Los Angeles, May 8 (IANS) Hollywood actor Jonathan Bailey is joining forces with the Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman for their upcoming film.

Fresh from being crowned 2025’s box office king thanks to ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’ and ‘Wicked: For Good’, the actor will be seen sharing the screen with the actress in ‘Pumping Black’, reports ‘Variety’.

The film is a psychological thriller set in the competitive and cutthroat world of professional cycling. The feature will be directed by Mimi Cave, best known for directing 2022 horror ‘Fresh’ starring Daisy Edgar-Jones and Sebastian Stan, and 2025 comedy-mystery film ‘Holland’, starring Nicole Kidman. Cave will direct from a screenplay by Haley Hope Bartels.

As per ‘Variety’, ‘Pumping Black’ 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. According to the description, it’s an “adrenaline fuelled, dangerous thriller” likened to both ‘Whiplash’ and ‘Black Swan’.

The film is being produced by Stacey Sher at Shiny Penny, Cave, Anton’s Sebastien Raybaud and Natalie Portman and Sophie Mas from MountainA. Anton is fully financing, with production scheduled for the fall.

“Haley’s script immediately pulled us into a visceral, psychological world that feels both thrilling and completely original”, Sher said. “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”.

After breaking out in Netflix hit ‘Bridgerton’, Bailey has reached blockbuster audiences thanks to the ‘Wicked’ franchise and ‘Jurassic World Rebirth’. The combined box office of ‘Rebirth’ ($869 million globally) and ‘Wicked: For Good’ ($540 million) meant he became 2025’s highest-grossing actor.

–IANS

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