The full trailer and release date have been confirmed for the highly anticipated Saipan film, documenting the infamous fallout between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy at the 2002 World Cup.
Éanna Hardwicke plays Keane, with Steve Coogan in the role of McCarthy for the dramatisation of one of the most dramatic moments in Irish sporting history.
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Saipan is released in Irish cinemas on January 1st, and we were lucky enough to take in a preview screening of the film on Friday.
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First full Saipan trailer released
The full trailer for the Saipan film has arrived.
We are holding back some comment, but for now we can confirm that Éanna Hardwicke is absolutely electric in the role of Roy Keane, while Steve Coogan is the perfect counterpart as Mick McCarthy.
The buildup to the 2002 World Cup was fractious in the Irish camp, with captain Keane and manager McCarthy coming to blows on the Pacific island of Saipan during the team’s training camp.
Keane was furious with what he saw as subpar preparations for the enormous task of taking on the world’s best in Japan and South Korea, with the Manchester United star ultimately leaving the squad in a bombshell move that rocked (and divided) the nation.
Irish audiences will be able to see Saipan from New Year’s Day, with the film released in the UK from January 23rd.
For anyone who lived through the infamous incident, this film will be like a window to the past, capturing the divided atmosphere in the country in the lead-up to the 2002 World Cup.
The film has received widespread glowing reviews.
Alongside Hardwicke and Coogan, Peter McDonald stars as Mick Byrne, with Jack Hickey as Niall Quinn, and Oliver Coopersmith as Jason McAteer.
Saipan releases in Irish cinemas on January 1st, 2026.
Eoin Harrington reporting from the Saipan preview screening in Dublin
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André Itamara Vila Neto é um blogueiro apaixonado por guias de viagem e criador do Road Trips for the Rockstars . Apaixonado por explorar tesouros escondidos e rotas cênicas ao redor do mundo, André compartilha guias de viagem detalhados, dicas e experiências reais para inspirar outros aventureiros a pegar a estrada com confiança. Seja planejando a viagem perfeita ou descobrindo tesouros locais, a missão de André é tornar cada jornada inesquecível.
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