Will Arnett will be replacing Armie Hammer in filmmaker Taika Waititi’s Searchlight Pictures soccer comedy, ‘Next Goal Wins’.
The news of Hammer’s exit, which was confirmed by sources to The Hollywood Reporter, comes after the actor was accused by multiple women of sexual assault. Hammer denied the allegations, but the Los Angeles Police Department launched an investigation.
He has since been dropped by his agents at WME and exited multiple projects, including the Jennifer Lopez movie ‘Shotgun Wedding’ and the ‘Godfather’ series at Paramount+, as well as Broadway play ‘The Minutes’.
Hammer will next be seen in the Fox/Disney movie ‘Death on the Nile’, which is due out over Valentine’s Day weekend.
Based on a 2014 British documentary of the same name from Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, ‘Next Goal Wins’ is an underdog story that follows the national football team of American Samoa and their coach, Thomas Rongen, as they try to transform from perennial losers into a FIFA World Cup-qualifying outfit.
Hammer was set to play a soccer executive working at the Football Federation American Samoa, a role that will now be played by Arnett.
As per The Hollywood reporter, Arnett, who recently re-shot Hammer’s scenes, will appear alongside stars Michael Fassbender, Elisabeth Moss, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Oscar Kightley and Lehi Falepapalangi, among others.
The ‘Arrested Development’ actor has been nominated for seven Primetime Emmy Awards, with credits that include ‘30 Rock’, ‘BoJack Horseman’ and the ‘Lego Movie’ franchise, where he voiced Lego Batman. He was recently seen in ‘Muppets Haunted Mansion’ and ‘The Morning Show’.
Hammer has been persona non grata in Hollywood ever since women online started accusing him of abusive and manipulative behaviour. Details about his private life were also made public, which involved unverified messages discussing fantasies shared by the actor that included cannibalism. A few of his ex-girlfriends also said they had experienced strange behaviour with Hammer. — With staff inputs
