The first trailer for director Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers starring Zendaya has just dropped, and it looks absolutely fresh. The two-and-a-half-minute-long trailer, set to the vibrant pop anthem of Rihanna’s S&M, offers a glimpse into the film’s complex world of tennis and twisted relationships. Alongside Zendaya, Challengers features an all-star cast who make great impressions in the trailer itself. Let’s take a look at what we know so far about the film.
Breaking down the trailer of Zendaya’s Challengers
The trailer for Challengers introduces us to Zendaya’s character, Tashi Duncan, a young tennis prodigy who is hailed as a future legend of the sport. We witness Tashi’s rise to fame as she wins numerous championships.
In the process, she gets into polyamorous relationships with two rising male players, Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor). The trailer hints at a love triangle that unfolds both on and off the tennis court, spicing things up.
However, Tashi’s life takes a wrong turn when an injury abruptly ends her tennis career. Years later, she married and coached Art into a Grand Slam champion. When Art faces a losing streak, Tashi pushes him to participate in a Challenger event.Â
Zendaya in ‘CHALLENGERS’ pic.twitter.com/ttBxTA48bn
— Film Updates (@FilmUpdates) June 20, 2023
This is when his former best friend and Tashi’s ex, Patrick, returns to face him on the tennis court. Now, Tashi must confront her past and ask herself what she’s ready to sacrifice in order to win.Â
Challengers: Cast, crew, and release date
The primary all-star cast for Challengers includes Zendaya as Tashi, Mike Faist as Art and Josh O’Connor as Patrick. Mike Faist is best known for his role in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, while Josh O’Connor played Prince Charles in The Crown.Â
The film’s director Luca Guadagnino is a master at visual storytelling. His previous works, such as Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria and Bones and All, beautifully capture the complexities of human relationships.Â
Challengers is written by Justin Kuritzkes and co-produced by Guadagnino, Zendaya, Rachel O’Connor and Amy Pascal. Iconic duo Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have scored the music for the film.Â
Challengers is scheduled to premiere in the United States and the United Kingdom on September 15, 2023, by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Zendaya’s upcoming work and special efforts for Challengers
In preparation for her role in Challengers, Zendaya underwent three months of intense training with former professional tennis player Brad Gilbert. This allowed her to authentically portray the skills and grace required for a tennis prodigy like Tashi.
Director Luca Guadagnino praised her commitment to the role and pointed out her natural talent on the tennis court. Aside from Challengers, fans look forward to her return in Euphoria’s third season later this year. In November, she returns to the big screen with the massive Dune: Part Two.Â
Tom Holland watching Zendaya’s Challengers opening night thinking it’s just a tennis movie and Timothee Chalamet is in the audience pic.twitter.com/RvXWZX7Zbh
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On a lighter note, the trailer for Challengers sparked a meme fest on social media platforms. In particular, Tom Holland was the subject of casual ridicule as fans claimed he must have been crying after watching his real-life girlfriend Zendaya’s steamy threesome scenes in the trailer.Â
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