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Apple Buys 'The Dink' — a Pickleball Comedy from Ben Stiller and Jake Johnson

by Alex E. Weaver on

There's a new pickleball comedy coming to Apple, and let us be the first to say: Did Ben Stiller steal our name for his pickleball movie?

"The Dink," starring Jake Johnson ("New Girl) and produced by Stiller ("Severance"), follows a washed-up tennis pro as he "tries to save a club by reluctantly playing pickleball to earn his father's respect," according to IMDb.

The ensemble, reports Variety, also includes Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris, Chloe Fineman, Aaron Chen, Patton Oswalt, Chris Parnell and Christine Taylor.

Tennis stars Andy Roddick and John McEnroe both make appearances.

Andy Roddick x The Dink

Pickleball has been the source of countless videos, documentaries, and articles over the years. There are dozens of books, from on-court tips to mental strategy to the history of the sport. We – the original "The Dink" – have even crossed paths with Mr. Andy Roddick before.

Nonetheless, "The Dink" appears to be the first feature-length film on the subject set to air on a major streaming platform. And that is a great thing for the sport.

Apple's involvement is no coincidence, either. Stiller is the executive producer and director of "Severance," a breakout hit for the streaming service now heading into its third season.

And, of course, he has starred in an unlikely sports story before with 2004's "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story," which has some pretty stark parallels to "The Dink."

That movie made a fringe sport famous with iconic lines like, "If you can dodge a wrench, you can dodge a ball."

You're up, pickleball.

Image via Jake Johnson, Instagram

Alex E. Weaver

Alex E. Weaver

Alex is The Dink's Digital Content Manager. (Have a tip? Hit him up.) His passions used to include hiking, traveling, and spending time with his family. Now all he does is play pickleball.

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