For many Tennis fans, the summer is the best time of year to watch their beloved sport because many highly competitive Tennis tournaments occur during the season. However, with Tennis season soon ending, the upcoming film “Challengers” will keep fans immersed in the cut-throat world of the professional sport this fall. So, don’t put away your tennis rackets just yet. Here is everything there is to know about “Challengers:”
What is “Challengers” about?
“Challengers,”described as a sports romantic-comedy, follows Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), an all-star tennis player who turns to coaching after injuring herself during a tennis tournament. She begins to transform her husband, Art (Mike Faist), who is currently on a losing streak, into a world-famous grand slam champion. Tashi’s plan for his comeback takes an unexpected turn when he must play against Patrick – his former best friend and Tashi’s ex – in a “Challenger” tennis match, which is close to the lowest level of the pro tournament. The match between Patrick and Art reignites old rivalries and tensions between all three of them.
Who is the “Challengers” cast?
For many viewers, the star-studded cast is one of the most intriguing aspects of the film. Zendaya, best known for her roles in “Euphoria” and the “Spider-Man: Homecoming” series, will play Tashi. “West Side Story” star Mike Faist will play Tashi’s husband Art and Josh O’Connor, well known for his portrayal of Prince Charles in “The Crown” will play Art’s ex-best friend and Tashi’s former lover. With the talent of Zendaya, Faist and O’Connor as the film’s leads, there are likely to be some strong performances in the film.
Who will be directing the film?
Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, well-known for his recent work in the cannibal love story “Bones and All,” is directing “Challengers.”
Guadagnino hasn’t given much insight about the movie. However, according to Indie Wire, he describes “Challengers” as a “fairly fizzy, sexy movie about the world of tennis.” Viewers got to see a glimpse of this in the official trailer, where there are cues of steamy, high-drama scenes of the main characters being involved in a love triangle together.
From the looks of it, Guadagnino’s take on this film seems promising especially since he is known for messy romantic comedies from his previous films such as “Call Me By Your Name” and, of course, “Bones and All.”
Is “Challengers” based on a true story?
Although “Challengers” may seem to be based on a true story, it’s not. However, we know for certain that Zendaya’s tennis skills are very much real. According to Variety, Zendaya trained for three months with pro tennis coach and former player Brad Gilbert, who also served as a consultant on the film. In fact, Director Guadagnino revealed that Zendaya’s body doubles were rarely used in the film.
“She’s wonderful,” Guadagnino told Variety. “I mean wow. We edited the movie, and we almost actually don’t use any of her doubles. She’s so good.”
When is “Challengers” release date?
Good news! Viewers only have to wait a couple more months until “Challengers” hits the big screen. The film is set to be released on Sept. 15 in theaters. It’s also likely to become available to stream on Amazon Prime at some point in the future, as the film is being distributed by MGM, which Amazon owns.