Jake Johnson learns to settle for pickleball in The Dink trailer

Mary Steenburgen and Ed Harris also star in the latest Apple Original Film, which arrives in July.

By Drew Gillis  |  June 23, 2026 | 2:25pm
Image courtesy of Apple TV
Film News The Dink
Jake Johnson learns to settle for pickleball in The Dink trailer

Over the past decade or so, pickleball seems to have exploded in popularity, with small courts full of very loud balls popping up all over the place. Naturally, Apple, which has been at the forefront of media about golf, has thrown its hat into the ring to address the trend with The Dink, a new original film starring Jake Johnson. Johnson plays Dusty Boyd, a man who’s skeptical if not outright hostile towards the activity, which seems in the trailer mostly to be a venue for older adults to connect and stay active. 

An official synopsis from Apple reads: 

Washed up former tennis prodigy Dusty Boyd (Jake Johnson) has been reduced to coaching unruly children at his father Chuck’s (Ed Harris) suburban country club. Desperate for his father’s approval, Dusty blindly supports Chuck’s vendetta against the new craze taking over the club: pickleball. But when Dusty reaggravates an old injury, taking away his ability to play tennis, he resorts to the unthinkable in the name of rehab. He not only tries pickleball, but, thanks in part to his enchanting new partner, Candace (Mary Steenburgen), he finds himself actually enjoying it. Torn between two worlds, Dusty is forced to finally face the ghosts of his past athletic failures, including his childhood nemesis, Andy Roddick (Andy Roddick). Ultimately, Dusty is drawn into a desperate battle for the future of the club, his father’s affection and his very identity.

In addition to Johnson, Harris, Steenburgen, and Roddick, The Dink also stars Ben Stiller, Patton Oswalt, Chloe Fineman, Chris Parnell, and Aaron Chen. The Dink premieres on Apple TV on July 24.

 
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