Cameras have started rolling in the French Alps on “Pumping Black” a high-adrenaline thriller being led by Jonathan Bailey (“Wicked,” “Jurassic World: Rebirth”) and Oscar winner Natalie Portman (“May December,” “Good Sex”).
First announced by Variety earlier this year ahead of its market launch in Cannes by Anton Studios, the film also stars Lukas Gage (The White Lotus), Alex Akpobome (Industry), with new additions Daniel Quinn-Toye (“Sterling Point”), Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen (“The Weight”), César winner Arieh Worthalter (“The Goldman Case”) and Emmy winner Tony Hale (“Veep”) now having joined the ensemble cast.
The shoot will runs until early December.
Set in the cut-throat world of elite professional cycling, “Pumping Black” follows Taylor Mace, 35 years old and aging out of the sport. He is taken under the wing of Andrea Lathe, a doctor driven by her own thirst for victory and power. As the race progresses, Taylor must take increasingly dark measures to protect both his secret and his lead.
Mimi Cave (“Holland,” “Fresh”) directs from a screenplay by Haley Hope Bartels. Producers include Stacey Sher for Shiny Penny (“The Hateful Eight,” “Heretic”), Portman and Sophie Mas for MountainA (“May December,” “Arco”), Cave and Sébastien Raybaud for Anton Studios (“Victorian Psycho,” “My Darling California”).Katie Aquino from Shiny Penny and Kai Raka from Catchlight Studios serve as executive producers.
Anton Studios is fully financing the film and handling worldwide sales with CAA co-repping the US.
Cave’s creative team includes cinematographer Justin Brown (“I Am Not Okay with This”), production designer JC Molina (“Honey Boy”) and casting director Kharmel Cochrane (“Saltburn”). Martin Pensa, who edited Cave’s “Fresh,” returns as editor. Pierre-Yves Gayraud (“Cloud Atlas”) serves as costume designer, with Géraldine Lemaire (“The French Dispatch”) and Fabienne Robineau (“Robin Hood”) as hair and make-up.
Bailey is repped by CAA, Conway Van Gelder Grant and Anonymous Content; and law firm Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox LLP. Portman is repped by CAA, George Sheanshang and Agence Adéquat. Cave is repped by CAA and Jackoway Austen. Sher is repped by CAA and Gang, Tyre, Ramer. Bartels is repped by CAA, Untitled, and Yorn Levine. Gage is repped by WME, Luber Roklin Entertainment and Goodman Genow Schenkman. Akpobome is repped by Gersh and Range Media Partners. Quinn-Toye is repped by Independent Talent Group, CAA, Public Eye Communications and Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman. Tønnesen is repped by Accelerate and Lindberg Management. Worthalter is repped by Agence Adéquat. Hale is repped by UTA and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox LLP.