The first movie about pickleball is officially in the works.
We all knew it would happen eventually. Once the hipsters started playing pickleball alongside the retirees, it was only a matter of time before it hit the mainstream. If anything, we’re surprised it took this long.
At least there’s some good talent attached to The Dink: Ben Stiller’s production company Red Hour Films will take the reins. Stiller, of course, has proven he can take a seemingly mundane sport and turn it into comedy gold. (This is your sign to rewatch Dodgeball, by the way.)
Of course, it always helps to have a good cast. Leading the comedy is New Girl‘s Jake Johnson, who will be playing a washed-up tennis pro trying to save a club in crisis and earn his father’s respect. Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris, former tennis champion Andy Roddick and Stiller will round out the cast.
So is The Dink the sign of pickleball cementing itself in the mainstream, or pickleball jumping the shark and everyone agreeing it’s lame? Who knows, but ironically it’s dropping around the same time movie theaters will building pickleball courts (yes, that is a real thing).
