Harsh Vardhan
Jake Johnson is up for a pickleball challenge! The Cinemaholic can reveal that the actor will headline Josh Greenbaum’s sports drama film ‘The Dink.’ The project’s filming will start in Los Angeles, California, on November 4. Greenbaum is helming the movie based on a screenplay by Sean Clements. Johnson will star alongside Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris, Ben Stiller, and the tennis legend Andy Roddick.
The plot revolves around Dusty, a confident and self-assured tennis pro at a modest country club managed by his father. Despite his talent on the court, his arrogance makes him unable to recognize love when it slaps him in the face. He relies heavily on his father’s reluctant support to maintain his standing in the sport, unaware of how this dependence affects his growth as a player and a person.
The narrative progresses as Dusty’s deep disdain for pickleball, which he dismisses as a children’s game unworthy of his attention, is put to the test. His competitive spirit takes a hit when a sharp, seasoned 70-year-old named Candace decisively defeats him in a pickleball match. Stung by the loss and unable to accept being bested in what he considers an inferior game, Dusty becomes determined to prove himself.
‘The Dink’ is one of Jake’s several upcoming projects. The actor, who is best known for playing Nick Miller in FOX’s sitcom ‘New Girl,’ is part of the voice cast of Travis Knight’s adventure drama ‘Wildwood’ and the highly anticipated ‘Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse,’ in which he will reprise Peter Parker. He also starred as Doug Renetti in Max/Starz’s comedy series ‘Minx,’ which follows the creation of the first erotic magazine for women by an earnest feminist and a low-rent publisher in 1970s Los Angeles.
Jake made his feature directorial debut with ‘Self Reliance,’ in which he starred as Tommy, a man who accepts a challenge to win $1 million by playing a game that can be won only by evading the hunters trying to kill him. The twist is that the hunters can only attack when he is alone, yet Tommy struggles because no one in his life believes the game is real.
Josh recently directed ‘Will & Harper,’ an intimate project that explores friendship, change, and American culture. The documentary follows Will Ferrell and his close friend of thirty years as they embark on a cross-country road trip, seeking to navigate a new chapter in their relationship. The filmmaker also helmed ‘Strays,’ a comedy about an abandoned dog who teams up with other strays to get revenge on his former owner. Josh previously collaborated with Jake while directing several episodes of ‘New Girl.’ Sean Clements’ past writing credits include shows such as Netflix’s ‘Unstable,’ ABC’s ‘United We Fall,’ and Comedy Central’s ‘Robbie.’
Many of Jake’s earlier projects, such as ‘Self Reliance’ and ‘New Girl,’ were filmed in Los Angeles. Similarly, Josh’s ‘Becoming Bond’ and ‘Meet The Patels’ also used the City of Angels as a backdrop.
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