggests he can capture both Keane’s brilliance and destructive tendencies without descending into caricature.
The original incident split the nation between Team Keane and Team McCarthy, exposing deeper questions about perfectionism, loyalty, and the price of uncompromising standards. Paul Fraser’s script, from the writer of HEARTLANDS and A ROOM FOR ROMEO BRASS, promises to explore these underlying currents rather than simply rehashing familiar arguments.
Whether you supported Keane or McCarthy during that fractious summer, Hardwicke’s portrayal will likely reignite passionate debates while offering fresh insights into one of sport’s most infamous falling-outs. For an actor who consistently chooses challenging, thought-provoking projects, SAIPAN represents the natural evolution of what’s developing into a truly remarkable career.
Netflix`s BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER has an amazing new trailer!
Colin Farrell plays an Irish fugitive hiding in Macau`s neon underworld as "Lord Doyle," gambling desperately to outrun his past.
The film opens in theaters Oct. 15 and starts streaming Oct. 29 on Netflix.
Watch now via link in bio.
Saoirse Ronan is heading back to the `60s! 🎸
The four-time Oscar nominee is reportedly set to play Linda McCartney in Sam Mendes` wildly ambitious THE BEATLES project—four separate films, each following a different Beatle.
She`ll star opposite Paul Mescal (her FOE co-star) as Paul McCartney, with Barry Keoghan as Ringo, Joseph Quinn as George, and Harris Dickinson as John.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Cillian Murphy just confirmed THE IMMORTAL MAN drops in 2026 and Tommy Shelby is coming back with a vengeance. 🔥
Fresh off STEVE hitting Netflix, Murphy spilled the tea on The Graham Norton Show that the Peaky Blinders film has wrapped.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
Graham Norton isn`t going anywhere!
The BBC has locked in three more series of THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW - with 2.9 million viewers tuning in and clips going viral weekly, Norton continues to prove why he`s the gold standard for celebrity interviews.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Cillian Murphy isn`t chasing blockbusters—he`s back in the classroom.
The Irish actor`s latest role in Netflix`s STEVE sees him playing a struggling teacher at a last-chance reform school, proving once again that he`s more interested in transformation than validation.
Watch Cillian`s TODAY interview via link in bio.
🖤⚡️ JESSIE BUCKLEY IS COMING BACK TO LIFE! ⚡️🖤
Ireland`s Irish powerhouse transforms into a Gaga-esque flapper brought back to life as the companion of Christian Bale`s creature in Maggie Gyllenhaal`s electrifying new take on THE BRIDE!
New trailer at irishfilmtv.com.
🌟 From THE WITCHER to DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS to EVERYTHING NOW.
Dublin`s @niamhhmccormack_ has been quietly building one of the most impressive portfolios in Irish acting.
Don`t miss her in HOUSE OF GUINNESS, now streaming on @netflix.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🌊 When Oscar-nominated Stephen Rea (THE CRYING GAME, MICHAEL COLLINS, V FOR VENDETTA) lends his legendary voice to a haunting tale of shipwreck and survival, you know something magical is about to happen.
📍 @irishculturalcentre, Hammersmith
🗓️ November 8-9 ONLY
🎭 Don`t miss this exclusive London run!
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🎬 Cillian Murphy is absolutely unstoppable right now!
Three incredible performances in a row: Oscar winner OPPENHEIMER ✨ SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE 💫 and now STEVE - a powerhouse drama about a school headteacher fighting his own demons while saving troubled kids.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
THE WEIR is haunting London`s Harold Pinter Theatre until 6 Dec, and it`s pure magic. Brendan Gleeson makes his West End debut alongside an incredible cast in Conor McPherson`s modern masterpiece - with the playwright himself directing for the first time!
"It`s already a classic in the canon of world theatre," says Seán McGinley, and honestly? We believe him. Sometimes the most powerful stories happen over a pint, in the space between words, where kindness becomes community.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🏆 IRISH TALENT TAKES TORONTO!
Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal just won BIG at TIFF with HAMNET - snagging the People`s Choice Award that`s basically an Oscar crystal ball ✨
More at irishfilmtv.com.
From strolling London`s Highbury Fields to stepping into Paul McCartney`s shoes 🎸✨
Paul Mescal is living proof that staying grounded while reaching for the stars isn`t just possible—it`s the secret sauce. Fresh off HAMNET and deep in rehearsals for Sam Mendes` Beatles biopics, this Irish charmer is redefining what it means to be a modern movie star.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
🔥 When Margot Robbie had a "suspicion" her chemistry with Colin Farrell would work in A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY... she was absolutely right! ✨
These two icons dive into Kogonada`s A BIG BOLD BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY where strangers Sarah and David rent mysterious cars that transport them through doorways to their childhood memories. Talk about a wild ride! 🚗💫
More at irishfilmtv.com.
Paul Mescal and Josh O`Connor playing LIE vs LIE is the chaotic energy we didn`t know we needed 😂
These THE HISTORY OF SOUND co-stars swap outrageous stories, questionable audition tales, and awkward fan encounters—and honestly, we can`t tell what`s real anymore 🤷♀️
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
Netflix has assembled a powerhouse Irish cast for their upcoming adaptation of Marian Keyes` bestselling novel GROWN UPS.
Sarah Greene (BAD SISTERS) leads alongside Barry Ward, Aisling Bea (THIS WAY UP), Robert Sheehan (UMBRELLA ACADEMY), Adrian Dunbar (LINE OF DUTY) and more incredible talent ✨
This 8-part series follows the chaotic Casey family as they navigate grief, love, and the messy reality of being "grown up".
More at irishfilmtv.com.
