Apple TV+ has confirmed the release of The Dink, a pickleball comedy starring Jake Johnson, Mary Steenburgen and Ed Harris, produced by Ben Stiller. It lands 24 July 2026. Below: the cast, the plot, the first-look footage, and what this Hollywood moment really means for pickleball in the UK.
Something happened this week that anyone who plays pickleball in the UK should be paying attention to. Apple TV+ has confirmed the release of The Dink, a comedy built entirely around our sport. Ben Stiller is producing. Jake Johnson is starring. Ed Harris, Mary Steenburgen, Patton Oswalt and Christine Taylor round out a cast you would normally see during awards season — not in a film about a paddle sport that, three years ago, most people in this country had not heard of.
Watch the first clip they shared on Instagram. It's the only place online with footage right now:
What The Dink is actually about
Directed by Josh Greenbaum, the film follows Dusty Boyd (Jake Johnson), a washed-up former tennis prodigy now coaching unruly kids at his father's country club. Dusty's dad, Chuck (Ed Harris), is waging a one-man crusade against the "pickleball invasion" taking over the courts — a feud Dusty loyally backs, hoping for a scrap of his father's approval.
Then he reaggravates an old tennis injury. Forced into rehab, he tries pickleball for the first time, partners up with Candace (Mary Steenburgen)… and quietly falls in love with the game.
Andy Roddick and John McEnroe show up in cameos. The Dink premieres on Apple TV+ on 24 July 2026.
Why this is bigger than just a comedy release
Hollywood does not greenlight a film around a sport unless that sport has already crossed into the cultural mainstream. The fact that a sought-after director, an A-list producer, a major streamer and a cast like this all signed on tells you exactly where pickleball is heading. The boom we have been feeling on the ground — new clubs every month, sold-out beginner sessions, paddles on every other Christmas list — has now reached the point where the world's biggest entertainment companies are betting on it as a recognisable, lovable, commercial idea.
For us in the UK, that matters more than it does in the US. Across the Atlantic, pickleball is already established — they are in the "make the joke about it" phase. We are still in the "wait, what is that?" phase. The Dink is going to do something no marketing campaign can: it is going to make pickleball look fun, social, slightly chaotic and totally accessible to millions of people who have never picked up a paddle.
Expect a wave of curiosity through late July and the rest of the summer.
What this looks like at a club level
I have watched this sport go from a handful of us setting up nets at Littleport Aces to weekly sessions filling up faster than we can add courts. Every time pickleball gets a mainstream moment — a celebrity match, a viral clip, a news segment — the same pattern plays out: a flurry of new faces show up the following weekend, mostly nervous, mostly assuming they will be terrible, and almost all of them hooked within twenty minutes.
A whole feature film is going to amplify that effect by an order of magnitude. Clubs that are ready — paddles available, beginner sessions running, a friendly first-time experience — are going to benefit. Players who already love the game are about to have a much easier time convincing friends and family to come try it.
How to get ahead of the wave
If you have been meaning to start, the months before July are the smartest time to do it. Courts will be quieter, sessions less crowded, and you will be the one showing your mates the ropes when they finally turn up after seeing the film.
A few simple ways in:
- Join a beginner session at your local club. We run weekly drop-ins at Littleport Aces and we would love to see you on court.
- Pick up a starter paddle — you do not need top-end gear to learn the game. Have a look through our paddle collection to see what fits your budget.
- Watch a couple of rules explainers so your first session is not spent figuring out the kitchen line.
The Dink does not need to be a great film to be great for pickleball. It just needs to put the sport on screens — and that part is already done.
See you on the court before everyone else shows up.
Frequently asked questions
When is The Dink released?
The Dink premieres on Apple TV+ on 24 July 2026.
Who is in the cast of The Dink?
Jake Johnson stars as Dusty Boyd, alongside Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris, Chloe Fineman, Patton Oswalt and Christine Taylor. Tennis legends Andy Roddick and John McEnroe make cameo appearances. The film is produced by Ben Stiller and directed by Josh Greenbaum.
Where can I watch The Dink in the UK?
The Dink will stream exclusively on Apple TV+ from 24 July 2026, available to Apple TV+ subscribers in the UK on the same day as the US release.
Is The Dink based on a true story?
No. The Dink is an original comedy. The premise — a tennis purist forced to embrace pickleball after an injury — is fictional, but the cultural feud between tennis and pickleball it satirises is very real.
How do I start playing pickleball in the UK?
The easiest route is a beginner-friendly session at a local club. At Littleport Aces we run weekly drop-ins where loaner paddles are available and no experience is required. Once you are hooked, picking up your own paddle from our paddle collection is the next step.
Sources: IMDB · Pickleball.com · MovieWeb
