Sold!
As the Cannes Film Festival proceeds, so do the movie deals. Studios are ready to snatch up their next potential distribution deals for the year and Deadline is reporting that the first big sale to go down is for the Natalie Portman psychological thriller about cycling, Pumping Black. The thriller comes from Mimi Cave, who made her feature directorial debut with the cannibal thriller Fresh in 2022, then she followed that up with the dark comedy Holland in 2025. (JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray gave Fresh a 9/10 review that can be read HERE, but he only gave Holland a 3/10.)
Pumping Black also stars Jonathan Bailey. Amazon pedals in to buy the international distribution rights for the project. According to Deadline, the streaming deal is likely to be the biggest deal that has been made at the Cannes market. Anton will be handling the international and financing in Cannes. Meanwhile, CAA Media Finance will also rep the world rights and help to broker Anton’s deal to launch the project.
The Cycling Thriller
Cave will direct from a screenplay by Haley Hope Bartels. The story follows cyclist Taylor Mace, who at 35-years-old is finding himself 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 to the Tour de France progresses, Taylor must take increasingly dark measures to protect his secret.
The project is described as being an “adrenaline-fuelled, dangerous thriller” that draws comparison to both Whiplash and Black Swan. The latter had even starred Portman.
Stacey Sher of Shiny Penny is producing Pumping Black with Cave, Anton’s Sébastien Raybaud, and Natalie Portman and Sophie Mas from Mountain. Anton is fully financing, with production scheduled to commence in the fall.
The lowdown on Pumping Black
Sher provided the following statement: “Haley’s script immediately pulled us into a visceral, psychological world that feels both thrilling and completely original. I’m excited to partner with Natalie and MountainA on this bold project, and to work with Jonathan whose talent makes him a perfect fit for the role. I can’t wait to collaborate with Anton and bring Mimi Cave’s incredible vision to life.“
Does Pumping Black sound interesting to you? Share your thoughts on this Mimi Cave / Natalie Portman / Jonathan Bailey project by leaving a comment below.
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