Apple TV+ is diving headfirst into the pickleball craze with its latest sports comedy, The Dink, starring Jake Johnson as a former tennis phenom who discovers a second chance in the fastest-growing sport of the 2020s. The official trailer, released today, offers a hilarious and heartwarming look at a man forced to confront his ego, his father's expectations, and a game he once dismissed as beneath him.
Johnson plays Dusty Boyd, a once-promising tennis star nicknamed "The Hammer" who now reluctantly teaches kids at his father Chuck's (Ed Harris) country club. After a career-ending injury, Dusty is prescribed pickleball as part of his rehab—much to his and his dad's disdain. But with the help of an energetic older partner, Candace (Mary Steenburgen), he slowly embraces the sport and finds an unlikely community. The trailer teases a showdown with his childhood rival, tennis legend Andy Roddick, setting up a high-stakes match that could define Dusty's redemption.
The film is directed by Josh Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar) from a script by Sean Clements, who drew from his own experience rehabbing injuries by playing pickleball with retirees. The project is produced by Ben Stiller, who also appears in the trailer as the doctor who prescribes pickleball to Dusty. The cast includes comedy heavyweights Patton Oswalt, Chloe Fineman, Chris Parnell, Aaron Chen, and Lynne Marie Stewart.
Greenbaum told Collider that the film's emotional core—reinvention, ego, friendship, and finding purpose—was what drew him to the project. "I always, even in the silliest comedies, I want the movie to be about something," he said. "Underneath all the ridiculousness, it's about trying to find purpose when you think your big shot has passed you by."
The sports comedy genre is having a moment on streaming, with Netflix's Happy Gilmore 2 and The Hawk starring Will Ferrell, Hulu's Chad Powers with Glen Powell, and Apple TV+'s own Stick (starring Owen Wilson) and Ted Lasso (returning for Season 4 on August 5). The Dink adds pickleball to the mix, a sport that has exploded in popularity in recent years.
For fans of Johnson's comedic timing and underdog stories, The Dink promises a blend of laugh-out-loud moments and genuine heart. The film also taps into the growing trend of sports comedies that balance silliness with real stakes—a formula that has worked well for Apple TV+ with hits like Sydney Sweeney's 'Echo Valley' and the upcoming 'Murderbot' series.
The Dink premieres exclusively on Apple TV+ on July 24. Check out the trailer above to see Johnson trade his tennis racket for a pickleball paddle—and maybe find a little redemption along the way.
