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Miles Teller is set to star officially in Winter Games, Paramount Pictures’ and Star Thrower Entertainment’s new sport drama. The pic is set over the high-energy and emotionally raw landscape of the Winter Olympics and represents a return by the actor to the kind of high-stakes, ambitious vehicles that characterized much of his early work.
The film is to be directed by Paul Downs Colaizzo (Brittany Runs a Marathon) and co-written by him along with Pat Cunnane. The story concerns two American athletes: a skier who has never quite reached her time, and a hockey player who has a background of self-destructive behavior. They both are at a crossroads in their professional lives when they meet each other in the Olympic Village. As they struggle with personal issues and mounting romantic tension, they’ll need to decide what sacrifices they’re willing to make to receive their chance at greatness.
Teller will also fund the film, along with Star Thrower Entertainment—the production firm responsible for King Richard and The Post. A firm that specializes in developing emotionally motivated, character-based narratives, the firm’s participation suggests that Winter Games will be more than a typical sports film. Instead, it will attempt to explore ambition, redemption, and the mental toll of elite competition.
This is not Teller’s first trip into high-profile roles. He took home notice in Whiplash as a jazz drummer pushed to the breaking point, and most recently rocketed back to blockbuster heights in Top Gun: Maverick playing the role of Goose’s son again. Winter Games finds Teller appearing to be back doing character work that’s grounded and emotionally raw, this time within the world of international sports.
The film’s themes reflect issues of today: identity, pressure, and the cost of striving for perfection. The stakes are international against the Olympics backdrop, but the emotional heart of the story is close-up.
Production will begin later this year, though no release date has been announced. Because of the setting and timing, a winter release—perhaps tied to the 2026 Winter Olympics—could be strategically placed.
With Teller’s box office appeal and a good creative team behind it, Winter Games looks like it is going to blend romance, drama, and top-shelf competition into an offbeat sporting film that is as much interested in the human element as in the podium.
