Marty Supreme table tennis film

[Silver smasher]

The Telegraph newspaper (UK) has reviewed this new film and given it a 5 out of 5 score. In fact they say it one of the best films of 2025 and a possible oscar nominee.
This could be great for our sport- has anyone seen it yet and how realistic are the TT games?

 

[NextLevel]

Here is a review from a movie reviewer I tend to watch:

Strong reviews from any sources, currently well over 90% on Rotten Toimatoes:

Marty Supreme | Rotten Tomatoes

Discover reviews, ratings, and trailers for Marty Supreme on Rotten Tomatoes. Stay updated with critic and audience scores today!

www.rottentomatoes.com

I don't think the movie will do much for TT but it will be fun to watch for sure. Or entertaining if not fun...

 

[Silver smasher]

According to the internet one of the sportsmen in the film is Vladimir Sebek. He is played by a new actor called Timo Boll!

 

[ThePongCommenter]

According to the internet one of the sportsmen in the film is Vladimir Sebek. He is played by a new actor called Timo Boll!

(Timo) has been in discussions with USA TT ventures before. Him and Dima have also repeatedly visited a wealthy TT playing family many times in the last year or two, where they play with a USATT 2300 player and some others.(...) He is also taking part in the Ping Pong movie where Timothee Chalamet plays Marty Reisman (...)

 

[Arkady]

I don't think the movie will do much for TT but it will be fun to watch for sure. Or entertaining if not fun...

It would be interesting to see the impact of the film to the sport.

I was watching a video that the reviewer believes that it will influence table tennis so strongly, that we will talk about the "before" and "after" the film era of table tennis.
Personally, I think that it will definitely bring new people to the sport (especially kids), but not a dramatic change.

But miracles do happen: I remember when "The Colour of Money" came out in Greece, everybody started playing pool. I remember that I was playing pool like crazy, I got my own pool cue and all the accessories.
The billiard store owners became rich during this time...

 

[ThePongCommenter]

It would be interesting to see the impact of the film to the sport.

I was watching a video that the reviewer believes that it will influence table tennis so strongly, that we will talk about the "before" and "after" the film era of table tennis.
Personally, I think that it will definitely bring new people to the sport (especially kids), but not a dramatic change.

But miracles do happen: I remember when "The Colour of Money" came out in Greece, everybody started playing pool. I remember that I was playing pool like crazy, I got my own pool cue and all the accessories.
The billiard store owners became rich during this time...

Lol it will do absolutely nothing. Ridiculous take by that reviewer but I like the optimism

 

[longle]

why do I think this actor looks like Liam Pitchford

 

[mihalichtheone]

Good to have another table tennis movie, especially with good budget and actors.

Besides Balls of fury (comedy), As One (Korean sports drama) and Ping Pong the animation, is there really any other movie/cartoon about table tennis?

 

[longle]

Good to have another table tennis movie, especially with good budget and actors.

Besides Balls of fury (comedy), As One (Korean sports drama) and Ping Pong the animation, is there really any other movie/cartoon about table tennis?

there is this manga I read when I was a kid - I still remember the Buddha serve when the ball lands on the other side but doesn't bounce.. many hilarious anti-physics moves like the Prince of Tennis manga lol

https://www.reddit.com/r/manga/comments/1i4ymug

 

[Arkady]

Good to have another table tennis movie, especially with good budget and actors.

Besides Balls of fury (comedy), As One (Korean sports drama) and Ping Pong the animation, is there really any other movie/cartoon about table tennis?

This is a good one:

Ping Pong: The Triumph (2023) ⭐ 6.4 | Drama

2h 20m

www.imdb.com

 

[NDH]

Lol it will do absolutely nothing. Ridiculous take by that reviewer but I like the optimism

I don't think it's a ridiculous take - If a film/TV Show becomes popular and showcases a niche sport/activity/hobby, there is usually a decent uptake in whatever it is.

Look at the Queens Gambit - Imagine telling people a Netflix show about Chess is going to cause....

The Queen's Gambit caused an 87% spike in chess set orders, 603% in book sales, and a boom in online chess and YouTube channels

Imagine also telling them that watching a dramatised Chess match may just be more exciting than watching many Table Tennis matches..... But that's another story!

However, I think I agree with you, that I don't believe Table Tennis will see a huge boom - In the UK, the barrier to entry is just too high, and I imagine it's the same in most places (outside of Asia anyway).

Not enough clubs, coaches or facilities.

But, it would be great if it did work!

 

[NetProphet]

The spike will most likely be a surge in people in their 30s and 40s coming back to the game they loved as a kid.
Seems to be at least half of the players in my local leagues have had this journey (as have I) of playing as a kid/teenager and then stopping for 20 yrs only to realise at some point that you still love the game and then start playing again!
Every year we have some new 'returnee' members but very few new members who are actually new to the game 🤷‍♂️

 

[Matt Hetherington]

Honestly the infrastructure of table tennis is too weak in the US for it to have a lasting effect. The people who might pick up a racket and even feel socially competitive is a demographic in the USA and even worldwide which has no support structure at all. One of the main reasons why pickleball has taken off in the USA is because there is a significant framework in America to support people new to the game and also to nurture socially competitive sport - tons of unsanctioned tournaments and leagues which are welcoming to new players etc.

I'm looking forward to seeing it, it will be great to have table tennis on the big screen in an acclaimed film, early reviews have all be positive and it's 96% on rotten tomatoes.

 

[NextLevel]

Honestly the infrastructure of table tennis is too weak in the US for it to have a lasting effect. The people who might pick up a racket and even feel socially competitive is a demographic in the USA and even worldwide which has no support structure at all. One of the main reasons why pickleball has taken off in the USA is because there is a significant framework in America to support people new to the game and also to nurture socially competitive sport - tons of unsanctioned tournaments and leagues which are welcoming to new players etc.

I'm looking forward to seeing it, it will be great to have table tennis on the big screen in an acclaimed film, early reviews have all be positive and it's 96% on rotten tomatoes.

Is that framework for gaining and retaining newcomers in pickleball replicable for TT and if not why?

 

[Matt Hetherington]

Is that framework for gaining and retaining newcomers in pickleball replicable for TT and if not why?

Yes it is. Go and ask USATT 😂😂😂😂

 

[ander999]

I may or may not be in it but what I can tell you is the amount of effort they took in making it as perfect as possible is astonishing. I think it will have an impact on table tennis, but in the short term. I doubt it will get many people to play competitively.

 

[jar]

Trailer looks alright, I wonder how much actual game play will feature in the movie versus all the drama/storyline scenes.

To me, the main impact the movie could have is to bring more legitimacy for table tennis in the mind of the audience.

It will be a good thing to have a movie portray the sport more seriously than Balls of Fury, for example.

 

[jbvttcc]

Is that framework for gaining and retaining newcomers in pickleball replicable for TT and if not why?

What I was thinking

 

[zeio]

Good to have another table tennis movie, especially with good budget and actors.

Besides Balls of fury (comedy), As One (Korean sports drama) and Ping Pong the animation, is there really any other movie/cartoon about table tennis?

Mix (2017), featuring Ito, Kizukuri, Yoshimura, Yamamoto, Ishikawa and Mizutani as cameos. There are also a few table tennis anime. Takkyuuuuuuuuu!!! is the more serious one, a collaboration of Chinese and Japanese animation studios.

「ミックス。」予告
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oEMqDA_BRVM

『卓球少女 -閃光のかなたへ-』オープニングムービー | 好評上映中！
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQymXt11Quc

『卓球少女 -閃光のかなたへ-』 エンディングテーマ | 絶賛上映中！
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX5EW09r2qU

 

[Scarfed Garchomp]

Good to have another table tennis movie, especially with good budget and actors.

Besides Balls of fury (comedy), As One (Korean sports drama) and Ping Pong the animation, is there really any other movie/cartoon about table tennis?

Another 'ping pong funny' movie, though arguably less un-serious than Balls of Fury