Pickleball Pete (2026) Movie Script
1
(light music)
(upbeat music)
Guys, guys, guys.
Hello, hello, hello.
And welcome to the first
annual 24 Hour Film Festival,
"No Sleep, No Mercy."
(both chuckles)
My name's Peter Gazania, and
I have handpicked the teams.
And your team is the red team.
-Okay.
-If you can figure out why.
Now, it will be your responsibility
to write, direct, produce, and edit
a full film in 24 hours.
And I just have to give you the genre.
-All right.
-So gimme a little drum roll.
(all tapping)
Oh yeah, all right.
Aaaand sports.
Oh.
-Yay.
-Yeah, that's right.
That's good, yeah.
So you guys have 24
hours, starting right now.
-Good luck.
-Oh.
Guys, we can work with this.
-Oh, boy.
-Yeah.
All right, team, huddle.
-Okay.
-Okay.
Sports film.
We gotta come up with a concept fast.
Okay, I think we should
stick to the classics:
football, basketball, baseball.
Competitive hot dog eating.
That's technically a sport, right?
I think we should do something visual,
like fencing or sumo wrestling.
-Hopscotch.
-What?
Yeah.
Come on, y'all, think outside the box.
Hopscotch.
-Uh.
-Well.
Grace, literally, no one
wants to watch that movie.
Oh, come on.
Everybody's gonna wanna watch.
"Hopscotch: The Reckoning." (laughs)
Pickleball.
-(Sam gasps)
-Pickleball?
That sounds great.
Yeah.
My grandparents play every weekend.
They're obsessed.
And I've basically grown
up watching senior citizens
fight over a plastic ball.
And trust me, it gets intense.
I-is that the one with-with the paddle?
Or-or is it like mini golf?
It's like tennis, Mike,
but smaller and louder.
-Hmm.
-So, you know, for visuals,
paddles look really good on camera.
I hear it's the fastest
growing sport in America.
Finally, it's something
that I can talk some smack
to some other retirees.
I'm in, count me in.
(bright music)
Okay, team, here we go.
We gotta start making some decisions fast.
All right, step one, genre.
Yeah, are we gonna do a drama
or maybe a sports inspirational story?
What about a thriller?
Like killer pickleball players?
Yes!
Watch out, Cinderella.
The ball is coming for you.
I can already hear that trailer
announcer's voice in my head.
Grace, no.
[Grace] Oh, come on.
What about comedy?
Pickleball is already kind of funny.
If we lean into it, we
can really stand out.
I love comedy.
Yeah, and if we're too serious,
then it's gonna come off a little weird.
-Exactly.
-Right, yeah.
Comedy works, but it's
gotta be sharp comedy.
I mean, it can't just
be people hitting balls
and falling down all over the place.
Don't be knocking all
that falling down stuff,
'cause I do my own stunts.
And it has to have heart.
And it could be ridiculous.
Good.
Like a feel-good underdog
story with paddles.
Okay.
Comedy.
Sports comedy, that's our lane.
So in this.
All right, all right, red team.
So what have you decided?
-Sports comedy.
-Sports comedy.
-Pickleball!
-Pickleball.
Wow, nice.
All right, well, keep working.
Keep grinding.
And it looks like you have about, uh,
23 hours left, so.
-Woo!
-See you in a little while.
Okay, next step, title.
Okay, let's brainstorm.
What's funny about pickleball?
Oh, the word pickle.
That's already gonna have
to work for us, right?
We could call it "A Dill of Destiny"
or "Brine and Punishment."
Or "The Battle of the Pickles."
(laughs) That sounds
like a cooking competition.
"Pickleball Pandemonium."
"Pickleball Pandemonium."
It's sporadic, like
"Pickleball Apocalypse."
(laughs) Yeah, the world
where no pickle is safe.
Or "The Pickle Ballers."
No, I think that's too generic.
"Pickle Me This."
"The Paddle Diaries."
"Net Gain."
-"50 Shades of Pickleball."
-Oh, absolutely not.
Ooh, but I would watch that.
And I'd watch that twice.
-Right?
-Okay, okay.
Titles are good, but we
need a hook, all right?
What's this story really about?
Character.
A legend.
Some guy named Pete.
(gasps) Wait.
Pickleball Pete.
Pickleball Pete.
[Mike] Yeah, that's cool.
Simple, funny, memorable.
Yeah, Pickleball Pete.
I can see the poster already.
A hero, a paddle,
and a whole body soaked
in Gatorade. (laughs)
Okay, okay, hear me out.
Pete used to be a tennis
player, like a really good one.
And he even had all the trophies,
the sweatbands, the glory days.
But then he walked away.
Why?
I don't know yet.
But he's obsessed.
Like, "Tennis is dead to me" obsessed.
Like he left Wimbledon
behind and he traded it in
for Wednesday nights
pickleball at the YMCA.
Come on now, that's so tragic.
(chuckles) A dramatic fall
into a plastic ball. (laughs)
That's good.
So it's like Rocky, but with retirees.
Okay.
Okay, this works.
We have a fallen tennis
player turned pickleball pro.
A sports comedy about obsession
and reinvention and maybe a little chaos.
(Mike laughs)
-Chaos.
-Chaos.
A little chaos, a little cardio.
[Alex] (laughs) All right.
To "Pickleball Pete."
-To "Pickleball Pete."
-To "Pickleball Pete."
Hi, I'm Pickleball Pete at Palm Beach,
and I wanna talk to you
about an exciting new sport,
a sport that welcomes
professionals like myself
and amateurs like yourself.
But don't let your
amateur status prevent you
from signing up for Pickleball
Pete's Pickleball League,
a new and exciting way
to join the wonderful
wide world of pickleball.
So grab your paddles, and
let's play some pickleball.
Well, there you have it.
The self-proclaimed pickleball sportsman
has spoken on the sport
that is paddling the nation.
(upbeat music)
Yeah!
All right, we got
Pete, we got pickleball.
But we can't just have him floating
from court to court
playing random characters.
Yeah, exactly.
This story needs stakes,
depth, something to follow.
And heart.
Every great sports
story has to have heart.
R-right.
Like "Rocky" had Adrian,
"Happy Gilmore" had Virginia,
and "Dodgeball" had-had, what was that?
It had Ben Stiller's mustache,
and that's all that really matters.
(all laughing)
Right, Pete needs somebody in his world,
someone who pushes him forward.
Or keeps him grounded.
-Yeah.
-Or both.
Mm.
Right, but she needs
her own role in the story.
I mean, yeah, she can't
just be a decoration.
Yeah, she has to be unique.
Matter of fact, they aren't
even a love interest at first.
Well, what if she's like
his manager or promoter?
Or his fairy godmother, you know?
Only she's got a clipboard and a whistle.
Yeah, yeah.
Somebody that believes in
him when nobody else does.
She could be the one helping him build
his Pickleball league.
Yeah, that's good.
But maybe we don't even know
if they're in a relationship.
It's complicated.
We can let the audience
figure it out for themselves.
-Yeah.
-Complicated.
That's my favorite status.
That's a mystery.
-Crazy.
-I like it.
Okay, okay.
Name needs to pop.
Something memorable.
Pickleball Patty.
(group chuckles)
Yeah, that's it.
I'll take a pickleball
patty with some fries.
No, no, no, no.
Stop the Patty thing.
All right, all right.
What about Cha Cha?
Cha Cha.
Ooh.
Now that works.
That's fun.
Distinct.
And it brings in the Latin market.
If we have a Latina,
we could then open up our audience.
Yeah, representation matters.
And she can bring real
personality to the film.
Yeah, and she needs to
have a signature look,
like she always has a flower in her hair.
That's her thing.
Okay.
Okay, so Cha Cha, she
is smart, she's fiery,
she's central to the story.
She helps Pete organize
his pickleball league.
Yeah, and their
relationship is complicated.
Maybe, maybe they flirt.
Maybe they argue.
Maybe they're secretly
together, maybe not.
I mean, the audience can wonder, right?
No, no, no, no, no.
They are totally together.
Nobody can have that much chemistry, okay,
without at least one
slow-motion paddle scene.
Exactly.
She has her own goals, her own voice.
She's not just "the girlfriend."
No, and she brings
in the cultural flair,
the food, the music, the energy.
She brings texture into Pete's life.
Maybe she's the only one
who can actually keep Pete on track.
Then she deserves a medal.
Right, okay.
So Cha Cha, she is,
this is really good, I like this.
She's not just a part of the story.
She's actually a driving force in it.
-All right, yeah.
-I like that.
So Pete's got Cha Cha.
This is officially more than just a guy
hitting balls around.
To Cha Cha, queen of the court,
and the only woman who could
out-serve Pickleball Pete
and his ego.
(Sam laughs) Cha Cha.
-She's a spark.
-Yeah.
Hi.
Fantastic interview, papi.
Thanks, Cha Cha.
But for the millionth time, it's Pete.
Ay.
For the millionth time,
I know it's Pete, papi.
So the league seems to
have a lot of interest.
I got a feeling this league
is really gonna take off.
I just wish that Tear
Drop Charlie could be here
to share in the success, you know?
Can't believe they put him in prison.
It was clearly self-defense.
(upbeat music)
(Charlie laughs)
Can only go up from here though, right?
Seriously?
Kevin Sorbo?
Well.
I mean, why not?
It gets us the faith-based crowd.
But he kills someone.
I mean, Christians aren't perfect.
Oh, okay.
What is Pete's backstory?
Every actor knows they
gotta have a backstory.
I mean, maybe he was a tennis pro
and then, I don't know,
something happened.
-(upbeat music)
-Woo!
-Great job, Pete.
-Great job, papi.
-Great job, Peter.
-Yeah.
[Mike] Okay, hear me out.
-Champion out there.
-Pete becomes famous
because he literally slips on a pickle.
(Jess laughs)
That is so stupid.
Aww.
It's perfect.
[Alex] Yeah. (laughs)
Ma, I'm hungry.
-Ma.
-Okay.
That's enough, Theodore.
[Theodore] But ma.
Shh.
I said behave.
Watch the game.
Ma.
Ma!
-Enough of that, dear.
-Ma, come on.
Trying to watch.
Ma'am, I have this pickle right here.
It will shut this kid up.
Sure, thank you.
Here you go.
(Theodore munching)
(Theodore spits)
(air swooshing)
(Pete grunts) (playful music)
(Pete screams)
Peter.
A pickle.
A pickle hit me.
Oh my. (team laughing)
All right, all right.
But underneath all the silliness though,
Pete does find pickleball.
And to him, it's not just working out.
In a world where one
man slipped on a pickle
and it served him right to his destiny.
Grace, you should write the trailer.
(all laughing)
All right, it's actually
really great. (laughs)
What, it's genius.
Yeah. (speaking indistinctly)
Come on.
Maybe nobody's taking him seriously.
Or the only person
that will play with him is his Aunt Marge.
Or his team is just two guys
who showed up for free snacks.
I don't know with the free snacks.
That's why I joined this team. (laughs)
Of course you did.
Well, I can see it now.
Poor Pickleball Pete standing in the gym,
and it smells like pickles.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But whatever the
reason, he's stuck, right?
He, um, he has the dream, but no momentum.
Trapped in a world where
nobody believes in the paddle.
You've been watching
too many trailers, Grace.
I am just saying, if Hollywood
calls, I'm gonna be ready.
I mean, but that's where the
story really starts, right?
Like the moment something changes.
-That's right.
-Yeah.
An opportunity knocks wonderfully.
(door knocking)
Not again.
Hey. (laughs)
-Scram, nerds.
-Pickleball Pete,
if you would just hear
us out for a second.
Yeah, we have something
exciting to tell you about.
I have something exciting to tell you.
Get off my property or
I'm gonna lose my mind.
I don't know what I'm gonna
do, but I'm gonna do something.
Stop, stop, stop, stop.
We're here to help you guys.
Oh, yeah?
Why are you here to help?
My name is Ted.
I'm Penelope, hi.
And we represent the local
People's Pickleball Alliance.
For Pineapple Park and Palm Grove.
Wait, what?
They said they represent the People
of Pickleball Alliance.
For Pineapple Park in Palm Grove.
Pineapple Park is a pickleball court?
Not yet, but that's why we
started this organization,
to make that happen.
We're hoping, with your
signature and skills,
we can raise enough money
to turn our old shabby tennis courts
into brand new pickleball courts.
That's right, and turn Palm
Grove into the hidden gem
and alternative to the
annoyingly prosperous Palm Beach.
That's why we're going around
and collecting these signatures. (laughs)
Now, would you both be
willing to sign our petition
for the Pineapple Palm of Palm
Grove Pickleball Initiative?
What you thinking, papi?
I grew up playing
tennis on those courts.
Those courts changed my life.
I don't know if I can stand
by and watch 'em be torn down
and replaced for a sport
that turned its back on me.
I can't sign that.
Did you say signature and skills?
-Exactly.
-Oh.
Oh, yeah, Diadem is hosting
a pickleball tournament
and the prize is $100,000.
(Ted laughs)
$100,000?
Yep.
-I'm in.
-100k.
Wait, wait, wait.
And you want papi to
play in the Palm Grove?
Exactly.
And we're gonna use that money
to turn all the old tennis courts
into pickleball courts.
Yes!
What?
You want papi to win the money,
and then you give it to Pineapple Grove?
For the courts.
-Ah.
-Yeah.
I don't know about that.
(Cha Cha speaking Spanish)
I will sign this for you though.
Good luck in your petition
for Pineapple Park at Palm Grove.
Pickleball Court initiative.
Cha Cha.
And don't come back.
Okay.
Big picture.
Pete wants to go pro.
He started this league
that didn't work out.
Opportunity knocks.
And then he gets into this
Diadem pickleball tournament.
Where he could win $100,000.
And pickleball fame.
One man, one paddle, $100,000.
-(team chuckling)
-Okay.
Yeah, yeah, I like all of that.
But come on, we need more drama.
And chaos.
Oh, definitely chaos.
Maybe the mob.
-Oh, the mob.
-Oh.
The Pickleball Mafia that goes,
"I control the courts
from Naples to Tomoka."
(chuckling continues)
Okay, okay.
But we can't just have him
breezing through this tournament.
That's boring.
Right, a good sports
comedy needs stakes, twists,
weird stuff that keeps happening.
Okay, okay, so-so what's the worst thing
that could happen to Pete along the way?
He loses his paddle.
That his league turns on him.
Cha Cha gets recruited by a rival team.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, not Cha Cha,
'cause she is the heart and soul
of his little, you know, spin serve.
Yes, betrayal.
Maybe, maybe, okay.
Maybe a rival player
from his past resurfaces.
You know, someone who
was involved in the thing
that he walked away from.
We could call him the Net Whisperer,
because he's all mysterious. (laughs)
Okay, we can layer it.
Rival league trouble, romance tension.
And snacks.
Don't forget the snacks
'cause we need the snacks.
I'm getting hungry.
(laughs) Okay, exactly.
Big goals, big prizes.
But the road to get there has to be messy.
Okay, okay, let's bring
his past back into it.
Um, what was the name of his tennis coach?
We didn't give him one yet.
Oh, okay, well.
Fred.
Fred's a good coach's name.
Let's bring him back into it.
Okay, here's what happens.
(door knocking)
Pete, it's you!
It's really you.
-(knocking continues)
-Come on, Pete.
It's Ted and Penelope and your coach Fred.
It's your coach.
We know you're Peter Picklevitch.
We know you were on your way
to becoming a famous tennis star.
Come on.
Seriously?
It's not like I was in
hiding or something.
Yeah, can we talk?
Please?
Yes!
Eat up, boys and girl.
So guys, I wanna help you.
I really do.
It's just I've spent my entire life
trying to defeat the game
named after my nemesis:
the pickle.
A pickle ruined my career.
And ever since then, I've vowed to become
the best pickleball player
the world has ever seen.
That's right.
By defeating the pickle.
Yeah, yeah, you're right, Peter.
-It's Pete now.
-Oh.
It's Pete now.
That's right, papi. (chuckles)
Listen, I always knew
you would do great,
and I knew you would excel
at anything, but man to man,
why'd you ghost me, huh?
I was your coach.
I'll tell you why.
(bright music)
Traitor. (cries)
I was there that day.
The day you handed that
monster that tennis ball.
-What?
-That kid ruined
my tennis career, and I vowed,
if I ever saw him again,
the things I would do to him.
(chuckles nervously) Oh, the thing is,
(clears throat) Pete.
Bye.
You just had to steal the beat.
Couldn't you just ease into it?
I'm sorry, dad.
Stepdad.
-I'm sorry, Stepdad Fred.
-(Fred grunts)
Slow down, papi.
Shut up, Cha Cha.
Don't you wanna listen to that Fred,
Ted, and the nerdy girl?
This community could
use a pickleball court,
and you're just not meant to do it.
No.
Get your lazy butt up.
I don't think he wants to
play pickleball anymore.
Here you go.
I brought us some yummy snacks.
Help yourself.
Okay, let's cut right to the chase.
So the only way that we're
going to get Palm Grove's.
Pineapple Park to build
those pickleball courts
is with Peter's help.
Wouldn't you, papi's tennis coach,
why do you want to see the
tennis court destroyed?
All right, people, lean in with me.
All right, come on, come on.
That was a dark day.
A dark day.
It's darker than me.
Darker than you, Stepdad Fred? (laughs)
So Peter hurt his ankle that day,
and that ended his career.
But it also killed my coaching.
But there was a light at
the end of that tunnel,
and at the end of that tunnel
was the love of my life.
Oh, dear.
And your son.
Yeah, uh.
So anyways, my favorite
snack, my last pickle,
I had to give it to a kid to shut him up.
Hey!
We love you, pumpkin.
So anyways, I hurt one
and I helped another,
but I knew that day that
I had to defeat the pickle
to make everything right.
So you want to defeat the pickleball?
Defeating it as in dominating it.
Or you could defeat the game
and leave the tennis courts.
See, that's the problem.
Nobody cares about tennis anymore.
Plus, a developer has
been eyeing that park
to build office space or something.
The only way to save the
park is to win that money
by building pickleball courts.
Then I can coach and I can dominate it.
You said defeat.
Woman, do you want help or not?
Fine.
If you help papi, I'm in.
Excellent.
Do you have any ideas?
Well, there is one
thing that we all know.
He likes to compete!
And there is only one person
that truly defeated him.
Mustang Sally!
That's right.
(upbeat music)
The sin of destruction.
Exactly.
-Hi, Sally.
-Hi, Pete.
You got game?
Yeah.
You wanna play?
[Sally] Yes.
Okay.
Uh, good luck.
You too, Pete.
Thank you.
Who do you think's gonna win?
Sally.
What about you?
Sally.
-Two sets.
-Yeah.
All right, we'll see.
You got any hot dogs here?
Hot dogs?
I thought you liked bananas and bologna.
(light music)
-Ah!
-Yeah!
That's it.
-Oh!
-Oh!
How could he miss that?
Peter, is that all you got?
You got him, Sally, one more point.
Hey.
Hey, shot.
-Come on, Sally, Sally.
-Hey.
(Sally grunts)
Oh.
-Great win, Sally.
-Great win, Sally.
You suck.
-Yes.
-Yay!
-Nice.
-Way to go, girl.
Way to go.
The sin of destruction. (indistinct)
Listen, let me tell you,
this went on for years.
When I put Pete into semi-pro
and Sally into the women's division,
they never played again.
So he never beat her?
[Fred] Not one single game.
And the Diadem Pickleball Tournament
is an open tournament.
So if we get Sally to
enter the tournament,
papi will have the hope
to defeat his... Neresis.
No, no.
Nemesis.
I think it's nemosis.
It's nemesis, you idiot.
I need you guys to find out everything
about this Mustang Sally.
I'm in!
Yeah.
(playful music)
Aw, this thing's broken.
Can't see anything.
Give me that.
You had the cap on, dummy.
(playful music continues)
It looks like it's good.
My apple fritter.
Shh.
We're on a stakeout, dummy.
I know we're on a stakeout.
Hey, look, there she is.
(upbeat music)
You stay here.
(playful music)
I'm going in.
(speaking Spanish)
(playful music)
(Ted chuckling)
(grunts) Oh.
Can I help you?
Ah, yes.
(clears throat) Yes.
Indeed, you can.
My name is Theodore Rockevilt,
and I am here to inquire.
Inquire?
Yes, indeed.
About what it is you do here,
the services you provide, naturally.
Well, this is a real estate office.
And what does a real
estate employee do exactly?
A realtor sells homes.
Indeed, indeed.
Well, I would like to look at a property,
a wealthy one on Palm Beach.
I must keep appearances,
as you understand.
Well, all right then.
Right this way.
Let me show you what we have online.
Fabulous.
So what's your budget?
Well, money is no
object here. (chuckles)
So please, show me the
most expensive house
on the island, if you will.
Well, we have this
62,000-square-foot lovely estate.
Estate.
So French.
Sits on two acres, private beach.
Hmm, I do like my beachfronts private.
I'm somewhat of a nudist.
So you have six
championship tennis courts.
Almost seven.
A golf course, a 100-foot massive pool,
a ballroom dripping in real gold.
Hmm, dripping.
Would I need a plumber?
It has numerous cabanas, beach house.
Oh, and it belongs to a
former U.S. president.
Oh, sweet. (laughs)
Sweet.
So is that like worth $18 million?
Oh, don't be ridiculous.
I mean, no. (chuckles)
It would not be ridiculous.
Ted, what are you?
What is taking him so long?
Okay, Mr. Vanderfella.
Rander, real name, Smithsburg.
Yes, okay, sure.
Thank you so much for coming in.
And don't forget to email
me those credentials
so I can pre-qualify you for that tour.
Is this you in the picture?
Much younger-looking here.
[Sally] Oh, thank you.
Mm, Photoshop these days, right?
Okay, all right.
Thank you, ma'am.
Ugh, what a waste of time.
You have a bathroom I could use?
No.
Right.
Ugh.
Okay, all this is getting silly.
Mustang Sally references to Trump, really?
Oh, it's funny.
Okay, okay, let's forget
about the A-story for a bit.
Every good film has a B-story.
What's ours?
But every A-story has
to connect to the B-story.
Okay, so let's dive into the betrayal.
Great.
So what happens?
(birds chirping)
(phone dialing)
(phone ringing)
Cha Cha here.
Hi, is this Cha Cha Rodriguez?
Yeah.
Who's this?
Oh, this is Polly.
Pickleball Polly from Palm Beach.
-Really?
-Yes.
I heard you're available,
and I'm in need of a new assistant.
I don't know if you've heard,
but I'm favored to win the
Diadem Pickleball Invitational
and inevitably go pro.
Someone with your experience
and knowledge is hard to come by.
Yeah?
[Polly] So what do you say?
Uh, Miss Polly, I'm still
working for Pickleball Pete,
and it's conflict of interest.
Oh, please.
Peter is finished.
Plus, can he even pay you?
Meet me at my mansion in
Palm Beach to discuss.
Okay.
(both squealing)
Seorita Cha Cha, it
is so nice to meet you.
Oh, just Cha Cha. (laughs)
Woo, nice estate.
I know.
Please sit.
Oh.
So?
So, Ms. Polly, I appreciate your offer,
but I'm here to tell you
in person that I just-
- I can pay you $3,000 per
week plus full benefits.
-I accept!
-Oh!
Perfect, perfect.
See you later.
Okay.
Woo!
(phone ringing)
Yes, she accepted.
We're almost there.
(laughs) Cheers.
Where is Ted?
So Sally sells real estate.
And?
That's actually all we found out.
Oh, great, wonderful.
Cha Cha, what about you, huh?
Um, I have nothing to report.
Well, we have to figure something out.
The only way we're gonna save these courts
is by winning the tournament.
I think the key is sticking together.
Then we'll figure something out.
Oh.
Yes, Cha Cha is in.
We just need insurance.
Get me the Viper.
Yes, the Viper!
Ugh.
The Viper?
Is this the mob part?
Could be.
Maybe the Viper is not
what we're expecting.
Ooh, plot twist.
Well, every good movie has a plot twist.
Well, maybe the Viper is a rival player.
Quiet, intense.
Wears too much sweat-resistant eyeliner.
Good, good, we might
be onto something here,
minus the ghost paddle, of course.
(upbeat music)
Hey, anything?
(upbeat music)
Sweet.
(watch ringing)
-Yeah?
-Got a job.
[Viper] Where?
Palm Beach.
When?
Now.
I'll send details.
Okay, I'll be there.
(dramatic music)
I brought a little something.
Polly Pickleball just
had me call in the Viper.
No kidding, The Viper.
Oh, this must be serious.
When someone calls in the Viper,
it's always serious.
Yes.
The mob is in the movie.
Maybe they can whack
Pickleball Pete with a paddle.
Okay.
Let's bring in the competitors.
Well, is anybody hungry for dessert?
I can make my eggplant pie.
-No!
-No.
Whew.
All right, listen up.
I just checked the website,
and Sally has not entered
the tournament yet.
But we have a bigger problem.
What's that, dad?
Boy, didn't I tell you
to stop calling me that?
It's stepdad.
What's that, Stepdad Fred?
Polly Pickleball of Palm Beach
has entered the tournament.
Budge!
Who's that?
Polly Pickleball is a rising legend
in the pickleball community.
She's the first to get sponsored
and to bring the sport into the spotlight.
Now, I'm pretty confident
that Pete can beat Sally,
but Polly, whew.
That's a whole different story.
So I think we should probably give up.
Okay, nice to know-
- Uh, uh, uh, Cha Cha, cha-cha it down.
Do you think I waited all
these years just to give up?
Mm.
By the way, how is Pete doing?
Has he still been training?
Oh yeah, he's been training nonstop.
You're the only one who ever believed
in Pickleball Pete. (sobs)
All right, great.
All we need is one week.
Just one week to get him
ready for this tournament
because he needs to beat that Sally
and he needs to beat that Polly.
Great plan, Stepdad Fred.
(upbeat music)
(playful music)
What you think you're doing?
You know better.
Take your shoes off.
Sorry, mom.
Hey, what's this I hear about you going
to Polly's mansion?
Can you believe it?
Jimmy called it in.
Jimmy?
I thought I told you... I know, I know.
But they needed my help with
the pickleball tournament
and something about tennis
courts in Palm Grove.
Honey, please stop eating candy.
You're gonna ruin your dinner.
I'm so sorry, mom.
(upbeat music)
Gentlemen.
Oh, Mustang Sally.
What brings you to this part of town?
Looking good, might I add.
I heard you called
the Viper in yesterday.
Oh yeah?
Well, who told you that?
Look, Sally, what can I do you for?
Well, I'm just curious.
What is little Miss Polly,
the daughter of Palm Grove's mayor,
doing calling in the Viper?
Uh.
-Hey, boss.
-Shh.
Hey, I don't want any trouble.
I'm just trying to get some information.
Jimmy, we grew up together in Palm Grove.
We all grew up playing tennis together.
Yeah, those were the days.
Hey, if somebody's
tearing down those courts,
I need to know.
Oh, boy.
Look, Sally, honestly,
I have no idea what you're talking about.
Hmm.
What's the mayor planning?
I don't know.
[Sally] Really?
Yeah, really.
So what's that?
(upbeat music)
(laughs) Busted.
Well, just as expected.
What?
The mayor is planning on
destroying the tennis courts
and building an office building.
Oh.
That's why Polly wanted me to
make sure Pete didn't enter
-the tournament.
-Pete?
Yeah, this pickleball pro.
Well, semi-pro, but... You know him?
You could say that.
So that's why you gave up
tennis? Because of some boy?
So Coach Fred said you were entered
in a tournament this weekend.
That's right.
If I win, I'm going pro.
So?
So?
What does that mean for us?
For us?
Yes, us.
(Pete giggles)
Sally.
Yes?
(giggling continues)
I hate you, Peter Picklevitch.
And I hate tennis too.
Now you see why we gotta
get rid of these courts?
It ruined my life.
Stole the woman of my dreams.
Sally know how you felt?
That's not the point.
Okay, so the Viper is
Mustang Sally's daughter.
Yeah, a-and Mustang Sally
has a thing for Pickleball Pete.
Yeah, 'cause nothing says true love
like a pickleball court
and a midlife crisis.
Yeah, and the mob guy's
jealous of Pickleball Pete.
And he wants to whack him.
Ah, say goodbye to your paddle, Pete.
Only in our movie does pickleball
and mob hit go in the same sentence.
(team laughing)
And don't forget Pickleball Polly.
She's secretly a tournament beast
and trying to sabotage every step.
So we have the makings
of a political crime story.
Just because that one guy
did a terrible Trump impression
doesn't mean it's a political story.
Yeah, if anything, it makes it confusing
and a little uncomfortable.
Well, uncomfortable
is my favorite genre.
No, no, no, no, not that guy.
The mayor.
See, he's in with the mob, right?
He wants the pickleball
courts for, you know,
whatever mayors wanna build.
A luxury pickleball court?
A parking garage shaped like a paddle.
A Chick-fil-A.
Ooh, a Chick-fil-A.
And if that's what it is,
then I want some promotional products.
No, let's just do something normal.
An office complex.
Good.
What's the mayor's deal?
Well, he's shady.
You know, he's got dealings
going on behind the scenes.
'Cause if Pete wins
the-the-the Palm whatever, right?
The Pickleball Association
gets the courts.
And the mayor can't
build his office complex.
Right.
This movie is insane.
(team laughing)
Right?
And yet I would watch it twice.
And it's perfect.
Anyway, back to the mayor.
Citizens, friends, Palm Grovians,
we're here today to discuss
three very important issues:
the future of our beloved park,
the future of our community,
and the future of our,
well, actually one issue,
the future of our park.
It's been well known for the past decade
that our tennis courts
have seen better days.
Quite frankly, the
sport of tennis is dead.
That's baloney.
Now, now, I know this might be hard
for some of you to hear,
but we have a proposal
from a very reputable company
that wants to build an
extremely modern office building
that will not only create jobs,
but additional revenue for the citizens.
Take it easy, okay, take it easy.
Tennis, tennis, tennis, tennis!
Pickleball, pickleball, pickleball!
-Tennis!
-Pickleball.
(indistinct overlapping yelling)
All right, the mayor,
he's a complete idiot.
He's got these two spoiled children
that keep screwing everything up.
Stop talking about my childhood.
So he's not the villain.
It's the spoiled kids.
Pumpkins.
-Daddy!
-Daddy!
Pumpkins.
How we doing, girls?
The tournament, the plan?
Is Cha Cha on board?
Easy as pudding, papa.
I doubt Pete's gonna wanna play
now that his only friend
is employed by me.
And I have a little insurance plan
to make sure he doesn't.
Stupid picklehead Pete.
This insurance plan,
is this something I even wanna know about?
Probably best you don't,
but let's just say he
won't be up for playing.
That's my pumpkins.
I knew Cha Cha would accept.
She'll do anything for money.
I mean, are they really that threatened
by Pickleball Pete?
I mean, we haven't been showing him
playing pickleball
throughout the entire movie.
E-exactly.
It's kinda like in "Jaws."
You barely really see the shark.
-Order.
-Come on.
What you think?
Look crazy?
Crazy indeed.
You know, I think I need to
pay the mayor a little visit.
What do you have planned for today?
Polly wants me to make sure
Pete doesn't enter the tournament.
Pete?
Whoa, whoa, meaning what?
I told you.
She wants him, you know?
Oh, sweetie.
Promise me you won't do anything
until I talk to the mayor.
Please?
Okay, let's get this straight.
The Viper is a teenage
girl with a sugar fetish?
Yeah, l-like a human hummingbird.
Fueled by sugar, driven by rage.
Oh, and she's unpredictable.
Sugar highs are very dangerous.
(playful music)
(playful music continues)
Ow!
(Pete screaming)
Little rugrat stole my Oreo.
Oh my God.
What?
All right, all right, hold on a second.
So now we've got some Tonya
Harding thing going on here now?
Bat, really?
Yep, exactly.
That's absolutely ridiculous.
I know, but I love it. (laughs)
Excellent, excellent.
Oh, yeah, the whole Peter
thing is totally figured out.
Mm-hmm.
Okay, bye.
Hey guys, it's Polly Pickleball.
Are you guys coming to
the Diadem Pickleball.
Invitational this weekend?
If so, see you there.
Huh.
Yo, Vinny.
Get those trucks ready.
Dickies.
(light music)
(door knocking)
Hey.
Sally.
We need to talk.
I know, I know, please.
Allow me to present
a pickleball alternative proposal.
This better be good.
How would you like the exclusive
on Palm Grove's newest and
biggest office building?
Imagine it, Sally's World.
(upbeat music)
But you know what we're missing?
(gasps) Oh, here we go.
Mob scenes. (team laughing)
We need more mob scenes.
Like with trucks, right?
Armored pickle trucks.
Driven by sweet rollers storming.
Storming.
Grace, actually,
that's kind of brilliant.
I know, I'm just full of chaos
with a purpose and a lack of sleep.
(all laughing)
Just got something to do with
that park up in Palm Grove.
Yeah, you better get that contract.
I got a fleet of concrete
trucks ready to go.
Sad to see the old neighborhood
turn into a concrete jungle though.
[Jimmy] Gotta bring down all these.
I'm on a diet.
All right, let's get back to the story.
Pickleball Pete is hurt.
But if he doesn't play,
then he won't win the $100,000.
And if he doesn't win the $100,000-
- Is the movie over?
I hope so.
I'm so confused.
So no, we-we turn it into a faith film.
(laughs) What?
No, no, no, I-I'm serious.
Faith and family, t-the Christian market.
A whole new genre.
(laughs) What?
So we're just gonna casually
pivot the entire movie?
How do you suppose we just do that?
Easy.
Miraculous healing.
Oh, no.
You can't be serious.
I'm dead serious.
Look, most faith-based films
aren't actually faith-based.
As long as you throw a Bible in there.
Or Thanksgiving dinner.
Oh, or someone prays.
Exactly.
Bam.
You qualify for the holy genre.
Oh, so a faith healer
is just gonna lay hands
on Pete's broken knee?
No, no, no, no.
Even better.
(Mike vocalizing)
We use the Bible.
T-the Bible?
Why do you carry a Bible?
Because I'm a storyteller,
and these are the best stories.
Am I right?
Am I right?
Cheers to that.
Ow.
Ow.
"For all that is kept secret
will eventually be brought into the open."
Huh.
Lord, give me strength.
Please?
I need to be in this tournament.
Heal my ankle.
Please, Lord.
Ha!
(laughs) I'm healed.
Thank you, God.
Thank you.
(phone ringing)
Hey.
What's up?
Hey, buddy, I heard
you were out of jail.
I need to talk to you about something.
You want a partner?
I'll be there.
(upbeat music)
Right.
Huh.
Pickleball Pete is back, baby!
Pickleball Pete is back!
So now we got faith-based, maybe.
Yep, miraculous healing.
And the mob.
Don't forget the mob. (laughs)
Of course not.
What's not a faith-based
film without organized crime?
Right?
Okay, okay.
But if we're doing a faith-based movie,
we all know one thing.
We keep Kevin Sorbo.
Of course we keep Kevin.
"In the beginning, there was Sorbo."
Yeah, he's-he's in like 100
of these Christian movies.
It doesn't actually
qualify as a faith-based film
until you have Kevin Sorbo
delivering a dramatic monologue
while staring off into the distance.
(team laughing)
Okay, I'm game.
But so far, we have Kevin
Sorbo playing an ex-con
that is drinking beer.
It's a slippery slope, man.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
But it could be root beer.
Christian loophole, okay?
Boom.
Yeah, and the next thing you know,
he's gambling on pickleball
matches behind the church.
We could test it.
What?
Test what?
Well, we could run an
audience focus group.
(laughs) Oh great.
Press one if Kevin Sorbo
drinking a beer is acceptable.
Press two if it should be sweet tea.
Two, please.
Okay, okay.
Faith movie, check.
Kevin Sorbo, check.
Miraculous healing, check.
Monster and trucks, check.
Spoiled mayor's kids, check.
And don't forget the
sugar-addicted Viper.
Mm, check.
I guess that means it's tournament time.
Oh, boy.
Everything has led to
this moment. (laughs)
Pete, the mob, the mayor,
the Viper with the sugar
stash, Sorbo at the bar.
Oh man, this tournament's got it all.
"In a world where chaos meets cardio."
Let's just finish this thing
before somebody suggests
a talking pickleball.
Too late, I was just about to say that.
(upbeat music)
Okay, pickleballers, Stu Sunshine here,
but you already knew that.
Dean Cain?
Are you serious?
Yeah.
If you have Kevin, you
have to have Dean Cain.
They're the "God Not Dead" fantastic duo.
Can we just get to the tournament?
Okay, pickleballers, Stu Sunshine here,
but you already knew that.
Today is the day.
The first annual Palm Beach.
Pickleball Tournament is underway
right here at the Diadem
Pickleball Invitational.
And Palm Beaches are flooding
in for this exciting new sport
that is apparently sweeping the country,
although I've never seen it in my life.
Okay, Pete's Palm Beach Pickle Buddies
will face off against
some stiff competition.
The Orlando Sugar Pixies are here,
along with the Tampa Bay Bambi Hunters.
And I did not make those names up.
Hey. (Viper gasps)
Hey.
Hey.
Is this your little angel?
-She is.
-Huh.
Interesting.
Next time you try and take somebody out,
make sure you don't
use a whiffle ball bat.
Sorry, my bad.
So I hear you entered the tournament.
I did.
I guess we might
finally have that rematch.
We just might, Mustang Sally.
We just might.
See you there.
What's going on, Peter?
-How you doing?
-All that good stuff.
So I heard and decided
you wanted to play, huh?
I decided to play.
So there's still a
chance to save the courts.
Nice one, Theodore.
No pickles this time.
No pickles.
You got it, you got it.
(upbeat music)
You guys are going down.
Yeah.
Tear Drop Charlie.
Pickleball Pete!
Oh my gosh, you look awesome, buddy.
So you ready for it?
Are you ready for this?
Ooh, you know I'm ready.
Ladies and gentlemen,
apparently, Tear Drop
Charlie and Pickleball Pete
have officially entered the tournament.
And that's big news.
Hey, Pete, did we, uh, did we win?
We didn't play yet.
Oh, gotcha.
Hey, who's that?
That right there is the
best pickleball player
to ever pickle a ball.
Oh my.
Who's, uh, who's that dame?
Oh, she's nuts.
What are you doing?
I think I might be lactose intolerant.
We have to be on those
courts in five minutes!
Yeah, I'm sorry, Polly.
I don't think I can play.
What do you mean you can't
play? You're my partner.
You know what?
I don't need you.
(upbeat music)
Team Bag O' Donuts
takes on Tear Drop Charlie
and Pickleball Pete in the first round.
That's right, fifth grade.
Give it, picklehead.
You can barely even move.
(upbeat music)
You really think that you can beat us?
No!
That's what you get.
Peace!
Fifth grade.
All right, next up we have Pop Crispy
and Tito Barstool against Pickleball Pete
and Tear Drop Charlie.
Whoa, all right.
Oh, you guys suck.
Ha!
It has been a wild
day here in Palm Beach
as pickleball has taken over the island.
-Come on, come on, Pete.
-Whoa!
-All right, good.
-Yeah.
-Yeah, yeah.
-Yeah.
You're going down, Tear Drop Charlie.
Come on.
(upbeat music)
Oh, that's a great shot.
This sport's not bad after all.
Picklehead Ping, Cry Baby
Charlie, you're going down.
Ooh, do you know how
many people said that to me
when I was in prison?
-Hey, hey.
-Kick out, yankers,
and get ready for skeet and saw.
Yeah, you better sit
back down, you know?
The bigger they think they
are, the harder they fall.
Well, good thing we
don't think. (chuckles)
That's it.
Time for defeat, boys.
That's all you got?
These guys are trash.
Look at that.
Not even trying.
Well, that was a pretty good return.
Not even trying.
He's got a beer in his hand.
We're still beating you.
-They're not doing it.
-Ugh!
They're just getting crushed out here.
So Pickleball Pete and Tear Drop Charlie
advance to the next round
against Grindstone Gary
and Hacksaw Harry.
And that rhymes.
We're gonna pickle these guys
whether they like it or not.
They might actually return the ball.
(upbeat music)
I saw that.
(upbeat music continues)
[Stu] Whoa, going for the angle.
-That's what you get.
-Oh, and Pickleball Pete
and Tear Drop Charlie win.
Polly Bradley, Mustang Sally,
Peter Picklevitch, and Tear Drop Charlie
advance their way to the finals,
a match everyone was hoping for.
Me too.
Easy, easy.
Oh my gosh, yeah.
This is it, Pete.
We've waited for this our entire lives.
Beat your nemesis.
Yeah, chill out, pops, we got it.
Pops?
You left, we lost the camera.
(upbeat music)
[Pete] Woo!
(upbeat music)
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
(upbeat music)
You got that, Tear Drop.
That's it.
Ooh.
[Charlie] Yes, that was awesome.
[Speaker] Rolling?
(upbeat music)
Yeah!
(upbeat music continues)
-Yeah.
-I got that.
Nice shot, Pickleball Pete.
-Whoa, whoa!
-And that's it!
Pickleball Pete and Tear Drop Charlie
win the whole thing.
And I can go home now.
I'm not driving.
Sally, uh-
- I'm so glad you won.
Get a room.
What?
-Woo!
-You did it, Pete.
-Great job, Pete.
-Woo!
(crowd cheering)
You won, papi!
(group clapping)
You got time for one more game
before they tear down these old courts?
I think we can do that.
Oh yeah, guys.
I got a little something for you.
[Cha Cha] Yes!
[Fred] Yeah!
[Cha Cha] Yes.
Woo!
Great job, Peter.
Sally, you guys.
Ooh.
Look at this.
-Let's play.
-Let's play.
(light music)
So Pete wins the
tournament, crowd goes wild,
confetti, pickleball glory.
All right, let's not
forget, and he gets $100,000.
And saves the courts.
And redeems his past.
And gets the girl.
And possibly, the Bible heals his knee.
You guys, (laughs)
This movie ending is so cheesy.
Excuse me?
This ain't cheesy.
It's basically "Rocky"
meets "VeggieTales"
meets "The Godfather."
And I would buy them tickets.
I would watch it twice
with popcorn and a prayer.
(laughs) Guys, this movie is so bad
it's kind of genius.
(all laughing)
Bigger question: who's gonna direct this?
Me, obviously, I'm directing it.
No, no, no, no, no way.
I got the vision.
I've already storyboarded
the pickle truck,
so I mean, it's done.
I'm the only one who
knows how the camera works.
This is gonna get ugly.
I am the one that should
be directing this film.
I mean, like are you serious?
(overlapping chatter)
Guys.
Guys, guys, shh.
We just wrote the most ridiculous
pickleball movie in history
together as a team.
So let's just do production
together as a team.
How bad could it be?
Famous last words before the sequel.
(team laughing)
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music continues)
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music continues)
(upbeat music)
(light music)
(upbeat music)
Guys, guys, guys.
Hello, hello, hello.
And welcome to the first
annual 24 Hour Film Festival,
"No Sleep, No Mercy."
(both chuckles)
My name's Peter Gazania, and
I have handpicked the teams.
And your team is the red team.
-Okay.
-If you can figure out why.
Now, it will be your responsibility
to write, direct, produce, and edit
a full film in 24 hours.
And I just have to give you the genre.
-All right.
-So gimme a little drum roll.
(all tapping)
Oh yeah, all right.
Aaaand sports.
Oh.
-Yay.
-Yeah, that's right.
That's good, yeah.
So you guys have 24
hours, starting right now.
-Good luck.
-Oh.
Guys, we can work with this.
-Oh, boy.
-Yeah.
All right, team, huddle.
-Okay.
-Okay.
Sports film.
We gotta come up with a concept fast.
Okay, I think we should
stick to the classics:
football, basketball, baseball.
Competitive hot dog eating.
That's technically a sport, right?
I think we should do something visual,
like fencing or sumo wrestling.
-Hopscotch.
-What?
Yeah.
Come on, y'all, think outside the box.
Hopscotch.
-Uh.
-Well.
Grace, literally, no one
wants to watch that movie.
Oh, come on.
Everybody's gonna wanna watch.
"Hopscotch: The Reckoning." (laughs)
Pickleball.
-(Sam gasps)
-Pickleball?
That sounds great.
Yeah.
My grandparents play every weekend.
They're obsessed.
And I've basically grown
up watching senior citizens
fight over a plastic ball.
And trust me, it gets intense.
I-is that the one with-with the paddle?
Or-or is it like mini golf?
It's like tennis, Mike,
but smaller and louder.
-Hmm.
-So, you know, for visuals,
paddles look really good on camera.
I hear it's the fastest
growing sport in America.
Finally, it's something
that I can talk some smack
to some other retirees.
I'm in, count me in.
(bright music)
Okay, team, here we go.
We gotta start making some decisions fast.
All right, step one, genre.
Yeah, are we gonna do a drama
or maybe a sports inspirational story?
What about a thriller?
Like killer pickleball players?
Yes!
Watch out, Cinderella.
The ball is coming for you.
I can already hear that trailer
announcer's voice in my head.
Grace, no.
[Grace] Oh, come on.
What about comedy?
Pickleball is already kind of funny.
If we lean into it, we
can really stand out.
I love comedy.
Yeah, and if we're too serious,
then it's gonna come off a little weird.
-Exactly.
-Right, yeah.
Comedy works, but it's
gotta be sharp comedy.
I mean, it can't just
be people hitting balls
and falling down all over the place.
Don't be knocking all
that falling down stuff,
'cause I do my own stunts.
And it has to have heart.
And it could be ridiculous.
Good.
Like a feel-good underdog
story with paddles.
Okay.
Comedy.
Sports comedy, that's our lane.
So in this.
All right, all right, red team.
So what have you decided?
-Sports comedy.
-Sports comedy.
-Pickleball!
-Pickleball.
Wow, nice.
All right, well, keep working.
Keep grinding.
And it looks like you have about, uh,
23 hours left, so.
-Woo!
-See you in a little while.
Okay, next step, title.
Okay, let's brainstorm.
What's funny about pickleball?
Oh, the word pickle.
That's already gonna have
to work for us, right?
We could call it "A Dill of Destiny"
or "Brine and Punishment."
Or "The Battle of the Pickles."
(laughs) That sounds
like a cooking competition.
"Pickleball Pandemonium."
"Pickleball Pandemonium."
It's sporadic, like
"Pickleball Apocalypse."
(laughs) Yeah, the world
where no pickle is safe.
Or "The Pickle Ballers."
No, I think that's too generic.
"Pickle Me This."
"The Paddle Diaries."
"Net Gain."
-"50 Shades of Pickleball."
-Oh, absolutely not.
Ooh, but I would watch that.
And I'd watch that twice.
-Right?
-Okay, okay.
Titles are good, but we
need a hook, all right?
What's this story really about?
Character.
A legend.
Some guy named Pete.
(gasps) Wait.
Pickleball Pete.
Pickleball Pete.
[Mike] Yeah, that's cool.
Simple, funny, memorable.
Yeah, Pickleball Pete.
I can see the poster already.
A hero, a paddle,
and a whole body soaked
in Gatorade. (laughs)
Okay, okay, hear me out.
Pete used to be a tennis
player, like a really good one.
And he even had all the trophies,
the sweatbands, the glory days.
But then he walked away.
Why?
I don't know yet.
But he's obsessed.
Like, "Tennis is dead to me" obsessed.
Like he left Wimbledon
behind and he traded it in
for Wednesday nights
pickleball at the YMCA.
Come on now, that's so tragic.
(chuckles) A dramatic fall
into a plastic ball. (laughs)
That's good.
So it's like Rocky, but with retirees.
Okay.
Okay, this works.
We have a fallen tennis
player turned pickleball pro.
A sports comedy about obsession
and reinvention and maybe a little chaos.
(Mike laughs)
-Chaos.
-Chaos.
A little chaos, a little cardio.
[Alex] (laughs) All right.
To "Pickleball Pete."
-To "Pickleball Pete."
-To "Pickleball Pete."
Hi, I'm Pickleball Pete at Palm Beach,
and I wanna talk to you
about an exciting new sport,
a sport that welcomes
professionals like myself
and amateurs like yourself.
But don't let your
amateur status prevent you
from signing up for Pickleball
Pete's Pickleball League,
a new and exciting way
to join the wonderful
wide world of pickleball.
So grab your paddles, and
let's play some pickleball.
Well, there you have it.
The self-proclaimed pickleball sportsman
has spoken on the sport
that is paddling the nation.
(upbeat music)
Yeah!
All right, we got
Pete, we got pickleball.
But we can't just have him floating
from court to court
playing random characters.
Yeah, exactly.
This story needs stakes,
depth, something to follow.
And heart.
Every great sports
story has to have heart.
R-right.
Like "Rocky" had Adrian,
"Happy Gilmore" had Virginia,
and "Dodgeball" had-had, what was that?
It had Ben Stiller's mustache,
and that's all that really matters.
(all laughing)
Right, Pete needs somebody in his world,
someone who pushes him forward.
Or keeps him grounded.
-Yeah.
-Or both.
Mm.
Right, but she needs
her own role in the story.
I mean, yeah, she can't
just be a decoration.
Yeah, she has to be unique.
Matter of fact, they aren't
even a love interest at first.
Well, what if she's like
his manager or promoter?
Or his fairy godmother, you know?
Only she's got a clipboard and a whistle.
Yeah, yeah.
Somebody that believes in
him when nobody else does.
She could be the one helping him build
his Pickleball league.
Yeah, that's good.
But maybe we don't even know
if they're in a relationship.
It's complicated.
We can let the audience
figure it out for themselves.
-Yeah.
-Complicated.
That's my favorite status.
That's a mystery.
-Crazy.
-I like it.
Okay, okay.
Name needs to pop.
Something memorable.
Pickleball Patty.
(group chuckles)
Yeah, that's it.
I'll take a pickleball
patty with some fries.
No, no, no, no.
Stop the Patty thing.
All right, all right.
What about Cha Cha?
Cha Cha.
Ooh.
Now that works.
That's fun.
Distinct.
And it brings in the Latin market.
If we have a Latina,
we could then open up our audience.
Yeah, representation matters.
And she can bring real
personality to the film.
Yeah, and she needs to
have a signature look,
like she always has a flower in her hair.
That's her thing.
Okay.
Okay, so Cha Cha, she
is smart, she's fiery,
she's central to the story.
She helps Pete organize
his pickleball league.
Yeah, and their
relationship is complicated.
Maybe, maybe they flirt.
Maybe they argue.
Maybe they're secretly
together, maybe not.
I mean, the audience can wonder, right?
No, no, no, no, no.
They are totally together.
Nobody can have that much chemistry, okay,
without at least one
slow-motion paddle scene.
Exactly.
She has her own goals, her own voice.
She's not just "the girlfriend."
No, and she brings
in the cultural flair,
the food, the music, the energy.
She brings texture into Pete's life.
Maybe she's the only one
who can actually keep Pete on track.
Then she deserves a medal.
Right, okay.
So Cha Cha, she is,
this is really good, I like this.
She's not just a part of the story.
She's actually a driving force in it.
-All right, yeah.
-I like that.
So Pete's got Cha Cha.
This is officially more than just a guy
hitting balls around.
To Cha Cha, queen of the court,
and the only woman who could
out-serve Pickleball Pete
and his ego.
(Sam laughs) Cha Cha.
-She's a spark.
-Yeah.
Hi.
Fantastic interview, papi.
Thanks, Cha Cha.
But for the millionth time, it's Pete.
Ay.
For the millionth time,
I know it's Pete, papi.
So the league seems to
have a lot of interest.
I got a feeling this league
is really gonna take off.
I just wish that Tear
Drop Charlie could be here
to share in the success, you know?
Can't believe they put him in prison.
It was clearly self-defense.
(upbeat music)
(Charlie laughs)
Can only go up from here though, right?
Seriously?
Kevin Sorbo?
Well.
I mean, why not?
It gets us the faith-based crowd.
But he kills someone.
I mean, Christians aren't perfect.
Oh, okay.
What is Pete's backstory?
Every actor knows they
gotta have a backstory.
I mean, maybe he was a tennis pro
and then, I don't know,
something happened.
-(upbeat music)
-Woo!
-Great job, Pete.
-Great job, papi.
-Great job, Peter.
-Yeah.
[Mike] Okay, hear me out.
-Champion out there.
-Pete becomes famous
because he literally slips on a pickle.
(Jess laughs)
That is so stupid.
Aww.
It's perfect.
[Alex] Yeah. (laughs)
Ma, I'm hungry.
-Ma.
-Okay.
That's enough, Theodore.
[Theodore] But ma.
Shh.
I said behave.
Watch the game.
Ma.
Ma!
-Enough of that, dear.
-Ma, come on.
Trying to watch.
Ma'am, I have this pickle right here.
It will shut this kid up.
Sure, thank you.
Here you go.
(Theodore munching)
(Theodore spits)
(air swooshing)
(Pete grunts) (playful music)
(Pete screams)
Peter.
A pickle.
A pickle hit me.
Oh my. (team laughing)
All right, all right.
But underneath all the silliness though,
Pete does find pickleball.
And to him, it's not just working out.
In a world where one
man slipped on a pickle
and it served him right to his destiny.
Grace, you should write the trailer.
(all laughing)
All right, it's actually
really great. (laughs)
What, it's genius.
Yeah. (speaking indistinctly)
Come on.
Maybe nobody's taking him seriously.
Or the only person
that will play with him is his Aunt Marge.
Or his team is just two guys
who showed up for free snacks.
I don't know with the free snacks.
That's why I joined this team. (laughs)
Of course you did.
Well, I can see it now.
Poor Pickleball Pete standing in the gym,
and it smells like pickles.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But whatever the
reason, he's stuck, right?
He, um, he has the dream, but no momentum.
Trapped in a world where
nobody believes in the paddle.
You've been watching
too many trailers, Grace.
I am just saying, if Hollywood
calls, I'm gonna be ready.
I mean, but that's where the
story really starts, right?
Like the moment something changes.
-That's right.
-Yeah.
An opportunity knocks wonderfully.
(door knocking)
Not again.
Hey. (laughs)
-Scram, nerds.
-Pickleball Pete,
if you would just hear
us out for a second.
Yeah, we have something
exciting to tell you about.
I have something exciting to tell you.
Get off my property or
I'm gonna lose my mind.
I don't know what I'm gonna
do, but I'm gonna do something.
Stop, stop, stop, stop.
We're here to help you guys.
Oh, yeah?
Why are you here to help?
My name is Ted.
I'm Penelope, hi.
And we represent the local
People's Pickleball Alliance.
For Pineapple Park and Palm Grove.
Wait, what?
They said they represent the People
of Pickleball Alliance.
For Pineapple Park in Palm Grove.
Pineapple Park is a pickleball court?
Not yet, but that's why we
started this organization,
to make that happen.
We're hoping, with your
signature and skills,
we can raise enough money
to turn our old shabby tennis courts
into brand new pickleball courts.
That's right, and turn Palm
Grove into the hidden gem
and alternative to the
annoyingly prosperous Palm Beach.
That's why we're going around
and collecting these signatures. (laughs)
Now, would you both be
willing to sign our petition
for the Pineapple Palm of Palm
Grove Pickleball Initiative?
What you thinking, papi?
I grew up playing
tennis on those courts.
Those courts changed my life.
I don't know if I can stand
by and watch 'em be torn down
and replaced for a sport
that turned its back on me.
I can't sign that.
Did you say signature and skills?
-Exactly.
-Oh.
Oh, yeah, Diadem is hosting
a pickleball tournament
and the prize is $100,000.
(Ted laughs)
$100,000?
Yep.
-I'm in.
-100k.
Wait, wait, wait.
And you want papi to
play in the Palm Grove?
Exactly.
And we're gonna use that money
to turn all the old tennis courts
into pickleball courts.
Yes!
What?
You want papi to win the money,
and then you give it to Pineapple Grove?
For the courts.
-Ah.
-Yeah.
I don't know about that.
(Cha Cha speaking Spanish)
I will sign this for you though.
Good luck in your petition
for Pineapple Park at Palm Grove.
Pickleball Court initiative.
Cha Cha.
And don't come back.
Okay.
Big picture.
Pete wants to go pro.
He started this league
that didn't work out.
Opportunity knocks.
And then he gets into this
Diadem pickleball tournament.
Where he could win $100,000.
And pickleball fame.
One man, one paddle, $100,000.
-(team chuckling)
-Okay.
Yeah, yeah, I like all of that.
But come on, we need more drama.
And chaos.
Oh, definitely chaos.
Maybe the mob.
-Oh, the mob.
-Oh.
The Pickleball Mafia that goes,
"I control the courts
from Naples to Tomoka."
(chuckling continues)
Okay, okay.
But we can't just have him
breezing through this tournament.
That's boring.
Right, a good sports
comedy needs stakes, twists,
weird stuff that keeps happening.
Okay, okay, so-so what's the worst thing
that could happen to Pete along the way?
He loses his paddle.
That his league turns on him.
Cha Cha gets recruited by a rival team.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, not Cha Cha,
'cause she is the heart and soul
of his little, you know, spin serve.
Yes, betrayal.
Maybe, maybe, okay.
Maybe a rival player
from his past resurfaces.
You know, someone who
was involved in the thing
that he walked away from.
We could call him the Net Whisperer,
because he's all mysterious. (laughs)
Okay, we can layer it.
Rival league trouble, romance tension.
And snacks.
Don't forget the snacks
'cause we need the snacks.
I'm getting hungry.
(laughs) Okay, exactly.
Big goals, big prizes.
But the road to get there has to be messy.
Okay, okay, let's bring
his past back into it.
Um, what was the name of his tennis coach?
We didn't give him one yet.
Oh, okay, well.
Fred.
Fred's a good coach's name.
Let's bring him back into it.
Okay, here's what happens.
(door knocking)
Pete, it's you!
It's really you.
-(knocking continues)
-Come on, Pete.
It's Ted and Penelope and your coach Fred.
It's your coach.
We know you're Peter Picklevitch.
We know you were on your way
to becoming a famous tennis star.
Come on.
Seriously?
It's not like I was in
hiding or something.
Yeah, can we talk?
Please?
Yes!
Eat up, boys and girl.
So guys, I wanna help you.
I really do.
It's just I've spent my entire life
trying to defeat the game
named after my nemesis:
the pickle.
A pickle ruined my career.
And ever since then, I've vowed to become
the best pickleball player
the world has ever seen.
That's right.
By defeating the pickle.
Yeah, yeah, you're right, Peter.
-It's Pete now.
-Oh.
It's Pete now.
That's right, papi. (chuckles)
Listen, I always knew
you would do great,
and I knew you would excel
at anything, but man to man,
why'd you ghost me, huh?
I was your coach.
I'll tell you why.
(bright music)
Traitor. (cries)
I was there that day.
The day you handed that
monster that tennis ball.
-What?
-That kid ruined
my tennis career, and I vowed,
if I ever saw him again,
the things I would do to him.
(chuckles nervously) Oh, the thing is,
(clears throat) Pete.
Bye.
You just had to steal the beat.
Couldn't you just ease into it?
I'm sorry, dad.
Stepdad.
-I'm sorry, Stepdad Fred.
-(Fred grunts)
Slow down, papi.
Shut up, Cha Cha.
Don't you wanna listen to that Fred,
Ted, and the nerdy girl?
This community could
use a pickleball court,
and you're just not meant to do it.
No.
Get your lazy butt up.
I don't think he wants to
play pickleball anymore.
Here you go.
I brought us some yummy snacks.
Help yourself.
Okay, let's cut right to the chase.
So the only way that we're
going to get Palm Grove's.
Pineapple Park to build
those pickleball courts
is with Peter's help.
Wouldn't you, papi's tennis coach,
why do you want to see the
tennis court destroyed?
All right, people, lean in with me.
All right, come on, come on.
That was a dark day.
A dark day.
It's darker than me.
Darker than you, Stepdad Fred? (laughs)
So Peter hurt his ankle that day,
and that ended his career.
But it also killed my coaching.
But there was a light at
the end of that tunnel,
and at the end of that tunnel
was the love of my life.
Oh, dear.
And your son.
Yeah, uh.
So anyways, my favorite
snack, my last pickle,
I had to give it to a kid to shut him up.
Hey!
We love you, pumpkin.
So anyways, I hurt one
and I helped another,
but I knew that day that
I had to defeat the pickle
to make everything right.
So you want to defeat the pickleball?
Defeating it as in dominating it.
Or you could defeat the game
and leave the tennis courts.
See, that's the problem.
Nobody cares about tennis anymore.
Plus, a developer has
been eyeing that park
to build office space or something.
The only way to save the
park is to win that money
by building pickleball courts.
Then I can coach and I can dominate it.
You said defeat.
Woman, do you want help or not?
Fine.
If you help papi, I'm in.
Excellent.
Do you have any ideas?
Well, there is one
thing that we all know.
He likes to compete!
And there is only one person
that truly defeated him.
Mustang Sally!
That's right.
(upbeat music)
The sin of destruction.
Exactly.
-Hi, Sally.
-Hi, Pete.
You got game?
Yeah.
You wanna play?
[Sally] Yes.
Okay.
Uh, good luck.
You too, Pete.
Thank you.
Who do you think's gonna win?
Sally.
What about you?
Sally.
-Two sets.
-Yeah.
All right, we'll see.
You got any hot dogs here?
Hot dogs?
I thought you liked bananas and bologna.
(light music)
-Ah!
-Yeah!
That's it.
-Oh!
-Oh!
How could he miss that?
Peter, is that all you got?
You got him, Sally, one more point.
Hey.
Hey, shot.
-Come on, Sally, Sally.
-Hey.
(Sally grunts)
Oh.
-Great win, Sally.
-Great win, Sally.
You suck.
-Yes.
-Yay!
-Nice.
-Way to go, girl.
Way to go.
The sin of destruction. (indistinct)
Listen, let me tell you,
this went on for years.
When I put Pete into semi-pro
and Sally into the women's division,
they never played again.
So he never beat her?
[Fred] Not one single game.
And the Diadem Pickleball Tournament
is an open tournament.
So if we get Sally to
enter the tournament,
papi will have the hope
to defeat his... Neresis.
No, no.
Nemesis.
I think it's nemosis.
It's nemesis, you idiot.
I need you guys to find out everything
about this Mustang Sally.
I'm in!
Yeah.
(playful music)
Aw, this thing's broken.
Can't see anything.
Give me that.
You had the cap on, dummy.
(playful music continues)
It looks like it's good.
My apple fritter.
Shh.
We're on a stakeout, dummy.
I know we're on a stakeout.
Hey, look, there she is.
(upbeat music)
You stay here.
(playful music)
I'm going in.
(speaking Spanish)
(playful music)
(Ted chuckling)
(grunts) Oh.
Can I help you?
Ah, yes.
(clears throat) Yes.
Indeed, you can.
My name is Theodore Rockevilt,
and I am here to inquire.
Inquire?
Yes, indeed.
About what it is you do here,
the services you provide, naturally.
Well, this is a real estate office.
And what does a real
estate employee do exactly?
A realtor sells homes.
Indeed, indeed.
Well, I would like to look at a property,
a wealthy one on Palm Beach.
I must keep appearances,
as you understand.
Well, all right then.
Right this way.
Let me show you what we have online.
Fabulous.
So what's your budget?
Well, money is no
object here. (chuckles)
So please, show me the
most expensive house
on the island, if you will.
Well, we have this
62,000-square-foot lovely estate.
Estate.
So French.
Sits on two acres, private beach.
Hmm, I do like my beachfronts private.
I'm somewhat of a nudist.
So you have six
championship tennis courts.
Almost seven.
A golf course, a 100-foot massive pool,
a ballroom dripping in real gold.
Hmm, dripping.
Would I need a plumber?
It has numerous cabanas, beach house.
Oh, and it belongs to a
former U.S. president.
Oh, sweet. (laughs)
Sweet.
So is that like worth $18 million?
Oh, don't be ridiculous.
I mean, no. (chuckles)
It would not be ridiculous.
Ted, what are you?
What is taking him so long?
Okay, Mr. Vanderfella.
Rander, real name, Smithsburg.
Yes, okay, sure.
Thank you so much for coming in.
And don't forget to email
me those credentials
so I can pre-qualify you for that tour.
Is this you in the picture?
Much younger-looking here.
[Sally] Oh, thank you.
Mm, Photoshop these days, right?
Okay, all right.
Thank you, ma'am.
Ugh, what a waste of time.
You have a bathroom I could use?
No.
Right.
Ugh.
Okay, all this is getting silly.
Mustang Sally references to Trump, really?
Oh, it's funny.
Okay, okay, let's forget
about the A-story for a bit.
Every good film has a B-story.
What's ours?
But every A-story has
to connect to the B-story.
Okay, so let's dive into the betrayal.
Great.
So what happens?
(birds chirping)
(phone dialing)
(phone ringing)
Cha Cha here.
Hi, is this Cha Cha Rodriguez?
Yeah.
Who's this?
Oh, this is Polly.
Pickleball Polly from Palm Beach.
-Really?
-Yes.
I heard you're available,
and I'm in need of a new assistant.
I don't know if you've heard,
but I'm favored to win the
Diadem Pickleball Invitational
and inevitably go pro.
Someone with your experience
and knowledge is hard to come by.
Yeah?
[Polly] So what do you say?
Uh, Miss Polly, I'm still
working for Pickleball Pete,
and it's conflict of interest.
Oh, please.
Peter is finished.
Plus, can he even pay you?
Meet me at my mansion in
Palm Beach to discuss.
Okay.
(both squealing)
Seorita Cha Cha, it
is so nice to meet you.
Oh, just Cha Cha. (laughs)
Woo, nice estate.
I know.
Please sit.
Oh.
So?
So, Ms. Polly, I appreciate your offer,
but I'm here to tell you
in person that I just-
- I can pay you $3,000 per
week plus full benefits.
-I accept!
-Oh!
Perfect, perfect.
See you later.
Okay.
Woo!
(phone ringing)
Yes, she accepted.
We're almost there.
(laughs) Cheers.
Where is Ted?
So Sally sells real estate.
And?
That's actually all we found out.
Oh, great, wonderful.
Cha Cha, what about you, huh?
Um, I have nothing to report.
Well, we have to figure something out.
The only way we're gonna save these courts
is by winning the tournament.
I think the key is sticking together.
Then we'll figure something out.
Oh.
Yes, Cha Cha is in.
We just need insurance.
Get me the Viper.
Yes, the Viper!
Ugh.
The Viper?
Is this the mob part?
Could be.
Maybe the Viper is not
what we're expecting.
Ooh, plot twist.
Well, every good movie has a plot twist.
Well, maybe the Viper is a rival player.
Quiet, intense.
Wears too much sweat-resistant eyeliner.
Good, good, we might
be onto something here,
minus the ghost paddle, of course.
(upbeat music)
Hey, anything?
(upbeat music)
Sweet.
(watch ringing)
-Yeah?
-Got a job.
[Viper] Where?
Palm Beach.
When?
Now.
I'll send details.
Okay, I'll be there.
(dramatic music)
I brought a little something.
Polly Pickleball just
had me call in the Viper.
No kidding, The Viper.
Oh, this must be serious.
When someone calls in the Viper,
it's always serious.
Yes.
The mob is in the movie.
Maybe they can whack
Pickleball Pete with a paddle.
Okay.
Let's bring in the competitors.
Well, is anybody hungry for dessert?
I can make my eggplant pie.
-No!
-No.
Whew.
All right, listen up.
I just checked the website,
and Sally has not entered
the tournament yet.
But we have a bigger problem.
What's that, dad?
Boy, didn't I tell you
to stop calling me that?
It's stepdad.
What's that, Stepdad Fred?
Polly Pickleball of Palm Beach
has entered the tournament.
Budge!
Who's that?
Polly Pickleball is a rising legend
in the pickleball community.
She's the first to get sponsored
and to bring the sport into the spotlight.
Now, I'm pretty confident
that Pete can beat Sally,
but Polly, whew.
That's a whole different story.
So I think we should probably give up.
Okay, nice to know-
- Uh, uh, uh, Cha Cha, cha-cha it down.
Do you think I waited all
these years just to give up?
Mm.
By the way, how is Pete doing?
Has he still been training?
Oh yeah, he's been training nonstop.
You're the only one who ever believed
in Pickleball Pete. (sobs)
All right, great.
All we need is one week.
Just one week to get him
ready for this tournament
because he needs to beat that Sally
and he needs to beat that Polly.
Great plan, Stepdad Fred.
(upbeat music)
(playful music)
What you think you're doing?
You know better.
Take your shoes off.
Sorry, mom.
Hey, what's this I hear about you going
to Polly's mansion?
Can you believe it?
Jimmy called it in.
Jimmy?
I thought I told you... I know, I know.
But they needed my help with
the pickleball tournament
and something about tennis
courts in Palm Grove.
Honey, please stop eating candy.
You're gonna ruin your dinner.
I'm so sorry, mom.
(upbeat music)
Gentlemen.
Oh, Mustang Sally.
What brings you to this part of town?
Looking good, might I add.
I heard you called
the Viper in yesterday.
Oh yeah?
Well, who told you that?
Look, Sally, what can I do you for?
Well, I'm just curious.
What is little Miss Polly,
the daughter of Palm Grove's mayor,
doing calling in the Viper?
Uh.
-Hey, boss.
-Shh.
Hey, I don't want any trouble.
I'm just trying to get some information.
Jimmy, we grew up together in Palm Grove.
We all grew up playing tennis together.
Yeah, those were the days.
Hey, if somebody's
tearing down those courts,
I need to know.
Oh, boy.
Look, Sally, honestly,
I have no idea what you're talking about.
Hmm.
What's the mayor planning?
I don't know.
[Sally] Really?
Yeah, really.
So what's that?
(upbeat music)
(laughs) Busted.
Well, just as expected.
What?
The mayor is planning on
destroying the tennis courts
and building an office building.
Oh.
That's why Polly wanted me to
make sure Pete didn't enter
-the tournament.
-Pete?
Yeah, this pickleball pro.
Well, semi-pro, but... You know him?
You could say that.
So that's why you gave up
tennis? Because of some boy?
So Coach Fred said you were entered
in a tournament this weekend.
That's right.
If I win, I'm going pro.
So?
So?
What does that mean for us?
For us?
Yes, us.
(Pete giggles)
Sally.
Yes?
(giggling continues)
I hate you, Peter Picklevitch.
And I hate tennis too.
Now you see why we gotta
get rid of these courts?
It ruined my life.
Stole the woman of my dreams.
Sally know how you felt?
That's not the point.
Okay, so the Viper is
Mustang Sally's daughter.
Yeah, a-and Mustang Sally
has a thing for Pickleball Pete.
Yeah, 'cause nothing says true love
like a pickleball court
and a midlife crisis.
Yeah, and the mob guy's
jealous of Pickleball Pete.
And he wants to whack him.
Ah, say goodbye to your paddle, Pete.
Only in our movie does pickleball
and mob hit go in the same sentence.
(team laughing)
And don't forget Pickleball Polly.
She's secretly a tournament beast
and trying to sabotage every step.
So we have the makings
of a political crime story.
Just because that one guy
did a terrible Trump impression
doesn't mean it's a political story.
Yeah, if anything, it makes it confusing
and a little uncomfortable.
Well, uncomfortable
is my favorite genre.
No, no, no, no, not that guy.
The mayor.
See, he's in with the mob, right?
He wants the pickleball
courts for, you know,
whatever mayors wanna build.
A luxury pickleball court?
A parking garage shaped like a paddle.
A Chick-fil-A.
Ooh, a Chick-fil-A.
And if that's what it is,
then I want some promotional products.
No, let's just do something normal.
An office complex.
Good.
What's the mayor's deal?
Well, he's shady.
You know, he's got dealings
going on behind the scenes.
'Cause if Pete wins
the-the-the Palm whatever, right?
The Pickleball Association
gets the courts.
And the mayor can't
build his office complex.
Right.
This movie is insane.
(team laughing)
Right?
And yet I would watch it twice.
And it's perfect.
Anyway, back to the mayor.
Citizens, friends, Palm Grovians,
we're here today to discuss
three very important issues:
the future of our beloved park,
the future of our community,
and the future of our,
well, actually one issue,
the future of our park.
It's been well known for the past decade
that our tennis courts
have seen better days.
Quite frankly, the
sport of tennis is dead.
That's baloney.
Now, now, I know this might be hard
for some of you to hear,
but we have a proposal
from a very reputable company
that wants to build an
extremely modern office building
that will not only create jobs,
but additional revenue for the citizens.
Take it easy, okay, take it easy.
Tennis, tennis, tennis, tennis!
Pickleball, pickleball, pickleball!
-Tennis!
-Pickleball.
(indistinct overlapping yelling)
All right, the mayor,
he's a complete idiot.
He's got these two spoiled children
that keep screwing everything up.
Stop talking about my childhood.
So he's not the villain.
It's the spoiled kids.
Pumpkins.
-Daddy!
-Daddy!
Pumpkins.
How we doing, girls?
The tournament, the plan?
Is Cha Cha on board?
Easy as pudding, papa.
I doubt Pete's gonna wanna play
now that his only friend
is employed by me.
And I have a little insurance plan
to make sure he doesn't.
Stupid picklehead Pete.
This insurance plan,
is this something I even wanna know about?
Probably best you don't,
but let's just say he
won't be up for playing.
That's my pumpkins.
I knew Cha Cha would accept.
She'll do anything for money.
I mean, are they really that threatened
by Pickleball Pete?
I mean, we haven't been showing him
playing pickleball
throughout the entire movie.
E-exactly.
It's kinda like in "Jaws."
You barely really see the shark.
-Order.
-Come on.
What you think?
Look crazy?
Crazy indeed.
You know, I think I need to
pay the mayor a little visit.
What do you have planned for today?
Polly wants me to make sure
Pete doesn't enter the tournament.
Pete?
Whoa, whoa, meaning what?
I told you.
She wants him, you know?
Oh, sweetie.
Promise me you won't do anything
until I talk to the mayor.
Please?
Okay, let's get this straight.
The Viper is a teenage
girl with a sugar fetish?
Yeah, l-like a human hummingbird.
Fueled by sugar, driven by rage.
Oh, and she's unpredictable.
Sugar highs are very dangerous.
(playful music)
(playful music continues)
Ow!
(Pete screaming)
Little rugrat stole my Oreo.
Oh my God.
What?
All right, all right, hold on a second.
So now we've got some Tonya
Harding thing going on here now?
Bat, really?
Yep, exactly.
That's absolutely ridiculous.
I know, but I love it. (laughs)
Excellent, excellent.
Oh, yeah, the whole Peter
thing is totally figured out.
Mm-hmm.
Okay, bye.
Hey guys, it's Polly Pickleball.
Are you guys coming to
the Diadem Pickleball.
Invitational this weekend?
If so, see you there.
Huh.
Yo, Vinny.
Get those trucks ready.
Dickies.
(light music)
(door knocking)
Hey.
Sally.
We need to talk.
I know, I know, please.
Allow me to present
a pickleball alternative proposal.
This better be good.
How would you like the exclusive
on Palm Grove's newest and
biggest office building?
Imagine it, Sally's World.
(upbeat music)
But you know what we're missing?
(gasps) Oh, here we go.
Mob scenes. (team laughing)
We need more mob scenes.
Like with trucks, right?
Armored pickle trucks.
Driven by sweet rollers storming.
Storming.
Grace, actually,
that's kind of brilliant.
I know, I'm just full of chaos
with a purpose and a lack of sleep.
(all laughing)
Just got something to do with
that park up in Palm Grove.
Yeah, you better get that contract.
I got a fleet of concrete
trucks ready to go.
Sad to see the old neighborhood
turn into a concrete jungle though.
[Jimmy] Gotta bring down all these.
I'm on a diet.
All right, let's get back to the story.
Pickleball Pete is hurt.
But if he doesn't play,
then he won't win the $100,000.
And if he doesn't win the $100,000-
- Is the movie over?
I hope so.
I'm so confused.
So no, we-we turn it into a faith film.
(laughs) What?
No, no, no, I-I'm serious.
Faith and family, t-the Christian market.
A whole new genre.
(laughs) What?
So we're just gonna casually
pivot the entire movie?
How do you suppose we just do that?
Easy.
Miraculous healing.
Oh, no.
You can't be serious.
I'm dead serious.
Look, most faith-based films
aren't actually faith-based.
As long as you throw a Bible in there.
Or Thanksgiving dinner.
Oh, or someone prays.
Exactly.
Bam.
You qualify for the holy genre.
Oh, so a faith healer
is just gonna lay hands
on Pete's broken knee?
No, no, no, no.
Even better.
(Mike vocalizing)
We use the Bible.
T-the Bible?
Why do you carry a Bible?
Because I'm a storyteller,
and these are the best stories.
Am I right?
Am I right?
Cheers to that.
Ow.
Ow.
"For all that is kept secret
will eventually be brought into the open."
Huh.
Lord, give me strength.
Please?
I need to be in this tournament.
Heal my ankle.
Please, Lord.
Ha!
(laughs) I'm healed.
Thank you, God.
Thank you.
(phone ringing)
Hey.
What's up?
Hey, buddy, I heard
you were out of jail.
I need to talk to you about something.
You want a partner?
I'll be there.
(upbeat music)
Right.
Huh.
Pickleball Pete is back, baby!
Pickleball Pete is back!
So now we got faith-based, maybe.
Yep, miraculous healing.
And the mob.
Don't forget the mob. (laughs)
Of course not.
What's not a faith-based
film without organized crime?
Right?
Okay, okay.
But if we're doing a faith-based movie,
we all know one thing.
We keep Kevin Sorbo.
Of course we keep Kevin.
"In the beginning, there was Sorbo."
Yeah, he's-he's in like 100
of these Christian movies.
It doesn't actually
qualify as a faith-based film
until you have Kevin Sorbo
delivering a dramatic monologue
while staring off into the distance.
(team laughing)
Okay, I'm game.
But so far, we have Kevin
Sorbo playing an ex-con
that is drinking beer.
It's a slippery slope, man.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
But it could be root beer.
Christian loophole, okay?
Boom.
Yeah, and the next thing you know,
he's gambling on pickleball
matches behind the church.
We could test it.
What?
Test what?
Well, we could run an
audience focus group.
(laughs) Oh great.
Press one if Kevin Sorbo
drinking a beer is acceptable.
Press two if it should be sweet tea.
Two, please.
Okay, okay.
Faith movie, check.
Kevin Sorbo, check.
Miraculous healing, check.
Monster and trucks, check.
Spoiled mayor's kids, check.
And don't forget the
sugar-addicted Viper.
Mm, check.
I guess that means it's tournament time.
Oh, boy.
Everything has led to
this moment. (laughs)
Pete, the mob, the mayor,
the Viper with the sugar
stash, Sorbo at the bar.
Oh man, this tournament's got it all.
"In a world where chaos meets cardio."
Let's just finish this thing
before somebody suggests
a talking pickleball.
Too late, I was just about to say that.
(upbeat music)
Okay, pickleballers, Stu Sunshine here,
but you already knew that.
Dean Cain?
Are you serious?
Yeah.
If you have Kevin, you
have to have Dean Cain.
They're the "God Not Dead" fantastic duo.
Can we just get to the tournament?
Okay, pickleballers, Stu Sunshine here,
but you already knew that.
Today is the day.
The first annual Palm Beach.
Pickleball Tournament is underway
right here at the Diadem
Pickleball Invitational.
And Palm Beaches are flooding
in for this exciting new sport
that is apparently sweeping the country,
although I've never seen it in my life.
Okay, Pete's Palm Beach Pickle Buddies
will face off against
some stiff competition.
The Orlando Sugar Pixies are here,
along with the Tampa Bay Bambi Hunters.
And I did not make those names up.
Hey. (Viper gasps)
Hey.
Hey.
Is this your little angel?
-She is.
-Huh.
Interesting.
Next time you try and take somebody out,
make sure you don't
use a whiffle ball bat.
Sorry, my bad.
So I hear you entered the tournament.
I did.
I guess we might
finally have that rematch.
We just might, Mustang Sally.
We just might.
See you there.
What's going on, Peter?
-How you doing?
-All that good stuff.
So I heard and decided
you wanted to play, huh?
I decided to play.
So there's still a
chance to save the courts.
Nice one, Theodore.
No pickles this time.
No pickles.
You got it, you got it.
(upbeat music)
You guys are going down.
Yeah.
Tear Drop Charlie.
Pickleball Pete!
Oh my gosh, you look awesome, buddy.
So you ready for it?
Are you ready for this?
Ooh, you know I'm ready.
Ladies and gentlemen,
apparently, Tear Drop
Charlie and Pickleball Pete
have officially entered the tournament.
And that's big news.
Hey, Pete, did we, uh, did we win?
We didn't play yet.
Oh, gotcha.
Hey, who's that?
That right there is the
best pickleball player
to ever pickle a ball.
Oh my.
Who's, uh, who's that dame?
Oh, she's nuts.
What are you doing?
I think I might be lactose intolerant.
We have to be on those
courts in five minutes!
Yeah, I'm sorry, Polly.
I don't think I can play.
What do you mean you can't
play? You're my partner.
You know what?
I don't need you.
(upbeat music)
Team Bag O' Donuts
takes on Tear Drop Charlie
and Pickleball Pete in the first round.
That's right, fifth grade.
Give it, picklehead.
You can barely even move.
(upbeat music)
You really think that you can beat us?
No!
That's what you get.
Peace!
Fifth grade.
All right, next up we have Pop Crispy
and Tito Barstool against Pickleball Pete
and Tear Drop Charlie.
Whoa, all right.
Oh, you guys suck.
Ha!
It has been a wild
day here in Palm Beach
as pickleball has taken over the island.
-Come on, come on, Pete.
-Whoa!
-All right, good.
-Yeah.
-Yeah, yeah.
-Yeah.
You're going down, Tear Drop Charlie.
Come on.
(upbeat music)
Oh, that's a great shot.
This sport's not bad after all.
Picklehead Ping, Cry Baby
Charlie, you're going down.
Ooh, do you know how
many people said that to me
when I was in prison?
-Hey, hey.
-Kick out, yankers,
and get ready for skeet and saw.
Yeah, you better sit
back down, you know?
The bigger they think they
are, the harder they fall.
Well, good thing we
don't think. (chuckles)
That's it.
Time for defeat, boys.
That's all you got?
These guys are trash.
Look at that.
Not even trying.
Well, that was a pretty good return.
Not even trying.
He's got a beer in his hand.
We're still beating you.
-They're not doing it.
-Ugh!
They're just getting crushed out here.
So Pickleball Pete and Tear Drop Charlie
advance to the next round
against Grindstone Gary
and Hacksaw Harry.
And that rhymes.
We're gonna pickle these guys
whether they like it or not.
They might actually return the ball.
(upbeat music)
I saw that.
(upbeat music continues)
[Stu] Whoa, going for the angle.
-That's what you get.
-Oh, and Pickleball Pete
and Tear Drop Charlie win.
Polly Bradley, Mustang Sally,
Peter Picklevitch, and Tear Drop Charlie
advance their way to the finals,
a match everyone was hoping for.
Me too.
Easy, easy.
Oh my gosh, yeah.
This is it, Pete.
We've waited for this our entire lives.
Beat your nemesis.
Yeah, chill out, pops, we got it.
Pops?
You left, we lost the camera.
(upbeat music)
[Pete] Woo!
(upbeat music)
Oh, yeah.
Oh, yeah.
(upbeat music)
You got that, Tear Drop.
That's it.
Ooh.
[Charlie] Yes, that was awesome.
[Speaker] Rolling?
(upbeat music)
Yeah!
(upbeat music continues)
-Yeah.
-I got that.
Nice shot, Pickleball Pete.
-Whoa, whoa!
-And that's it!
Pickleball Pete and Tear Drop Charlie
win the whole thing.
And I can go home now.
I'm not driving.
Sally, uh-
- I'm so glad you won.
Get a room.
What?
-Woo!
-You did it, Pete.
-Great job, Pete.
-Woo!
(crowd cheering)
You won, papi!
(group clapping)
You got time for one more game
before they tear down these old courts?
I think we can do that.
Oh yeah, guys.
I got a little something for you.
[Cha Cha] Yes!
[Fred] Yeah!
[Cha Cha] Yes.
Woo!
Great job, Peter.
Sally, you guys.
Ooh.
Look at this.
-Let's play.
-Let's play.
(light music)
So Pete wins the
tournament, crowd goes wild,
confetti, pickleball glory.
All right, let's not
forget, and he gets $100,000.
And saves the courts.
And redeems his past.
And gets the girl.
And possibly, the Bible heals his knee.
You guys, (laughs)
This movie ending is so cheesy.
Excuse me?
This ain't cheesy.
It's basically "Rocky"
meets "VeggieTales"
meets "The Godfather."
And I would buy them tickets.
I would watch it twice
with popcorn and a prayer.
(laughs) Guys, this movie is so bad
it's kind of genius.
(all laughing)
Bigger question: who's gonna direct this?
Me, obviously, I'm directing it.
No, no, no, no, no way.
I got the vision.
I've already storyboarded
the pickle truck,
so I mean, it's done.
I'm the only one who
knows how the camera works.
This is gonna get ugly.
I am the one that should
be directing this film.
I mean, like are you serious?
(overlapping chatter)
Guys.
Guys, guys, shh.
We just wrote the most ridiculous
pickleball movie in history
together as a team.
So let's just do production
together as a team.
How bad could it be?
Famous last words before the sequel.
(team laughing)
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music continues)
(upbeat music)
(upbeat music continues)
(upbeat music)