Fresh off dominating movie screens worldwide, Jonathan Bailey is gearing up for another intense leading role, this time opposite Oscar winner Natalie Portman in a dark new psychological thriller set in the world of professional cycling.
The pair are set to star in Pumping Black, a new feature from director Mimi Cave, the filmmaker behind the deliciously twisted horror film Fresh.
Set in the ruthless world of professional cycling, Pumping Black follows Taylor Mace, an aging cyclist desperate to stay relevant in a sport that is quickly leaving him behind. Bailey will reportedly play the athlete, while Portman stars as Andrea Lathe, a doctor whose obsession with victory pushes both of them into increasingly dangerous territory.
The film has already been compared to Black Swan and Whiplash, teasing a tense, obsessive story packed with pressure, ambition, and psychological unraveling. Basically: sweaty queer-coded sports drama with a side of emotional collapse? We’re listening.
The screenplay comes from Haley Hope Bartels, with producers including Stacey Sher, Portman, and Sophie Mas under their MountainA banner. Sher praised the script for creating a “visceral, psychological world” and called Bailey the perfect fit for the role.
Bailey’s star power has only exploded over the last few years. After becoming a breakout favorite on Bridgerton, he made the jump to blockbuster domination through Wicked: For Good and Jurassic World Rebirth, with reports naming him 2025’s highest-grossing actor at the global box office.
Portman, meanwhile, is no stranger to psychologically demanding performances. Her Oscar-winning turn in Black Swan remains one of the defining thriller performances of the last two decades, making her involvement in another obsessive descent into ambition feel especially perfect.
And with Cave directing? Expectations are already sky high. Fresh proved she knows exactly how to balance discomfort, tension, desire, and chaos in a way that sticks with audiences long after the credits roll.
No release date has been announced yet, but if Pumping Black delivers even half the anxiety of Black Swan mixed with the brutal intensity of competitive sports, this could become one of the most talked-about thrillers coming out of Cannes.
Production is expected to begin this fall.
