Oscars 2022: 10 Possible Contenders For Next Year's Ceremony
9. Next Goal Wins
Taika Waititi is on fire right now. Revitalising one of Marvel's stagnant heroes with Thor: Ragnarok and winning an Oscar for his script of Jojo Rabbit a couple years ago, Waititi is popular with the masses, critics and the industry alike.
His coming feature, Next Goal Wins will look at the American Samoa national football team who suffered the worst loss in World Cup history in 2001. Starring Michael Fassbender, Next Goal Wins is likely to follow Waititi's style of incredible comedy balanced with strong emotional beats to create an exceptional experience.
The one thing that could feasibly hold the film back is how prominent Armie Hammer is in the film. It seems reductive to think a film could sink or swim on the shoulders of one supporting performance but in an era where Hollywood is looking to distance itself from as many problematic individuals as possible, Hammer's recent controversies could be enough to put people off.
Still, Waititi is an ingenious filmmaker, and that may be all that matters in the end.