Mimi Cave made her feature directorial debut with the impressive cannibal thriller Fresh in 2022, then followed that up with the not-so-impressive 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.) Next up for Cave is Pumping Black, a psychological thriller set in “the competitive and cutthroat world of professional cycling,” and Variety reports that the project is off to a good start, as Natalie Portman (Black Swan) and Jonathan Bailey (Jurassic World Rebirth) have signed on to play the lead roles.
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.
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.
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.“
Holland got such poor word-of-mouth that I haven’t taken the chance on it yet, but I was a big fan of Fresh, so I’ll always be interested in seeing what Mimi Cave chooses to work on next. Pumping Black sounds very promising so far.
Does Pumping Black sound interesting to you? Share your thoughts on this Mimi Cave / Natalie Portman / Jonathan Bailey project by leaving a comment below.