THE APEX TIMES
Rain Spencer and Ariana Greenblatt set to star in ‘Little Five,’ a feature film from Anne Hathaway’s Somewhere Pictures
Ian Samuels will direct the film, written by Gillian Williams and Paul Shoulberg, which is set around Indiana University’s Little 500 bicycle race.
Rain Spencer and Ariana Greenblatt have been set to star in the upcoming feature film Little Five, according to Deadline. The project is produced by Anne Hathaway’s production company, Somewhere Pictures, and Pigasus Pictures, with Ian Samuels directing from a screenplay by Gillian Williams and Paul Shoulberg.
Deadline reports that Little Five is centered on four women competing in the Little 500 bicycle race, a high-profile event held at Indiana University. The film’s premise, as described in the announcement, ties the story to the race environment and its competitive culture, with additional details expected to be released later.
Spencer is identified in the report as an actor known for The Summer I Turned Pretty, while Greenblatt is identified for her role in Barbie. The casting announcement positions both performers as leads in a film built around the logistics and intensity of a multi-day cycling event and a team-based competition.
According to Deadline, additional casting and production details will be announced in the coming months. No release date, production schedule, or filming location specifics were included in the report beyond the Indiana University setting connected to the race.
Little Five joins a continuing stream of studio and independent films using recognizable institutions and events as story frameworks, often leveraging existing audience awareness of the real-world competition. In this case, the reported tie to the Little 500 provides a built-in anchor for character arcs shaped by rules, training, and the coordination required during race conditions.
The project’s creative team includes Samuels as director and Williams and Shoulberg as screenwriters, with Hathaway serving as a producer through Somewhere Pictures. The report does not describe additional creative credits, casting beyond the two leads, or production partners beyond the two production companies.
As production moves forward, the next publicly available milestones are expected to include the full ensemble cast and more specifics on production timelines. The film will also likely clarify how the real-life Little 500 setting at Indiana University is used in the screenplay, including which aspects of the race setting are recreated versus reimagined for dramatic purposes.
Why It Matters
- The casting announcement adds two major screen performers to a project built around a well-known collegiate sporting event tied to Indiana University.
- If production proceeds on schedule, the next months’ casting updates will shape whether the film’s story remains focused on a small ensemble or expands to include broader institutional and community perspectives.
- By centering a women-led team competition in a real-world race setting, the film’s development may influence how filmmakers portray competitive sports rules, training routines, and event culture on screen.
- Production and distribution timelines, not included in the announcement, will determine when audiences can expect further information and when the project could enter release planning.
Key Facts
- Rain Spencer and Ariana Greenblatt have been cast to star in Little Five.
- The film comes from Somewhere Pictures, Anne Hathaway’s production company, and Pigasus Pictures.
- Ian Samuels will direct the feature.
- The screenplay is by Gillian Williams and Paul Shoulberg.
- Little Five is set around a Little 500 bicycle race at Indiana University and follows four women in the competition.
- Deadline says additional casting and production details will be announced in the coming months.