Blab Entertainment
Apple TVs The Dink Brings Pickleball to the Big Screen in July 2026
Apple TV will stream the sports comedy The Dink on Friday, July 24 2026. The 103‑minute feature, rated PG‑13 for strong language and sexual content, follows a tennis‑centric club owner who must confront a group of pickleball players seeking to convert part of the club’s courts. Directed by Josh Greenbaum, written by Sean Clements, and produced by Ben Stiller and Jake Johnson, the film assembles a star‑studded ensemble that includes Johnson, Mary Steenburgen, Stiller, Ed Harris, and former professional tennis players Andy Roddick and John McEnroe.
At its core, The Dink pits the traditional tennis establishment against the rising popularity of pickleball. The story centers on the club’s owner, played by Ed Harris, who resists the conversion of tennis courts into pickleball courts. The film uses this clash as a backdrop for a series of comedic situations, from a misguided attempt by the club’s tennis players to learn the sport to a cascade of misfired serves that highlight the differences between the two games.
Pickleball’s rapid ascent has provided fertile ground for the film’s premise. The Sports and Fitness Industry Association’s 2026 report lists 24.3 million Americans who played the sport in 2025, a 171 % increase over three years. Of those participants, 7.48 million were classified as core players—those who played eight or more times that year. Apple’s own study, released in early 2026, found that pickleball had overtaken tennis for the first time ever, and more than 90 % of professional pickleball players have a background in tennis, a fact the film draws upon.
Director Josh Greenbaum brings a track record of light‑hearted sports‑comedy storytelling. He previously helmed the talking‑dog comedy Strays and the documentary Will & Harper. In The Dink, Greenbaum returns to the studio‑comedy formula that has proven successful for him, featuring a recognizable ensemble cast and a premise that lends itself to physical humor. Reviewers have compared the film’s comedic style to the 2004 sports comedy Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, a comparison that appears in several critiques.
Critical reception has been mixed but generally positive. The New York Times review, published on July 23, described the film as a “mild sports comedy” that captures the goofy nature of pickleball. Variety’s review, released online on July 22, praised the cast’s performances but noted that the humor sometimes feels uneven. The Saturday Evening Post called the movie “the funniest film ever made about pickleball,” while Common Sense Media listed it as a PG‑13 film suitable for families.
The Dink will be available exclusively on Apple TV’s streaming platform. Apple’s press release confirmed that the film will premiere on the service on the same day as its U.S. release. The platform’s marketing materials emphasize the film’s blend of sports and comedy, positioning it as a light‑hearted addition to the growing library of original sports‑themed content.
In summary, The Dink is set to launch on Apple TV on July 24 2026. The movie brings the rapidly growing sport of pickleball to a mainstream audience, backed by a cast that includes well‑known actors and former tennis stars. While reviews highlight the film’s uneven humor, the project taps into a trend that has seen pickleball’s participant numbers surge in recent years. Viewers can expect the comedy to continue the tradition of sports‑based humor that has been popular in American cinema for decades.
At its core, The Dink pits the traditional tennis establishment against the rising popularity of pickleball. The story centers on the club’s owner, played by Ed Harris, who resists the conversion of tennis courts into pickleball courts. The film uses this clash as a backdrop for a series of comedic situations, from a misguided attempt by the club’s tennis players to learn the sport to a cascade of misfired serves that highlight the differences between the two games.
Pickleball’s rapid ascent has provided fertile ground for the film’s premise. The Sports and Fitness Industry Association’s 2026 report lists 24.3 million Americans who played the sport in 2025, a 171 % increase over three years. Of those participants, 7.48 million were classified as core players—those who played eight or more times that year. Apple’s own study, released in early 2026, found that pickleball had overtaken tennis for the first time ever, and more than 90 % of professional pickleball players have a background in tennis, a fact the film draws upon.
Director Josh Greenbaum brings a track record of light‑hearted sports‑comedy storytelling. He previously helmed the talking‑dog comedy Strays and the documentary Will & Harper. In The Dink, Greenbaum returns to the studio‑comedy formula that has proven successful for him, featuring a recognizable ensemble cast and a premise that lends itself to physical humor. Reviewers have compared the film’s comedic style to the 2004 sports comedy Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, a comparison that appears in several critiques.
Critical reception has been mixed but generally positive. The New York Times review, published on July 23, described the film as a “mild sports comedy” that captures the goofy nature of pickleball. Variety’s review, released online on July 22, praised the cast’s performances but noted that the humor sometimes feels uneven. The Saturday Evening Post called the movie “the funniest film ever made about pickleball,” while Common Sense Media listed it as a PG‑13 film suitable for families.
The Dink will be available exclusively on Apple TV’s streaming platform. Apple’s press release confirmed that the film will premiere on the service on the same day as its U.S. release. The platform’s marketing materials emphasize the film’s blend of sports and comedy, positioning it as a light‑hearted addition to the growing library of original sports‑themed content.
In summary, The Dink is set to launch on Apple TV on July 24 2026. The movie brings the rapidly growing sport of pickleball to a mainstream audience, backed by a cast that includes well‑known actors and former tennis stars. While reviews highlight the film’s uneven humor, the project taps into a trend that has seen pickleball’s participant numbers surge in recent years. Viewers can expect the comedy to continue the tradition of sports‑based humor that has been popular in American cinema for decades.
