Zendaya has had a pretty remarkable year at the cinemas so far. She was an integral part of the biggest film of the year so far, Dune: Part Two. Now, she is starring in another hotly anticipated film which seems to be an important stepping stone in her career. That film is Luca Guadanino's Challengers. Here's everything we know about the film so far.
Who stars in Challengers?
Challengers is the latest film directed by acclaimed filmmaker Luca Guadagnino. The film by Call Me By Your Name director stars Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O'Conner. The trio play tennis players who are caught in a love triangle in the fierce enviroment of competitive sports.
The film which was previously set to release in 2023, was delayed due to the actors and writers' strikes that took place last year. The strikes led to the delay of many such projects one of which was Zendaya's own film, Dune: Part Two which finally released earlier this year.
Challengers is set for a release on 26th April, 2024. The trailer for the film was released earlier this year.
What is Challengers about?
Challengers is a unique blend of sports film and a romance film, which examines the world of tennis through the lens of these three characters whose romantic and professional lives are intertwined. The official synopsis of the movie reads as follows:
Tashi, a tennis player turned coach, has transformed her husband from a mediocre player into a world-famous grand slam champion. To jolt him out of his recent losing streak, she makes him play a challenger event — close to the lowest level of tournament on the pro tour. Tensions soon run high when he finds himself standing across the net from the once-promising, now burnt-out Patrick, his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend.
The film is not based on any real story but is set in a fictional world. For Zendaya, this film seems to be an important step in her remarkable career so far, where she is now transitioning to some adult roles after years of playing a teenager on various films and shows.
“I felt like it was a good step into a more, I guess you could say, ‘grown-up’ role and into that next phase,” the Euphoria actress remarked in a conversation with Elle.
Before this, Zendaya has been an active face in various Disney shows like Shake It Up as well as the hugely succesful Spider-Man franchise in the MCU. Her previous major grown-up role was in the movie Malcolm & Marie, which was directed by her Euphoria showrunner Sam Levinson.
