Actors from The White Lotus & Industry have joined the upcoming Natalie Portman thriller film Pumping Black. The new psychological horror film directed by Mimi Cave will reportedly be made in the vein of films such as Black Swan and Whiplash as it explores themes of ambition and pressure to achieve success.
The film starring Natalie Portman and Jonathan Bailey, will depict the competitive realm of professional cycling. The cast of the film also features Lukas Gage and Alex Akpobome, per Deadline. Gage has previously worked in renowned projects including The White Lotus, Euphoria, Smile, Voicemails for Isabelle, You, and others. He played the role of Dillon in HBO Max’s drama series The White Lotus. Akpobome, on the other hand, has worked on Mr. Crocket, Twenties, Industry, and Based on a True Story. In Industry, he portrayed Daniel Van Deventer.
The film is currently at its pre-production stage and the filming will reportedly kick off in the fall of 2026, according to Variety.
Pumping Black follows a cyclist pushed to increasingly dangerous extremes
The film Pumping Black focuses on a cyclist, Taylor Mace, who becomes obsessed with constantly winning and staying at the top of the sport. Mace gets bothered by aging and losing his dominance in the sport. The situation changes when Mace meets a doctor, Andrea Lathe, who helps him figure out life. But Andrea, too, is overtly ambitious. The narrative of the film revolves around how the two work together to achieve success.
The summary of the film, on IMDb, reads, “A cyclist and team doctor concoct a dangerous training program to win the Tour de France. As the race progresses and teammates, authorities, and paranoia close in, they take increasingly dark measures to protect his secret and lead.”
The screenplay for the film has been taken up by Haley Hope Bartels. Stacey Sher at Shiny Penny, Mimi Cave, Anton’s Sébastien Raybaud and Portman, and Sophie Mas from MountainA are handling the production of the film.
Originally reported by Disita Sikdar on ComingSoon.net
