LOS ANGELES — Oscar winner Anne Hathaway is setting her sights on the world of collegiate sports. Her production banner, Somewhere Pictures, has partnered with Pigasus Pictures to produce Little Five, a 1980s-set cycling drama inspired by true events.
Rising Hollywood talents Rain Spencer (The Summer I Turned Pretty) and Ariana Greenblatt (Barbie) have officially signed on to lead the feature film, as first reported by Deadline. Production is slated to begin later this month on location in Bloomington, Indiana.
Chasing an Impossible Dream
Directed by Ian Samuels (The Map of Tiny Perfect Things) from a screenplay penned by Gillian Williams and Paul Shoulberg, Little Five is inspired by the origins of the iconic Women’s Little 500 bicycle race at Indiana University.
The film’s logline promises an inspiring story of female resilience and athletic history:
”Set against the backdrop of Indiana University in the early 1980s and inspired by the iconic Little 500 bicycle race, Little Five follows four unlikely young women who come together to chase one impossible dream. As they fight for a place in one of America’s most storied collegiate sporting traditions, they discover that true greatness isn’t achieved alone, and that changing history sometimes begins with a single team.”
The Indiana University Student Foundation has already begun collaborating with the production, actively scouting local cyclists and students to serve as background extras during the race sequences. Film enthusiasts have already noted that the project shapes up to be a spiritual, female-led successor to the 1979 classic cycling movie Breaking Away, which was famously shot on the same campus.
A Pair of Rising Leads
The casting marks a major pairing of two of the industry’s most sought-after young actresses:
- Rain Spencer: Best known for her breakthrough role as Taylor in Amazon’s hit YA series The Summer I Turned Pretty, Spencer has quickly built a strong independent film pedigree. She took home the Best Performance award at the Tribeca Festival for Good Girl Jane and recently garnered praise at Sundance for her role in Big Girls Don’t Cry.
- Ariana Greenblatt: One of the busiest young stars in Hollywood following her scene-stealing turn in Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster Barbie, Greenblatt’s upcoming slate includes highly anticipated turns in Now You See Me: Now You Don’t and the horror thriller Fear Street: Prom Queen.
Hollywood’s Cycling Boom
Little Five joins a sudden wave of high-profile, cycling-themed projects working their way through the studio system, including an upcoming Lance Armstrong biopic and a pro-cycling psychological thriller starring Jonathan Bailey.
While additional casting for the remaining two teammates has not yet been announced, Hathaway’s involvement ensures a high-profile push for the indie sports drama. The project marks another major step for Somewhere Pictures as Hathaway continues to aggressively expand her portfolio behind the camera, championing character-driven narratives led by diverse, breakout talent.
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