DodgeballactorBen Stilleris heading back out onto the court for a new game — one that has him reteaming with Apple after his recent collaboration with the company onSeverance.Stiller signed on last yearto star inThe Dink, a pickleball sports comedy from director Josh Greenbaum, whose previous credits includeWill & HarperandBarb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.Stiller is also serving as a producer on the film with John Lesher for Red Hour Films and Rob Paris and Mike Witherill for Rivulet Entertainment, which is financing the picture.
Apple Original Films has addedThe Dinkto its upcoming release slate, though there is no word yet on whether the film will score a theatrical run before it lands on the company’s streaming service, similar to Joseph Kosinski’sF1: The Movieand Spike Lee’sHighest 2 Lowest.The officialpress releasedoesn’t confirm an exact date for when the movie will hit screens, but the movie is currently in post-production, so now that Apple has acquired the worldwide distribution rights, more details should be announced in due course.
What Is ‘The Dink’ About?
Stiller stars inThe Dinkalongside Jake Johnson in the lead role, playing a washed-up tennis pro who, in trying to save a club in crisis and win his father’s respect, is forced to break a solemn vow and do the one thing he swore he would never do: play pickleball. The film is based on an original screenplay written by Sean Clements, and its premise positions it as another screwball sports comedy, joining the likes ofHappy Gilmoreand its recently released legacy sequelHappy Gilmore 2, whichshattered streaming records on Netflix.
The Dinkhas an extensive comedy cast that features Mary Steenburgen (Book Club: The Next Chapter), Ed Harris (Westworld), Chloe Fineman (Saturday Night Live), Aaron Chen (Fisk), Patton Oswalt (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), Chris Parnell (Rick and Morty), and Christine Taylor (Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story), with Stiller in a supporting role alongside tennis champions Andy Roddick and John McEnroe, so there will be plenty of all-star talent on the court, but whether they manage to shoot and score with the new feature remains to be seen.
Ben Stiller
