The new Steve Coogan film

BAFTA-nominated Cork native Éanna Hardwicke (Lakelands, The Sixth Commandment) will play Ireland football captain Roy Keane, with two-time Oscar nominee

(Philomena, The Reckoning) cast as the Ireland manager Mick McCarthy.

The Saipan incident was a very public spat in May 2002 between the then Republic of Ireland national football team captain Roy Keane and manager Mick McCarthy when the team was preparing in Saipan, Japan for its 2002 FIFA World Cup. It resulted in Keane being sent home from the squad. The incident divided public opinion in Ireland and rumbles on to this day.

Award Winning filmmakers Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn (Good Vibrations, Ordinary Love) are set to direct from an original script by Paul Fraser (Heartlands, A Room For Romeo Brass). Saipan will be made in association with Screen Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen, with a shoot set for Ireland and Saipan later this summer. Greg Martin is Executive Producer for Screen Ireland, with Ursula Devine Executive Producer for Northern Ireland Screen.

Talking about the new Steve Coogan film directors Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn said, “We’re thrilled to be working with this extraordinary cast and creative team to tell the story of an infamous moment in Irish and football history that drew battle lines across a nation, cast its hopes, dreams and sense of identity into disarray, and briefly made a tiny volcanic island in the Pacific one of the most famous places on earth.”

Saipan is currently scheduled for release in Summer 2025