The Masters Of Mini-Golf - What We Know So Far

The sports film genre is a well-worn landscape these days, with all sorts of competitive games getting their shot at silver screen glory. From the "Hoosiers" approach to high school basketball to the "Rocky" franchise's inspiring take on boxing, almost every sport has had its chance to shine at some point. The genre shows no signs of slowing down either, as one of the more bizarre competitions out there is poised for a big-screen adaptation.

That's where Mila Kunis' Orchard Farm Productions comes in, with the recent Deadline announcement of the upcoming film "The Masters of Mini-Golf." A humorous take on the real-world tournament (yes, it's a real thing), the film is headed for the streaming world with a release on HBO Max. With the film announced and gearing up to begin production, we now know a bit more about some of the key details associated with its upcoming release.

At this time, the release date for "The Masters of Mini-Golf" is not known. The acquisition of the project by Warner Bros. was only recently announced, and production has not begun yet. As such, it seems unlikely that the film will release until late next year – at the very earliest. As news related to the film begins to come out during production, a formal release date will likely be revealed.

To someone like Ashton Kutcher, the move to release "The Masters of Mini-Golf" on a streaming platform was likely a savvy one. Kutcher was a relatively early adopter in the world of streaming original content, with his Netflix series "The Ranch" standing out as one of the platform's key star-driven successes in the 2010s as it gained its footing. Now with HBO Max serving as a major driver of content for Warner Bros., "The Masters of Mini-Golf" can stand out as a potentially theater-quality comedy that can release straight to consumers.

As of right now, Ashton Kutcher is set to headline "The Masters of Mini-Golf." However, at this time, that is pretty much the extent of the casting news surrounding the project. The overall plot synopsis teases other potential characters who may appear, but no official casting news beyond Kutcher's addition has come to light yet. Kutcher is a well-established comedic actor at this point, having appeared in projects such as "Dude, Where's My Car?" "Two and a Half Men," and "The Ranch."

One thing worth wondering is whether or not Mila Kunis will team up with Ashton Kutcher in "The Masters of Mini-Golf." The couple met while working on the hit sitcom "That '70s Show," but they have worked on surprisingly few projects together in the years since the series came to an end. The only other recent film of note that they collaborated on was 2014's "Annie," which was also Kutcher's last film role. With Kunis producing "The Masters of Mini-Golf," audiences will have to wait and see if she joins her husband in the cast.

"The Masters of Mini-Golf" will see Ashton Kutcher portray a golf hustler who decides to try his con at the titular tournament after moving on from the PGA, as noted by Deadline. Upon partnering with his older brother (no casting has been announced yet for this role), the duo enters The Masters of Mini-Golf and discovers a world of competition they were not expecting. An inherently funny premise in its own right, the film seems to be taking some cues from other legendary sports comedies like "Happy Gilmore" and "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story."

One thing worth noting about the film is that it does seem to deviate from some of the roles that Ashton Kutcher is most well-known for in the earlier years of his career. Though he has played athletes in the past (former football player Colt Bennett on "The Ranch"), most of Kutcher's most prominent and beloved roles, such as Kelso in "That '70s Show" and Jesse in "Dude, Where's My Car?" are relatively earnest roles where he plays dimwitted, yet good-natured characters. By contrast, "The Masters of Mini-Golf" looks like an opportunity for Kutcher to play a somewhat scummier character who has to learn a lesson by the end of the film.