'Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber' Release Date, Cast, Trailer, Plot

Showtime is delving into the world of start-ups, tech, and questionable business leaders in Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber.

The series is based on Mike Issac's book of the same name, and stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Uber CEO Travis Kalanick (who resigned from the company in 2017) and Kyle Chandler as Venture Capitalist Bill Gurley.

Newsweek has everything you need to know including release date, cast, trailer, plot, and more.

When Is Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber Out?

Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber is coming to screens a lot sooner than you might think.

The new series will premiere on Sunday, February 27 at 10 p.m. ET. There are eight episodes in the series, which will air every Sunday on the channel.

Episodes of Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber will also be available to stream via the Showtime Anytime App.

Streaming is free if you are a Showtime network customer. Alternatively, you can subscribe to Showtime Anytime now for $10.99 per month, after a 30-day trial.

What Is Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber About?

Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber is the first installment in Showtime's American anthology drama series, Super Pumped, created by Billions co-creators Brian Koppelman and David Levien.

The Battle For Uber will follow the inception of Uber and the rise and fall of its co-founder and former CEO, Travis Kalanick.

In 2017, Kalanick was ousted by his board members after a series of internal battles, power struggles, and allegations of the unethical corporate culture.

He retained his place on the board of directors until he resigned the seat on December 31, 2019, but not before selling 90 percent of his shares in the ride-hailing firm, making a profit of $2.5 billion before tax.

Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber will also address the culture of sexual harassment and sexism at Uber which was exposed by whistleblower employee Susan Fowler (Eva Victor) in a blog post titled Reflecting On One Very, Very Strange Year At Uber.

The synopsis, per Showtime, teases: "Based on the shocking true story, strap in for the meteoric rise and fall of Uber founder, Travis Kalanick. With a lift from venture capitalist Bill Gurley and board member Arianna Huffington, Kalanick takes a win-at-all-costs approach to forge the fledgling start-up into a multi-billion-dollar tech titan. But every surge comes at a price—and as his visionary drive spirals out of control, it threatens to be the downfall of it all."

Already Super Pumped has been given the green light for Season 2, which will be based on a separate, forthcoming book by Isaac about Facebook and will focus on the relationship between Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg and chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg.

Who Stars in Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber?

Actor and filmmaker Joseph Gordon-Levitt portray Travis Kalanick, the co-founder and former CEO of Uber.

Brockmire's Hank Azaria stars as Apple CEO Tim Cook and Succession's Babak Tafti takes on the role of Emil Michael, the chief business officer and Senior Vice President of Business at Uber.

Friday Night Lights star Kyle Chandler plays venture capitalist Bill Gurley and Kill Bill's Uma Thurman stars as an author and businesswoman Ariana Huffington.

Also starring in the series is Eva Victor as Susan Fowler, Kerry Bishé as Austin Geidt, Mousa Hussein Kraish as Fawzi Kamel, and Elizabeth Schue as Bonnie Kalanick.

Award-winning director Quentin Tarantino serves as the show's narrator.

Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber
Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber cast members Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Travis Kalanick, Kyle Chandler as Bill Gurley and Uma Thurman as Ariana Huffington. Showtime

Is There A Trailer For Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber?

Yes, there is a gripping trailer for Super Pumped: The Battle For Uber out now.

The trailer introduces the series key players, including Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Travis Kalanick, Kyle Chandler as Bill Gurley, and Uma Thurman as Ariana Huffington.

At the beginning of the trailer, Gordon-Levitt as Kalanick is heard saying: "I will never back down from a fight and if no one wants to believe in me, I'll make them believe by being undeniable."

As the trailer flashes through Kalanick meeting the biggest names in the business world, Gordon-Levitt narrates: "You know, when you're on your way up, they slap the biggest target on your back."

Towards the end, he can be heard panicking, stating: "My own investors are planning my demise."

Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber premieres Sunday, February 27 at 10 p.m. ET on Showtime.

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