Pickleball has officially taken over Hollywood. The paddle sport that exploded after the pandemic is now getting the big-screen treatment with Apple TV+'s The Dink, starring Jake Johnson and Mary Steenburgen. A new sneak peek from the film reveals Johnson's character, Dusty Boyd, getting a crash course in the game — and failing spectacularly.
Dusty is a former tennis prodigy who now coaches kids at his father's country club. He's bitter, stuck in the past, and openly hostile to pickleball's rise. But when an old injury flares up, he reluctantly picks up a paddle for rehab. That's where he meets Candace (Steenburgen), a seasoned pickleball player who tries to teach him the basics. Dusty, however, thinks his tennis skills will carry him through. He's wrong.
The clip shows Dusty ignoring Candace's advice, serving overhead (a big no-no in pickleball), and charging into the kitchen — the non-volley zone — with his whole body. It's a humbling moment that sets up the film's central theme: letting go of ego and embracing something new.
Writer Sean Clements drew from his own experience. A former competitive tennis player, he looked down on pickleball until friends dragged him to a mixer in Beverly Hills. There, he found himself playing with retirees who treated him like a star. "I just felt like it was a really funny dynamic, this group of women my mom's age who had adopted me as their new pickleball partner," Clements said. That real-life friendship became the heart of the movie.
Director Josh Greenbaum was drawn to the script because it felt like a classic sports comedy wrapped in a very current phenomenon. "It felt like a classic sports comedy, but it was hiding inside this sort of very current, very funny cultural phenomenon, in that pickleball has been exploding," he said. "And I think part of what's so funny about it is how, sort of quickly, something that starts as casual fun can become deeply competitive and also weirdly emotional."
Apple TV+ has been building a strong comedy slate, and The Dink fits right in with its mix of heart and humor. For fans of Johnson's work on New Girl or Steenburgen's scene-stealing turns, this looks like a winning combo. The film also taps into the same underdog sports energy as Happy Gilmore, but with a pickleball twist.
If you're looking for more Apple TV+ gems, check out The Gorge, which remains a streaming sensation, or the underrated sci-fi noir Sugar, perfect for a binge before its second season. And for a comedy that rivals Ted Lasso, don't miss Margo's Got Money Troubles.
The Dink is set to premiere on Apple TV+ later this year. Whether you're a pickleball pro or a total newbie, this movie promises laughs, heart, and a few lessons about keeping your ego in check.
