Anna Hardwicke and Roy Keane
Bafta-nominated Irish star Anna Hardwicke is set to play Manchester United and Ireland football legend Roy Keane in an upcoming Irish feature film. Saipan. According to DiversityJoining Hardwicke will be two-time Oscar nominee Steve Coogan, who will play former Ireland football manager Mick McCarthy, with whom Keane had an infamous feud.
Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D’Sa, the duo behind the critically acclaimed 2013 Irish comedy-drama Positive Vibrations and romance of 2019 ordinary Lovewill direct the project. The film’s title is derived from the infamous so-called ‘Saipan incident’ in 2002, when Keane was captaining the Irish national team ahead of the FIFA World Cup finals in Japan. While preparing on the small island of Saipan, the soccer star – known for his short temper on and off the field – had a very public, very acrimonious disagreement with McCarthy, reportedly over training conditions, tactics, travel arrangements, diet and McCarthy’s qualifications.
Wildcard and Vertigo Releasing have acquired the UK and Ireland rights to the film, and are planning a saturation theatrical release in the summer of 2025. Saipan is described as “the events leading up to Ireland’s 2002 World Cup campaign”. It is produced by MacDara Kelleher and John Cavill for Wild Atlantic Pictures (Evil Dead Rise, Cocaine Bears) with Trevor Birney and Oliver Butler for Fine Point Films (Kneecap, Bobby Sands: 66 days) with Patrick O’Neal, Eoin Egan and Rachel O’Kane serving as executive producers.
Roy Keane’s career took off when he joined Manchester United from Nottingham Forest in 1993. He stayed at the English club for 12 years before leaving in 2005. Former United head coach Sir Alex Ferguson described him as the best player he had ever seen, with ambitious footballers and Reds everywhere worshipping at his feet.
Keane played 480 matches for United and scored 51 goals. He won seven Premier League, four FA Cup and one UEFA Champions League titles with the Red Devils. He began his coaching career soon after retiring from football, coaching big names like Sunderland and Ipswich Town FC. Keane was also the assistant manager of Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.
