David Oyelowo has joined the cast of Little Five, an upcoming independent sports drama produced by Anne Hathaway’s Somewhere Pictures alongside Pigasus Pictures. Fresh off acclaimed performances in Lawmen: Bass Reeves and Silo, Oyelowo joins previously announced stars Ariana Greenblatt and Rain Spencer in the film, which is currently shooting in Bloomington, Indiana. His casting adds another established name to a project that aims to bring an overlooked chapter of American collegiate sports history to the big screen.
Oyelowo will portray Randall, a former cycling champion whose own competitive career ended before reaching its full potential. Reluctantly drawn back into the sport, Randall becomes a mentor to a new generation of riders searching for their own place in a tradition long dominated by men. Set during the early 1980s at Indiana University, Little Five follows four young women determined to challenge convention by pursuing a place in one of America’s most celebrated collegiate cycling events. As they confront institutional barriers and personal setbacks, the women discover that lasting change often begins with those willing to challenge the status quo.
Unlike many sports dramas that focus on championship victories, Little Five tells a story rooted in real history. The film draws inspiration from the Little 500, Indiana University’s famous annual bicycle race held at Bill Armstrong Stadium. While the men’s race began in 1951, women were excluded from official competition for decades. It was not until 1988 that the university introduced the Women’s Little 500, following growing momentum sparked by a Kappa Alpha Theta team’s unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the men’s race the previous year.
That inaugural women’s race attracted approximately 15,000 spectators, marking a milestone in collegiate athletics and helping establish a new tradition that continues today. By centring its story on the women who fought for that opportunity, Little Five explores a chapter of sporting history that has rarely been portrayed on screen. The film has been described as a spiritual successor to the acclaimed 1979 cycling classic Breaking Away, but shifts the spotlight to the athletes whose contributions were largely overlooked.
Joining Oyelowo, Greenblatt and Spencer are Sasha Frolova as Ingrid, Nadia Alexander as Josie, Drew Powell as Will and Max Cortezi as TFG. Greenblatt is known for her performances in Barbie and Now You See Me: Now You Don’t, while Spencer currently stars in Prime Video’s The Summer I Turned Pretty. Together, the cast combines established performers with emerging talent for a story that blends coming-of-age drama with themes of perseverance and equality.
The film is directed by Ian Samuels from a screenplay by Gillian Williams and Paul Shoulberg. Production is led by Zachary Spicer for Pigasus Pictures, with Anne Hathaway, Adam Shulman and Johnathan Rice producing for Somewhere Pictures. Founded by Indiana University alumni John Armstrong and Spicer, Pigasus Pictures was established to create filmmaking opportunities within the state, and the production has embraced that mission by recruiting extras and cyclists directly from the Little 500 community through the Indiana University Student Foundation.
Oyelowo remains one of the industry’s most respected actors, earning widespread acclaim for portraying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Selma. In recent years, he has starred in and executive produced Paramount+’s Lawmen: Bass Reeves, while also appearing in Apple TV+’s Silo, The Butler and The Book of Clarence. His addition brings considerable dramatic weight to Little Five, particularly in the mentor role at the centre of the story.
The project also continues the expansion of Somewhere Pictures, the production company launched by Hathaway in 2024. Following its debut with The Idea of You, the company has steadily built its development slate, which also includes the highly anticipated The Princess Diaries 3.
With production now underway in Bloomington, Little Five is positioning itself as more than a traditional sports drama. By combining an accomplished cast with an inspiring true story about perseverance, equality and the women who helped reshape one of America’s most celebrated collegiate sporting traditions, the film aims to shine a spotlight on a forgotten piece of history that deserves a much wider audience.
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