Ben Stiller returns to the world of sports with an all-star cast for a new film. Red Hour Films and Rivulet Films will re-team for the upcoming pickleball comedy, The Dink, which is set to star Jake Johnson (Spiderverse films, Self Reliance, New Girl) in the leading role, with Mary Steenburgen (Book Club series) and Ed Harris (Pollock) also set to star. Ben Stiller (Zoolander) and former tennis champion Andy Roddick will have key supporting roles. Josh Greenbaum (the upcoming Spaceballs sequel for MGM, Will & Harper) will direct the original screenplay from Sean Clements (Workaholics). Principal photography is set to begin in Los Angeles in November.
The Dink follows a washed-up tennis pro (Johnson) 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’d never do: play pickleball.
John Lesher and Ben Stiller are producing through their Red Hour Films banner alongside Rivulet’s Rob Paris and Mike Witherill. Jake Johnson will also serve as a producer. Stiller and Rivulet’s most recent collaboration, Nutcrackers directed by David Gordon Green, just opened the Toronto International Film Festival where it sold for eight figures to Hulu in a competitive situation. Rivulet will also be fully financing this production and the company’s senior strategic advisor Rick Steele will serve as Executive Producer alongside Sean Clements and Josh Greenbaum.
Meanwhile, Stiller will also star in another upcoming film from Rivulet Films, which will have him directed by The Exorcist: Believer‘s David Gordon Green titled Nutcrackers. Nutcrackers follows the work-obsessed Mike (Ben Stiller), who must reluctantly travel to rural Ohio to look after his four rambunctious nephews after their parents die in a car accident. After run-ins with the local deputy (Tim Heidecker) and misguided attempts to unload the boys on an orphan profiteer (Edi Patterson) and an eccentric empty-nester millionaire (Toby Huss), Mike becomes smitten with social worker Gretchen (Linda Cardellini), who helps him on his journey to find a home for the boys.
Stiller’s involvement with Nutcrackers ends a six-year chill time for the comedic actor. Rivulet Films’ Rob Paris and Mike Witherill, Red Hour Films’ Ben Stiller and John Lesher, and Rough House Pictures‘ Nate Meyer are producing. Rivulet financed the film, which recently wrapped production outside Cincinnati, Ohio.