Benton plays Z, a Los Angeles-based writer who has recently lost her job as a professor. The role gives Benton the film’s central perspective as Z confronts professional uncertainty, creative ambitions and questions about what kind of future she wants to build.

The film marks a major feature-film showcase for Benton, who is known for her work in The Gilded Age and onstage in productions including Hamilton and Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812. In Dreams in Nightmares, she is part of an ensemble centered on queer Black friendship rather than a conventional romance or individual coming-of-age story.

The Journey Across the Midwest

The story begins after Z loses her teaching job and travels from Los Angeles to New York to spend time with her friends Tasha and Lauren. Tasha, played by Sasha Compère, has also recently lost work in consulting, while Lauren, played by Dezi Bing, is a poet.

The three friends then drive west toward Iowa City in search of Kel, an artist played by Mars Storm Rucker. Kel has stopped responding to the group’s messages and calls, prompting the friends to travel beyond their familiar surroundings to check on them.

The road trip takes the group through places including Pittsburgh and Kansas City. Along the way, they attend a queer poetry slam, stop at Black-owned restaurants and confront tensions involving Kel’s former relationship and family.

The film also places the friends’ relationships within the realities of traveling through areas where they may not feel equally safe or welcome. Their caution is balanced by moments of humor, intimacy and mutual support as they negotiate disagreements and differing ideas about work, responsibility and freedom.

Ford’s Focus on Queer Black Friendship

Ford’s second feature follows Test Pattern, a 2019 drama that examined the aftermath of sexual assault and the failures of health-care and law-enforcement systems affecting Black women. In Dreams in Nightmares, Ford shifts toward a warmer and more expansive comedy-drama while maintaining attention to the physical and emotional well-being of Black characters.

The film follows four queer Black friends in their mid-30s. That focus gives the story room to present queer characters through ordinary forms of closeness, conflict and care rather than treating their identities as the film’s only source of drama.

Z’s relationship with her boyfriend in Los Angeles is described as a mutually supportive polyamorous relationship. The film also explores Kel’s estrangement from conservative parents who have not accepted their child’s queer identity.

Benton’s Z and the Meaning of the Title

Z is repeatedly drawn into visions of a mysterious landscape, including a desert setting and a door surrounded by darkness. The imagery becomes connected to her uncertainty about whether to continue pursuing teaching or finally write the book she has been planning.

The Los Angeles Times described Z as a creative-writing professor whose recurring dream helps place her on a journey after she loses her university job. The newspaper listed the film’s running time as two hours and eight minutes and reported that its Los Angeles engagement began at AMC Burbank Town Center 8 and Laemmle Glendale.

RogerEbert.com characterized the film as the story of three Black queer friends traveling to find a missing fourth friend, with Benton playing Z. The review described the film as complex and rewarding, while identifying the friendship at its center as a key element of its impact.

Critical Reception and Distribution

National Public Radio called the movie a warm, sprawling comedy-drama about close friends at a turning point in their lives. The review emphasized the group’s sense of solidarity and the performers’ ability to make the characters feel distinct rather than reducing them to fixed types.

The Los Angeles Times published its review ahead of the film’s Los Angeles opening on August 28. The Hollywood Reporter published a feature on August 11 that described Benton’s character as the focal point of the film and noted that Z had been laid off from an adjunct-teaching position at a Los Angeles arts college.

The film’s theatrical rollout is designed to expand beyond its initial New York and Los Angeles engagements. BroadwayWorld reported that the movie was scheduled to expand nationwide on September 4, with theaters selected as part of a community-focused strategy intended to reach young Black audiences.

That distribution approach places Dreams in Nightmares within a broader conversation about how independent films can reach audiences whose communities and experiences are central to the work. As the film expands, Benton’s performance as Z provides its commercial and critical campaign with a recognizable lead while Ford’s direction keeps the ensemble’s friendship at the center.

According to a press release, the festival was originally scheduled to take place in January 2026 — around her 80th birthday — and was going to feature Parton as a performer and host. Now, it will serve as a celebration of her legacy.

“We had the venue booked and we had the announcement ready to go. And then, in August 2025, Dolly had to take a step back after her initial health challenges. A lot of people always say, WWDD (What Would Dolly Do?), and, well, at this moment, Dollyfest is WDWD (What Dolly Would Do!),” organizer Danny Nozell, founder and CEO of CTK Enterprises, said in a statement.

“We are not discouraging people from celebrating Dolly in the ways they choose. However, as far as a traditional memorial goes, that is not something Dolly wanted,” he continued. “So, instead, it feels more appropriate for us to take a beat, let all the tributes that immediately make sense occur naturally, and then, see through this festival-style concept that was truly dreamed up by Dolly.”

There was a private service for Parton on Friday attended only by immediate family, The Associated Press has confirmed. There will not be a public ceremony, per Parton's wishes.

Parton's great-niece, Lainey Parton, posted a tribute on Instagram on Saturday, writing in the caption: “This is a really hard post for me to make. I wanted to wait until after my granny was laid to rest yesterday before I tried to put any of this into words. From the time I was little, my granny always had a way of making me feel like I was enough. She never made my dreams feel too big or made me feel like I couldn’t do something. She believed in me before I even knew how to believe in myself.”

Ticket information and dates for Dollyfest are forthcoming. Fans can sign up to receive additional details at www.dollyparton.com.

Hulu released all eight episodes at 9 p.m. Eastern time, while FXX began airing the season in weekly double-episode blocks.

The release made the new season immediately available to viewers who prefer streaming, while retaining a scheduled linear-TV rollout for audiences watching on FXX.

The season’s first two episodes are “The Scrub” and “Fake ID,” followed by “Talia,” “Raccoon,” “Room Swap,” “Pop Girlie,” “C Alert,” and “Vote for Paul Baker.”

Paul Baker’s Expanded Role

Paul Baker is played by Jack Innanen, and FX’s official character description presents him as someone who would “rather walk in front of a bus than be ‘a problem.’”

That description remains relevant to the second season’s central tension: Paul’s efforts to avoid conflict repeatedly create new complications within the group.

Variety reported that the premiere revolves partly around the discovery that Paul has a secret group of friends from his earlier days in New York.

The friends are described as hard-partying men from before Paul became part of the show’s core household, and the revelation unsettles his housemates because it conflicts with the version of him they believe they know.

Variety identified the storyline as a significant use of the character and of Innanen, noting that Paul also received a standalone origin-story episode before the season’s main run.

The episode, titled “Surprise!,” was released in July as a prequel to the second season and explored how the group came together.

Relationships After the Wedding

The second season continues the show’s relationship structure after Paul and Anton’s marriage, which was connected to Paul’s immigration status and unfolded alongside Paul’s relationship with Issa.

Vulture described Paul and Anton as newlyweds whose marriage followed Paul’s attempt to obtain a green card, while Issa remained Paul’s girlfriend.

RogerEbert.com similarly reported that Paul and Anton continue living with the rest of the group while concealing their mutual attraction from Issa and, in part, from themselves.

The arrangement gives the season a defined source of dramatic pressure: Paul is simultaneously navigating his relationship with Issa, his marriage to Anton, and his place within the household.

A post-premiere interview with actors Owen Thiele and Jack Innanen described Paul and Anton as legal husbands who carefully circle one another after a kiss prompted by Issa.

The storyline places a bisexual character at the center of a romantic comedy plot involving attraction, friendship, and marriage without reducing Paul’s identity to a single relationship.

The Paul Baker Finale

Paul’s prominence continues through the season’s final episode, “Vote for Paul Baker.”

Forbes reported that the finale follows Paul’s campaign for president of the Bayside Terrace Homeowners Association.

The title makes Paul the explicit subject of the season’s concluding episode, extending his role from a source of interpersonal tension to the focus of a neighborhood election plot.

Forbes also reported that the finale leaves romantic developments involving other members of the household, including Billie and Samir.

The available reporting does not establish whether FX has renewed Adults for a third season.

Critical Response

Reviewers broadly described the second season as more confident and mature than the first.

Variety wrote that the series was beginning to “figure it out,” while its review emphasized the increased attention given to Paul and the show’s other central characters.

RogerEbert.com said the series had “grown up just enough” and specifically identified Paul, Issa, Anton, Billie, and Samir as continuing to live together in Queens.

Vulture characterized the season as a more assured continuation of the show’s ensemble comedy while highlighting the unresolved attraction between Paul and Anton.

Taken together, the recent coverage establishes the August 27 release as the most significant current development involving Paul Baker and *Adults* Season 2: the character is central to the premiere’s secret-history storyline, remains embedded in the show’s queer romantic tension, and anchors the season’s finale title and plot.

Cohen and Sobieski attended the event to support musician John Mayer, whom Bravo described as Cohen’s close friend.

The pair posed together on the event’s navy-blue carpet, smiling with their arms around each other.

The appearance was reported as a milestone because Cohen and Sobieski had previously shared their relationship publicly online but had not formally appeared together on a red carpet.

People identified the event as a SiriusXM performance by Mayer in Amagansett and published a photograph of Cohen with Sobieski in its celebrity-photos coverage.

What They Wore

Cohen wore a long-sleeved denim shirt over a white T-shirt, along with light-wash jeans, according to Page Six.

Sobieski wore a black T-shirt and olive-green trousers for the occasion, the same report said.

The informal styling reflected the setting: the event was held in the Hamptons as part of Mayer’s intimate SiriusXM appearance rather than a major film, television or awards ceremony.

A local Hamptons report said Mayer was scheduled to perform at Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, with Cohen participating in a pre-show conversation.

A Relationship Kept Private at First

The red-carpet appearance came approximately one year after Cohen and Sobieski began dating.

Bravo reported that the two met at a Fourth of July party in 2025.

Cohen had initially chosen to keep the relationship out of the public eye while the couple got to know each other, according to Page Six.

That report said Cohen described the relationship as developing “slow and deliberate.”

Cohen also reportedly said that Sobieski preferred a more low-key lifestyle, a factor he considered before discussing the relationship publicly.

Page Six reported that the couple became Instagram official in July, when Cohen posted a photograph from a date night with the caption “Date” followed by heart and lightning-bolt emojis.

Bravo placed that social-media post on July 18 and described it as a photograph from a dinner date in the Hamptons.

Cohen’s Public Profile

Cohen is the host of Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen,” a late-night television program associated with interviews and discussions about reality television.

He is also associated with the “Real Housewives” franchise as an executive producer, according to Page Six.

Page Six reported that Sobieski had not watched the “Real Housewives” series before dating Cohen.

The report also said Cohen had discussed Sobieski’s introduction to his children and described the relationship as having progressed without a major disagreement during its first year.

Those comments were reported in connection with Cohen’s SiriusXM program “Radio Andy.”

Why the Appearance Drew Attention

Celebrity relationships often attract heightened attention when a couple moves from limited social-media acknowledgment to a formal public appearance, and several outlets framed Cohen and Sobieski’s arrival as a new stage in their relationship.

Bravo used the phrase “red carpet official” to describe the appearance.

PinkNews likewise described the event as the couple’s red-carpet debut and reported that the two attended Mayer’s performance together.

The reports did not identify any announcement of an engagement, marriage or other change in the couple’s relationship status.

Instead, the documented development was the public nature of their joint appearance and the continuation of a relationship Cohen had previously characterized as private and intentional.

As of August 31, coverage from Bravo, Page Six, PinkNews and People consistently identified the August 26 event as Cohen and Sobieski’s first red-carpet appearance together.

Daisy Chain Fields united a women-led lineup boasting queer pop star Chappell Roan, breakout rapper Doechii and riot grrrl pioneers Bikini Kill behind issues of women's health, workplace protections and legal rights. Ahead of Saturday's festival in Irvine, California, Rodrigo announced the show had already raised enough to make a $10 million donation to 10 nonprofit partners including Planned Parenthood, National Women's Law Center and Black Mamas Matter Alliance.

Philanthropist Melinda French Gates pledged another $10 million through her Pivotal Ventures in a surprise appearance at the start of Rodrigo's set, praising her for "showing a new generation how much their voices matter."

Rodrigo said the festival's artists and activists give her hope despite the “regression of women's rights” today.

“That's actually why I fell in love with the name ‘Daisy Chain,'” she said Friday. "It served as a reminder of how individual parts can come together to create something strong and unbreakable."

Rodrigo, 23, has made a name channeling the rage and dissatisfaction of modern romance into chart-topping songs that are equal parts Taylor Swift and Alanis Morissette. Now, she looks to bridge the gap between Gen Z and nonprofits, which have struggled to build relationships with younger donors who tend to prefer informal ways of giving.

The connection is not lost on Daisy Chain Fields attendees.

“People don’t join together and mobilize unless they feel connected to the group that is mobilizing," said Grace Slevin, 24. "What’s better than music?”

All-star benefit concerts have proven popular for driving millions of dollars toward everything from refugee relief to pandemic response. But it's been decades since a young artist with Rodrigo's following brought her peers together for gender justice.

That focus comes as President Donald Trump attempts to overhaul family planning grants that reproductive health clinics use to provide birth control and treat sexually transmitted infections. His administration paused $27.5 million last year for such organizations, including some Planned Parenthood affiliates, before officials agreed to restore the money.

For Slevin, an Orange County, California, resident who does anti-sex-trafficking advocacy, Daisy Chain Fields embodies the sentiment of “be who you needed when you were younger." She loves that attendees are welcome to learn about the beneficiaries' work in addition to donating.

Nonprofit partners engaged with fans in Daisy Chain Fields' “philanthropy village.” Festivalgoers collected pins from booths as they learned about health services from Planned Parenthood or pay tribute to caregivers through the National Domestic Workers Alliance.

An art installation by the Guerilla Girls, anonymous artist activists, invited fans to air their grievances on chalkboards. Handwritten responses included “PROTECT QUEER KIDS!” and “Put women in charge and pay us more!!!” as well as “ICE OUT!” and “ABORTION RIGHTS 4 ALL.”

Younger generations expect a level of authenticity beyond a “pseudo-sort-of-progressiveness,” Slevin said.

“They can see just how deeply intertwined the music is with the cause," she said. "It’s not just, like, a second thought.”

Do you get déjà vu? Rodrigo's effort recalls '90s feminist push

Rodrigo took inspiration from Lilith Fair, the all-women festival that raised $10 million for charity from 1997 to 1999. Sarah McLachlan, who founded the show to dispel the music industry’s notion they couldn't book women consecutively, performed with Rodrigo Saturday.

Planned Parenthood National Director of Arts and Entertainment Caren Spruch recalled working on Lilith Fair, adding that concert outreach is an important tool to reach people "where they are.”

That culture-shifting work grows more important during times like this, she acknowledged, when abortion clinics are closing in restrictive states and anti-abortion groups are pushing the courts to limit access to drugs most commonly used in abortion.

Rodrigo, Spruch said, talks about those topics with “no shame or stigma.” As she did with other nonprofits, the three-time Grammy winner appeared in informational videos on Planned Parenthood's social media.

“All of that does so much to help us normalize the whole range of reproductive health and rights," Spruch said.

Intergenerational change

Melissa Shaw, 33, drove to the festival from Tucson, Arizona, with her 8-year-old daughter.

They didn't plan to spend the day camped out for close-up views. Shaw wanted to let her daughter ask questions as they explored the nonprofits and visited art installations. She appreciates that Rodrigo is not only promoting well-known organizations such as Planned Parenthood, but also groups focused specifically on Black maternal health or baby formula access.

“It’s really important for me as a parent to expose my daughter to celebrities who set that example," Shaw said.

To her, the lineup seemed intentionally curated to attract multiple generations. Her daughter loves Rodrigo and Roan, and she herself grew up listening to Bikini Kill and fellow performer Santigold. She saw many mother-daughter duos sharing their festival plans online.

The festival's nonprofit partners were eager to join that multigenerational community of women, too.

“At a time when decisions about our bodies, our health, our safety and our futures are being made for us not by us, a day built around care and community is its own kind of statement,” FreeFrom founder Sonya Passi said in a statement.

National Domestic Workers Alliance President Ai-jen Poo said the festival's joyful atmosphere serves as a “powerful reminder to women everywhere of all ages that, no matter what, we have each other.”

Her organization works to ensure federal workplace protections for domestic workers, who are disproportionately women and immigrant women. She wants to recruit more young people, many of whom she said are worried they can't afford to take care of their loved ones or start families.

“The only way change happens is through intergenerational connection and movements in our country," she said. "This generation of young people has the opportunity to really change how we support caregiving for future generations.”

Philanthropy takes center stage

Organizers vowed to work with nonprofit partners to put the grants toward their most urgent and underresourced needs.

Newer nonprofits also appreciated the opportunity to expand their networks. Black Mamas Matter Alliance co-founder Angela Doyinsola Aina said the nonprofit, just 10 years old, reached people who wouldn't have otherwise encountered their work on Black maternal health.

For the National Women's Law Center, the gift offers flexibility to plug their own budgetary holes as they litigate sex discrimination cases. Uma Iyer, the nonprofit's chief external affairs officer, said the support also boosted staff morale.

“We work on really hard things every day,” she said. “It was really energizing for us and it’s been really uplifting.”

Including both everyday audiences and front-line workers in benefits is key, according to Farm Aid co-executive director Jennifer Fahy. The annual fundraising concerts — launched by Willie Nelson, Neil Young and John Mellencamp to raise awareness of family farmers' challenges —- celebrated their 40th anniversary last year.

“It’s just wonderful to see an artist of that generation, that new young generation, who is embracing that opportunity that exists to do these kinds of events, to share the stage and microphone to highlight issues that are important to the artist," Fahy said.

Singh is being presented by the BBC and LGBTQ+ media outlets as the first Sikh South Asian queen to compete on the UK edition of the international drag competition.

The 36-year-old Manchester performer is one of 12 contestants seeking the title of the UK’s Next Drag Race Superstar.

The full cast comprises Alik, Anita Piss, Coral-Hole Mandi, The Delta Quadrant, Flesh, KY Kelly, Lucky Roy Singh, ma_danni_x, Mocha, Naya Thorn, Paris Baby and Tequila Thirst.

The BBC’s official introduction describes Singh as a Punjabi performer from Manchester whose drag combines Bollywood and Punjabi influences.

“Wake up United Kingdom, your Maharani has arrived!” Singh says in the BBC’s cast profile.

Singh describes the character’s aesthetic as an “East meets West” celebration of culture, heritage and history, alongside glamour and playfulness.

Premiere details

Series eight is due to begin on BBC iPlayer at 7 p.m. on 3 September 2026, followed by a BBC Three broadcast at 9 p.m.

The BBC released a “Meet the Queens” preview featuring the new cast on 11 August.

The programme will place Singh’s work and public profile before a broad television audience at a time when representation of South Asian LGBTQ+ people remains a central part of the performer’s activism.

Singh told Attitude that receiving the distinction of being the first Sikh South Asian queen on the programme was “insanely honourable.”

An established activist and community organiser

The television casting builds on Singh’s existing career as a performer, organiser and LGBTQ+ rights campaigner.

Singh is the mother of the House of Spice, a community and artist hub for South Asian and Middle Eastern performers and activists.

The performer has also worked with the UK Government on forced-marriage protection orders, according to an interview published by *Attitude*.

In 2023, Singh hosted and curated Manchester Pride’s first Queer Asian Takeover.

The Manchester event was designed to give LGBTQ+ people of Asian heritage an opportunity to present their artistry and culture within the festival.

The programme included more than 22 performers and collectives, including the House of Spice, Val The Brown Queen, Club Zindagi and Gracie T, with DJ Gok Wan as headliner.

Singh told ITV News that personal experiences of racism had helped motivate the project.

“It’s really important to see people like myself on stage,” Singh said, adding that visible representation could help younger people understand that it is acceptable to be queer and to identify as themselves.

Representation and expectations

Singh has linked the Drag Race UK opportunity to the British South Asian community.

Gaydio reported that Singh said winning the competition would mean a great deal to British South Asian people.

The casting is significant because it places Sikh South Asian drag at the centre of one of the UK’s most visible LGBTQ+ television franchises, while also connecting Singh’s performance career with community-focused advocacy.

Singh has previously spoken publicly about the importance of LGBTQ+ history and representation in education.

In that 2025 interview, ITV News identified Singh as a non-binary LGBTQ+ campaigner from Manchester and reported the performer’s call for more LGBTQ+ stories to be taught in schools.

For the competition itself, Singh told Attitude that viewers could expect “chaos,” culture, feistiness, twists and turns.

Singh also hinted at interpersonal conflict among the contestants, saying that some people “like to throw a stone and hide their hand.”

The remarks offer a preview of the reality-competition format but do not establish the outcome of Singh’s run, which will unfold after the series begins.

As of 28 August 2026, Singh’s confirmed place in the series is the major development: the Manchester performer is set to bring Punjabi, Sikh and broader South Asian cultural references to the Drag Race UK stage while competing alongside 11 other queens.

The museum described the project as a two-part exhibition presented by American Express. Its initial presentation will focus on the handmade production elements used in the music video, including sets, props and artwork associated with the song.

The announcement places the exhibition within a period of activity surrounding Rodrigo’s recently released album, 'you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love'. The museum’s announcement described Rodrigo as a three-time Grammy Award-winning artist and said the program would address the album, her creative process, her career and her upcoming tour.

What Visitors Will See

According to the museum’s announcement as reported by MyNewsLA, the exhibition will include Rodrigo’s nurse costume from the video, a miniature operating room and a beating felt heart. The presentation will also feature original storyboards, behind-the-scenes photographs and interactive photo opportunities.

Handwritten and hand-stitched artwork used for the album’s art and packaging will also be displayed. The museum has said the exhibition will later expand with previously unseen artifacts from other parts of Rodrigo’s career, although details of that expansion have not yet been announced.

Variety characterized the exhibition as a presentation of props, artwork and sets created for “the cure,” describing the music video as a major visual component of Rodrigo’s current album era. The museum’s materials emphasize the physical, handmade construction of the video’s visual environment rather than presenting only finished screen footage.

Rodrigo’s Museum Appearance

On September 1, the day before the exhibition’s public opening, Rodrigo is scheduled to participate in “An Evening With Olivia Rodrigo” at the museum’s Ray Charles Rooftop Terrace. The program is set to include a conversation with filmmaker Cameron Crowe and a special live performance.

The GRAMMY Museum lists the program for 7 p.m. Pacific time, with member check-in beginning at 5:30 p.m. and general doors opening at 6 p.m. The museum says attendees will be able to view the exhibition after the program.

The event is scheduled as an all-ages program. The Scene Star reported that the conversation will be followed by a short acoustic set and that proceeds will benefit the GRAMMY Museum’s music education programs.

Ticket Information

The museum’s event listing says American Express card members can access a presale beginning August 29 at 10:30 a.m. Variety reported that tickets for the September 1 conversation and performance would go on sale through the museum’s stated ticketing process, with the American Express presale taking place first.

The Scene Star reported that general ticket sales were scheduled to begin August 29 at noon Pacific time through Universe. Ticket availability and event details may change, and prospective attendees should rely on the GRAMMY Museum’s official listing for the latest information.

A Broader Look at Rodrigo’s Visual Work

The exhibition gives the GRAMMY Museum a way to document the physical design and construction behind one of Rodrigo’s music videos while the associated album remains part of her active performance cycle. The inclusion of costumes, miniature sets, storyboards, photographs and textile-based artwork is intended to show how the video’s visual identity was developed across multiple forms of production.

The museum has not yet provided details about which additional career artifacts will appear in the planned expansion. For now, the confirmed first phase will center on “the cure” and on the handmade materials used to create its accompanying video.

The September 1 appearance and September 2 opening connect a public conversation and performance with a longer-running museum presentation. Together, the events are scheduled to begin a nearly six-month exhibition examining the material work behind Rodrigo’s current visual project.

The film is set in the high-pressure world of professional cycling, where athletic ambition, competition and personal secrecy drive the story. Principal photography is scheduled to begin in fall 2026, and the specific roles for Gage and Akpobome have not yet been publicly disclosed.

The announcement is Gage’s latest confirmed film and television casting news following a highly active period in which he has appeared in or lined up prominent projects including The White Lotus, Companion, Smile 2, Road House, The People We Meet on Vacation, Rosebush Pruning, and Voicemails for Isabelle. His next major television project is the Prison Break revival series, which has progressed from a pilot to a full series order. Gage is set to star as a main character named Jackson, a politician from a wealthy background executing his first congressional campaign, alongside Emily Browning and Drake Rodger.

A Thriller About Professional Cycling

Pumping Black follows Taylor Mace, a 35-year-old professional cyclist who is beginning to age out of the sport. The character is taken under the guidance of Andrea Lathe, a doctor whose own pursuit of victory and power shapes the film’s conflict.

As Taylor’s campaign toward the Tour de France advances, he takes increasingly dark measures to protect a secret. Portman is attached to play Andrea Lathe, while Bailey is attached to play Taylor Mace.

The project has been described as being in the vein of Whiplash and Black Swan, two films associated with psychologically intense stories about performance, discipline and extreme ambition. The comparison describes the film’s tone and subject matter; it does not indicate that Pumping Black is connected to either earlier production.

The film’s cycling setting places its main conflict within an international sport whose most prominent race, the Tour de France, is central to the plot. The available descriptions do not identify whether the production will use real professional cycling teams, athletes or race locations.

Creative Team and Production

Mimi Cave is directing Pumping Black from a screenplay by Haley Hope Bartels. The producers are Stacey Sher for Shiny Penny, Cave, Sébastien Raybaud for Anton, alongside Portman and Sophie Mas for MountainA. Production is being lined up for fall 2026.

The project’s principal cast currently consists of Portman, Bailey, Gage and Akpobome. Neither Gage’s character nor Akpobome’s character has been publicly identified in the available coverage.

No release date has been announced for Pumping Black. The text also does not specify whether the film will receive a theatrical release, a streaming premiere or a combination of release formats.

Gage’s Expanding Screen Career

Gage became widely recognized for playing Dillon in the first season of The White Lotus. He has subsequently worked across film and television, including appearances in You, Euphoria, Fargo, The Last of Us, Road House, Smile 2 and Companion.

His recent projects have included Rosebush Pruning, directed by Karim Aïnouz and co-starring Elle Fanning, Callum Turner and Riley Keough, as well as the romantic comedy Voicemails for Isabelle. His attachment to the locked-in Prison Break series expands his upcoming slate alongside a recurring cast that recently added veterans like Sam Trammell and Sean Bridgers.

The new film adds another high-profile production to Gage’s announced slate while leaving the precise nature of his role undisclosed. Further information about his character, the remainder of the cast, filming locations and distribution plans will depend on later announcements from the filmmakers or production companies.

Crave announced that the series will premiere Friday, September 25, with its first two episodes, followed by a weekly release schedule of two episodes each Friday.

The announcement was accompanied by the series’ first trailer and key art, giving viewers an initial look at the show’s ensemble cast and mockumentary-style approach.

*Slo Pitch* is a half-hour comedy centered on the Brovaries, described by Crave as a lovable queer beer-league softball team attempting to overcome the odds and pursue a championship season.

The Brovaries’ Championship Bid

The story follows Coach Joanne Pico, played by Jess Salgueiro, after her long-term girlfriend ends their relationship and joins a rival softball team.

The breakup becomes a central motivation for Joanne, who decides to push the disorganized team toward a championship run despite its history of poor performance.

The series’ premise places romantic conflict, team rivalry and queer community life within the familiar setting of recreational sport.

The available descriptions identify the production as a fictional mockumentary rather than a documentary about a real softball league.

Cast and Creative Team

The announced cast includes Karen Knox, Gwenlyn Cumyn, Chelsea Muirhead, Emma Hunter, Lane Webber, Khadijah Roberts-Abdullah and Amanda Cordner.

Emily Hampshire, known for Schitt’s Creek, is also part of the cast and serves as an executive producer.

The series was created by J Stevens, Karen Knox and Gwenlyn Cumyn.

*Slo Pitch* is produced by Shaftesbury in association with Crave, Boss & Co and PageBoy Productions.

Page and Matt Jordan Smith are executive producers for PageBoy Productions, while Tuck Dowrey is credited as the company’s associate producer.

The production is the first project resulting from a development partnership between Bell Media and PageBoy Productions.

From Web Series to Television

The television project is based on a short-form Slo Pitch web series that began in 2020.

The original project was created by Stevens, Knox and Cumyn before being developed into a 10-episode series for Crave.

The adaptation’s mockumentary format follows the team as it pursues success while navigating the interpersonal tensions that come with belonging to a close-knit recreational league.

The project received participation from the Bell Media Fund, the Canada Media Fund and Ontario Creates.

International Distribution

Crave also announced international distribution agreements for Slo Pitch.

Sky acquired the series for the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as for New Zealand, while HBO Max acquired it for Australia.

The agreements were secured through Sphere Abacus, a Bell Media company responsible for the distribution arrangements.

The currently announced rollout therefore covers Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand and Australia.

In Canada, the series will be available through Crave beginning September 25.

Why the Announcement Matters

The release-date announcement moves Slo Pitch from development and production into a defined broadcast and streaming schedule.

For PageBoy Productions, the series represents an early television project under its collaboration with Bell Media and a production credit focused on an LGBTQ+ ensemble and story world.

For viewers, the trailer provides the first public preview of a scripted comedy built around queer characters whose relationships, friendships and ambitions are connected to a community sports setting.

The first two episodes of Slo Pitch are scheduled for Crave on September 25, with subsequent episodes planned for Fridays.