Challengers and The Fall Guy prove that the movie star is still alive – and can make a huge difference to a film’s success. A few thoughts…
The movie star is dead. Or at least our idea of stardom may have drastically changed. After streaming has become a credible rival to cinemas, it’s not so much star power that necessarily gets people to spend their hard-earned money on a movie ticket. Sure, the Swifties ran to the cinemas to watch The Eras Tour, but Taylor Swift is hardly a movie star, despite her turn in Cats.
Ana De Armas blames social media for the lack of movie stars. “I feel like the new generations don’t have that concept, because of social media,” de Armas told Vanity Fair in 2023. “There is so much information out there and oversharing. The concept of a movie star is someone untouchable you only see onscreen.
The movie star is dead. Or at least our idea of stardom may have drastically changed. After streaming has become a credible rival to cinemas, it’s not so much star power that necessarily gets people to spend their hard-earned money on a movie ticket. Sure, the Swifties ran to the cinemas to watch The Eras Tour, but Taylor Swift is hardly a movie star, despite her turn in Cats.
Ana De Armas blames social media for the lack of movie stars. “I feel like the new generations don’t have that concept, because of social media,” de Armas told Vanity Fair in 2023. “There is so much information out there and oversharing. The concept of a movie star is someone untouchable you only see onscreen.
- 5/2/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
Warning: Spoilers Ahead!
Zendaya is weighing in on the end of Challengers.
The 27-year-old actress opened up about the end of Luca Guadagnino‘s film, and what she thinks happened.
In the final scene, the camera lands on Tashi (Zendaya) as she screams “come on!” and smiles following a match point volley between Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) and Art Donaldson (Mike Faist). Art jumps over the net and into Patrick’s arms.
In an interview with The New York Times’ Kyle Buchanan, Zendaya shared her thoughts on the ending, and admitted that it might be “confusing” to some.
Keep reading to find out more…
Zendaya said she felt that Tashi’s expression is a “yes!” of approval, “but my mom’s like, ‘I saw it differently.’”
“My mom read the ending so different,” Zendaya said.
“My mom is like, ‘She’s pissed because they realize that they don’t need her anymore.
Zendaya is weighing in on the end of Challengers.
The 27-year-old actress opened up about the end of Luca Guadagnino‘s film, and what she thinks happened.
In the final scene, the camera lands on Tashi (Zendaya) as she screams “come on!” and smiles following a match point volley between Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) and Art Donaldson (Mike Faist). Art jumps over the net and into Patrick’s arms.
In an interview with The New York Times’ Kyle Buchanan, Zendaya shared her thoughts on the ending, and admitted that it might be “confusing” to some.
Keep reading to find out more…
Zendaya said she felt that Tashi’s expression is a “yes!” of approval, “but my mom’s like, ‘I saw it differently.’”
“My mom read the ending so different,” Zendaya said.
“My mom is like, ‘She’s pissed because they realize that they don’t need her anymore.
- 5/1/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
A whole lot of moviegoers this past weekend probably just became enthusiastic tennis fans, so it's important that they know just how well the sport lends itself to the type of thrill-a-minute drama on display throughout "Challengers." (Be sure to read /Film's review by Witney Seibold if you haven't yet.) As Zendaya's Tashi Duncan proves on multiple occasions, the art of being really good at hitting a ball with a racket can feel like an interpretive dance ... provided you have the right partner. Both players tune out the larger world in the heat of the moment and, in Tashi's words, "go somewhere beautiful" together. In that light, it's no wonder the actual filming of director Luca Guadagnino's latest movie naturally lent itself to moments of spontaneity and improvisation between the main trio of actors.
If there's one moment everybody walked out of the theater buzzing about -- besides the provocative ending,...
If there's one moment everybody walked out of the theater buzzing about -- besides the provocative ending,...
- 4/30/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
"Challengers", the R-rated sports feature directed by Luca Guadagnino, has earned a ‘domestic’ box office gross of $15,011,061 and ‘international’ $10,300,000 for a worldwide total of $25,311,06 since its theatrical release April 26, 2024:
".... 'Tashi Duncan' (Zendaya), a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court is married to a champion on a losing streak…
“… Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off ...
"...against the washed-up 'Patrick' – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend.
"As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win..."...
Click the images to enlarge...
".... 'Tashi Duncan' (Zendaya), a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court is married to a champion on a losing streak…
“… Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off ...
"...against the washed-up 'Patrick' – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend.
"As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win..."...
Click the images to enlarge...
- 4/30/2024
- by Unknown
- SneakPeek
Josh O’Connor would very much love to fuck off into the woods with a stick.
It’s a deceptively warm April day in New York City and O’Connor, who looks brighter than anyone who was awake before the sun has a right to look, is hunched over conspiratorially to share what music he’s currently listening to. It’s where he got the idea of fucking off — central lyrics to Irish blues singer Mick Flannery’s “Fuck Off World”: “Fuck off world/Fuck off politics/I’m going...
It’s a deceptively warm April day in New York City and O’Connor, who looks brighter than anyone who was awake before the sun has a right to look, is hunched over conspiratorially to share what music he’s currently listening to. It’s where he got the idea of fucking off — central lyrics to Irish blues singer Mick Flannery’s “Fuck Off World”: “Fuck off world/Fuck off politics/I’m going...
- 4/29/2024
- by CT Jones
- Rollingstone.com
[Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for “Challengers.”]
Zendaya is admitting that yes, the ending of “Challengers” can be considered “confusing,” especially since her own mother had an entirely different take on it than she did.
The actress told New York Times journalist Kyle Buchanan that it makes sense why the ambiguous final scene can be “confusing” for audiences.
“My mom read the ending so different[ly]. My mom is like, ‘She’s pissed because they realize that they don’t need her anymore,'” Zendaya said in an interview excerpt tweeted by Buchanan. “I was like, ‘But I smile a little bit at the end!'”
The final sequence captures Tashi (Zendaya) watching as her almost-retired husband Art (Mike Faist) and his former best friend Patrick (Josh O’Connor) embrace on the tennis court without a winner being announced. Tashi screams “Come on!” from the sidelines, harkening back to her own teen U.S. Open win before she...
Zendaya is admitting that yes, the ending of “Challengers” can be considered “confusing,” especially since her own mother had an entirely different take on it than she did.
The actress told New York Times journalist Kyle Buchanan that it makes sense why the ambiguous final scene can be “confusing” for audiences.
“My mom read the ending so different[ly]. My mom is like, ‘She’s pissed because they realize that they don’t need her anymore,'” Zendaya said in an interview excerpt tweeted by Buchanan. “I was like, ‘But I smile a little bit at the end!'”
The final sequence captures Tashi (Zendaya) watching as her almost-retired husband Art (Mike Faist) and his former best friend Patrick (Josh O’Connor) embrace on the tennis court without a winner being announced. Tashi screams “Come on!” from the sidelines, harkening back to her own teen U.S. Open win before she...
- 4/29/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson and Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
One of the most anticipated and hottest films of 2024 is finally here. We are talking about Zendaya‘s Challengers which was memed to death for a threesome scene that was shown in the trailer but if you have seen the film then you know that the brilliance of the film is much more than that one scene. Directed by Call Me By Your Name‘s Luca Guadagnino from a screenplay by Justin Kuritzkes, the sports romantic drama follows the story of a talented tennis player Tashi, and her twisted relationship with two tennis players, one of whom is her husband now. Challengers stars Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor in the lead role with Jordan Thompson, Faith Fay, Hailey Gates, and Tierre Diaz starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the story of ambition and toxic relationships in Challengers you should check out these films with similar themes next.
- 4/29/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
'Challengers' screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes thinks the "cinematic" nature of tennis made it ideal for a movie.The scribe has penned the script for Luca Guadagnino's new movie that focuses on a love triangle on the tennis circuit and realised that the sport was ripe for the big screen after watching the controversial US Open final between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka in 2018.Justin told Variety: "I just happened to be watching the US Open in 2018. It was the match between Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams in the final, and it was very controversial because Serena Williams got penalised for receiving coaching from the sidelines. She got very upset and said that she didn't do that – but that was the first time I had heard about that rule."Immediately, it struck me as really cinematic, that you're all alone on the court, that there's only one other person...
- 4/29/2024
- by Joe Graber
- Bang Showbiz
Spoiler Alert: This article contains details about Challengers.
Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers opened at the top of the U.S. box office, and one scene from the movie went viral on social media.
The particular scene involves Josh O’Connor’s Patrick and Mike Faist’s Art eating churros. At this moment in the film, Patrick visits his girlfriend Tashi (Zendaya) at Stanford but first catches up with his best friend Art in a cafeteria, where they bond over the doughy pastry.
“What I will say is…that was my first churro and I hadn’t eaten anything that day,” O’Connor said in an interview with Capital FM. “So I was starving and tasted my first churro – and churros are extraordinary. So I ate my one and then I ate his [pointing to Faist].”
Zendaya then said, “The churro wasn’t scripted, was it? The churro was something that you guys found right,...
Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers opened at the top of the U.S. box office, and one scene from the movie went viral on social media.
The particular scene involves Josh O’Connor’s Patrick and Mike Faist’s Art eating churros. At this moment in the film, Patrick visits his girlfriend Tashi (Zendaya) at Stanford but first catches up with his best friend Art in a cafeteria, where they bond over the doughy pastry.
“What I will say is…that was my first churro and I hadn’t eaten anything that day,” O’Connor said in an interview with Capital FM. “So I was starving and tasted my first churro – and churros are extraordinary. So I ate my one and then I ate his [pointing to Faist].”
Zendaya then said, “The churro wasn’t scripted, was it? The churro was something that you guys found right,...
- 4/29/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Spoilers for "Challengers" follow.
I wouldn't be the first writer to suggest that playing competitive sports and f***ing are similar activities. Both are physically exhaustive, both demand at least one partner and, when done right, both leave their players on an emotional high that uplifts their tired bodies. Sex isn't always a competition for dominance (though it certainly can be), but like when you're shooting hoops or boxing an opponent, you have to study the other's body language and react without a moment to spare. Actions speak louder than words, and when you play a game against someone, you reveal yourself almost as much as when you get naked.
That's the conceit of "Challengers," the new tennis romantic drama starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor as three tennis players who share a storied love triangle. Art Donaldson (Faist) and Patrick Zweig (O'Connor) are teenage best friends who fall for the same girl,...
I wouldn't be the first writer to suggest that playing competitive sports and f***ing are similar activities. Both are physically exhaustive, both demand at least one partner and, when done right, both leave their players on an emotional high that uplifts their tired bodies. Sex isn't always a competition for dominance (though it certainly can be), but like when you're shooting hoops or boxing an opponent, you have to study the other's body language and react without a moment to spare. Actions speak louder than words, and when you play a game against someone, you reveal yourself almost as much as when you get naked.
That's the conceit of "Challengers," the new tennis romantic drama starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor as three tennis players who share a storied love triangle. Art Donaldson (Faist) and Patrick Zweig (O'Connor) are teenage best friends who fall for the same girl,...
- 4/28/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Despite the parallels between both films, screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes did not mine much from his own life to write “Challengers” in the same way his wife Celine Song did for her Oscar-nominated film “Past Lives.”
“‘Challengers’ is a pure fantasy for me,” Kuritzkes recently told IndieWire over Zoom. Having gotten hooked into obsessively watching tennis after the infamous 2018 U.S. Open match between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka, he added that “‘Challengers’ really came out of this desire to have information about the matches I was watching. It was really something that I think a lot of people who watch tennis do, which is that you transpose a personality onto the player from these little crumbs that you’re given. It’s what tennis commentators do all the time. They see somebody make a little motion or something, and they go, ‘Here’s what he’s thinking. Here’s what...
“‘Challengers’ is a pure fantasy for me,” Kuritzkes recently told IndieWire over Zoom. Having gotten hooked into obsessively watching tennis after the infamous 2018 U.S. Open match between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka, he added that “‘Challengers’ really came out of this desire to have information about the matches I was watching. It was really something that I think a lot of people who watch tennis do, which is that you transpose a personality onto the player from these little crumbs that you’re given. It’s what tennis commentators do all the time. They see somebody make a little motion or something, and they go, ‘Here’s what he’s thinking. Here’s what...
- 4/28/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
This article will contain some spoilers for Challengers, so reader beware if you haven’t seen Luca Guadagnino’s new film…
Tennis isn’t for everyone – some people just want their Spidey fix. That’s what happens in one scene of Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers, where the daughter of Tashi (Zendaya) and Art (Mike Faist) asks to watch a Spider-Verse movie instead of tennis. But as the director explains, it wasn’t meant to be directly linked to Zendaya’s own Spider-Man movies.
As Guadagnino told Entertainment Weekly, those thinking that Spider-Verse moment in Challengers was an intentional easter egg are mistaken, as it was really just out of circumstances. “When you get rights for something to be used in a movie, it’s very complicated. Amy Pascal, our amazing producer, was of help there. I said, ‘Amy, can we use one of your catalog titles so it’s going...
Tennis isn’t for everyone – some people just want their Spidey fix. That’s what happens in one scene of Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers, where the daughter of Tashi (Zendaya) and Art (Mike Faist) asks to watch a Spider-Verse movie instead of tennis. But as the director explains, it wasn’t meant to be directly linked to Zendaya’s own Spider-Man movies.
As Guadagnino told Entertainment Weekly, those thinking that Spider-Verse moment in Challengers was an intentional easter egg are mistaken, as it was really just out of circumstances. “When you get rights for something to be used in a movie, it’s very complicated. Amy Pascal, our amazing producer, was of help there. I said, ‘Amy, can we use one of your catalog titles so it’s going...
- 4/28/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
This post contains spoilers for both "Challengers" and "Y Tu Mama Tambien."
It's only its first weekend in theaters, but "Challengers" has already gotten everyone talking. There's just something captivating about a love triangle where all sides touch, and it's even more captivating when all that lust and jealousy get boiled down to a single heated match of tennis. There is no greater upping-the-ante movie moment than when Patrick (Josh O'Connor) subtly signals to Art (Mike Faist) during the game that he's recently slept with his wife Tashi (Zendaya). There've been plenty of fictional sports matches where a mid-game twist got everyone on the edge of their seats, but "Challengers" casually outdid them all.
What made "Challengers" truly special is Art's reaction to Patrick's reveal: he simply says, "F**k off." It's a line that could easily have been delivered with straightforward rage, but Faist throws some bemusement into the mix,...
It's only its first weekend in theaters, but "Challengers" has already gotten everyone talking. There's just something captivating about a love triangle where all sides touch, and it's even more captivating when all that lust and jealousy get boiled down to a single heated match of tennis. There is no greater upping-the-ante movie moment than when Patrick (Josh O'Connor) subtly signals to Art (Mike Faist) during the game that he's recently slept with his wife Tashi (Zendaya). There've been plenty of fictional sports matches where a mid-game twist got everyone on the edge of their seats, but "Challengers" casually outdid them all.
What made "Challengers" truly special is Art's reaction to Patrick's reveal: he simply says, "F**k off." It's a line that could easily have been delivered with straightforward rage, but Faist throws some bemusement into the mix,...
- 4/28/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Love Triangles existed before they became a staple part of cinema. Whether it is Gone with the Wind or the Twilight saga, the classic trope has been a fan favorite, before Zendaya’s Challengers came around and made the trope even more pristine, to some extent at least.
Star Wars’ Luke and Leia in a still from the Star Wars franchise
While some might call it toxic, others outrageous, that is the turn that George Lucas’ Star Wars nearly took before Lucas went on to change it. If you remember the incest kiss between Luke and Leia and the horror that every fan faced after it was revealed they were siblings, it would be shocking yet somewhat calming to know that the duo weren’t supposed to be siblings originally.
Star Wars Luke and Leia Weren’t Supposed to be Siblings
Challengers (2024)
Challengers features Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor in an unlikely love trio,...
Star Wars’ Luke and Leia in a still from the Star Wars franchise
While some might call it toxic, others outrageous, that is the turn that George Lucas’ Star Wars nearly took before Lucas went on to change it. If you remember the incest kiss between Luke and Leia and the horror that every fan faced after it was revealed they were siblings, it would be shocking yet somewhat calming to know that the duo weren’t supposed to be siblings originally.
Star Wars Luke and Leia Weren’t Supposed to be Siblings
Challengers (2024)
Challengers features Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor in an unlikely love trio,...
- 4/28/2024
- by Maria Sultan
- FandomWire
The steamy sequence from Zendaya’s Challengers conquered the internet when the first trailer was released. Fans even trolled Tom Holland for the scene involving his girlfriend in a bold scene with her two co-stars. Despite all the trolls and controversial comments, Holland proved himself a supportive boyfriend once again by revealing his weekend plans to watch the film.
Tom Holland and Zendaya in Spider-Man: Far From Home
Challengers is a romantic sports drama featuring Zendaya as former Tennis player Tashi Duncan. She desperately tries to help her husband Art played by Mike Faist go against another player Patrick Zweig played by Josh O’Connor, who is Art’s former best friend and Tashi’s former lover.
Tom Holland’s weekend plans proves why he is Zendaya’s favorite
The viral Challengers scene
The internet was filled with hilarious reactions and comments targeting Tom Holland when Zendaya‘s bold scene went viral.
Tom Holland and Zendaya in Spider-Man: Far From Home
Challengers is a romantic sports drama featuring Zendaya as former Tennis player Tashi Duncan. She desperately tries to help her husband Art played by Mike Faist go against another player Patrick Zweig played by Josh O’Connor, who is Art’s former best friend and Tashi’s former lover.
Tom Holland’s weekend plans proves why he is Zendaya’s favorite
The viral Challengers scene
The internet was filled with hilarious reactions and comments targeting Tom Holland when Zendaya‘s bold scene went viral.
- 4/28/2024
- by Subham Mandal
- FandomWire
Challengers is No. 1!
The Luca Guadagnino-directed, Zendaya-led movie claimed the top spot at the box office across its opening weekend, pulling in $15 million from 3,477 theaters, via THR.
It marks the second-best start for an original R-rated drama since the pandemic, behind Don’t Worry Darling.
Keep reading to find out more…
Challengers will become Luca Guadagnino’s highest-grossing film domestically after Call Me By Your Name, which grossed roughly $18 million.
The film also brought in $9 million from 52 markets for a global score of $25 million.
Audiences gave it a B+ CinemaScore, while the film commands an 87% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a...
The Luca Guadagnino-directed, Zendaya-led movie claimed the top spot at the box office across its opening weekend, pulling in $15 million from 3,477 theaters, via THR.
It marks the second-best start for an original R-rated drama since the pandemic, behind Don’t Worry Darling.
Keep reading to find out more…
Challengers will become Luca Guadagnino’s highest-grossing film domestically after Call Me By Your Name, which grossed roughly $18 million.
The film also brought in $9 million from 52 markets for a global score of $25 million.
Audiences gave it a B+ CinemaScore, while the film commands an 87% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a...
- 4/28/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Zendaya seems to have a busy 2024 as her second release in two months recently opened in cinemas. The Dune: Part Two star recently featured in Luca Guadagnino’s sports romance Challengers, which also stars Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor. The film was set to release in 2023 but was postponed when the SAG-AFTRA strikes began.
Zendaya’s film has been in the news due to its eroticism and romance. The film follows the actress as a former tennis player who is caught in a battle between her husband and a former lover, who will be facing each other on the court. One scene in particular seems to have caught the attention of fans as it bears resemblance to a popular scene in Timothée Chalamet’s Call Me By Your Name.
What Is The ‘Churro Scene’ In Zendaya’s Challengers Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor in Challengers
Zendaya recently...
Zendaya’s film has been in the news due to its eroticism and romance. The film follows the actress as a former tennis player who is caught in a battle between her husband and a former lover, who will be facing each other on the court. One scene in particular seems to have caught the attention of fans as it bears resemblance to a popular scene in Timothée Chalamet’s Call Me By Your Name.
What Is The ‘Churro Scene’ In Zendaya’s Challengers Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor in Challengers
Zendaya recently...
- 4/28/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
Spoiler Alert: This article contains plot details for “Challengers,” now playing in theaters.
Josh O’Connor never had a churro until he shot “Challengers.”
The British actor and his co-star Mike Faist enjoy the fried doughy treat in one of the film’s most suggestive scenes. In short, Patrick (O’Connor) is visiting his girlfriend Tashi (Zendaya) and his best friend Art (Faist) at Stanford when the two young men catch up in a cafeteria. They’re sitting face-to-face as they devour the churros.
“We actually only did two takes of that scene,” O’Connor says at the drama’s Los Angeles premiere. “They were delicious. My first churro was that day.”
So why churros? As if that even needs to be asked. “Because they’re a delicious snack,” screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes says, while grinning. “They’re very popular in California – that’s why.”
Kuritzkes says O’Connor and Faist enhanced...
Josh O’Connor never had a churro until he shot “Challengers.”
The British actor and his co-star Mike Faist enjoy the fried doughy treat in one of the film’s most suggestive scenes. In short, Patrick (O’Connor) is visiting his girlfriend Tashi (Zendaya) and his best friend Art (Faist) at Stanford when the two young men catch up in a cafeteria. They’re sitting face-to-face as they devour the churros.
“We actually only did two takes of that scene,” O’Connor says at the drama’s Los Angeles premiere. “They were delicious. My first churro was that day.”
So why churros? As if that even needs to be asked. “Because they’re a delicious snack,” screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes says, while grinning. “They’re very popular in California – that’s why.”
Kuritzkes says O’Connor and Faist enhanced...
- 4/28/2024
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Challengers: Zendaya & Luca Guadagnino. (Photo Credit – IMDb/Instagram)
Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers movie was recently released in theatres. The sports romantic drama stars Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor in the lead roles. The movie has received rave reviews from the audience and critics alike. From the first promo itself, cine-goers have shared their excitement for Luca’s movie.
In the movie, Zendaya plays Tashi Duncan, a former Tennis player who’s married to Art Donaldson (Mike Faist), also a Tennis Player. Tashi is not only Art’s wife but also his coach. The couple has a daughter named Lily (Aj Lister). Josh O’Connor plays Patric Zweig, also a Tennis player, who was Tashi’s love interest during college. Luca’s movie is a non-linear narrative of the messed-up love story and the trio’s passion for sport.
Trending When Quentin Tarantino Opened Up On Kill Bill ‘Regret...
Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers movie was recently released in theatres. The sports romantic drama stars Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor in the lead roles. The movie has received rave reviews from the audience and critics alike. From the first promo itself, cine-goers have shared their excitement for Luca’s movie.
In the movie, Zendaya plays Tashi Duncan, a former Tennis player who’s married to Art Donaldson (Mike Faist), also a Tennis Player. Tashi is not only Art’s wife but also his coach. The couple has a daughter named Lily (Aj Lister). Josh O’Connor plays Patric Zweig, also a Tennis player, who was Tashi’s love interest during college. Luca’s movie is a non-linear narrative of the messed-up love story and the trio’s passion for sport.
Trending When Quentin Tarantino Opened Up On Kill Bill ‘Regret...
- 4/28/2024
- by Pooja Darade
- KoiMoi
Luca Guadagnino’s sizzling, sharply scripted drama, co-starring Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, is such fun it’s almost indecent
Nobody harnesses horniness quite like Luca Guadagnino. With his lavish, luxurious portrait of forbidden lust, the Tilda Swinton-starring I Am Love, Guadagnino embraced one of cinema’s most cliched symbolic sensual devices, filling the frame with come-hither shots of delectable food. But somehow, in his hands, this hackneyed metaphor feels fresh, and the film is a skin-tingling exploration of erotic tension. Then there’s Call Me By Your Name, with its scenes of peach-grappling and languid yearning, in which even the spaces between the characters are charged with longing. And Bones and All, which virtually rebrands cannibalism as a legitimate kink. But even by Guadagnino’s highly charged standards, Challengers is an absurdly sexy movie. With its power plays and exquisite cruelty, the shimmering beauty of its three leads and their tantalising interlocking desires,...
Nobody harnesses horniness quite like Luca Guadagnino. With his lavish, luxurious portrait of forbidden lust, the Tilda Swinton-starring I Am Love, Guadagnino embraced one of cinema’s most cliched symbolic sensual devices, filling the frame with come-hither shots of delectable food. But somehow, in his hands, this hackneyed metaphor feels fresh, and the film is a skin-tingling exploration of erotic tension. Then there’s Call Me By Your Name, with its scenes of peach-grappling and languid yearning, in which even the spaces between the characters are charged with longing. And Bones and All, which virtually rebrands cannibalism as a legitimate kink. But even by Guadagnino’s highly charged standards, Challengers is an absurdly sexy movie. With its power plays and exquisite cruelty, the shimmering beauty of its three leads and their tantalising interlocking desires,...
- 4/28/2024
- by Wendy Ide
- The Guardian - Film News
Spoiler Alert: This article contains details about Challengers.
Luca Guadagnino, director of Challengers, inadvertently linked his latest film to the Spider-Man universe by having Zendaya be that connection.
Zendaya plays Mj opposite Tom Holland in the latest Spider-Man movies, and she is currently starring as tennis prodigy Tashi in Challengers.
At a point in the film, Tashi is discussing tennis with her husband Art, played by Mike Faist, when their daughter Lily walks in and asks if she can watch the animated Spider-Verse. The Easter egg lit up Spider-Man fans when the Marvel superhero was mentioned.
Although Zendaya doesn’t voice a character in the Spider-Verse animated film, she is part of the Spider-Verse at Sony. Guadagnino is now revealing that the connection wasn’t on purpose.
“When you get rights for something to be used in a movie, it’s very complicated,” Guadagnino said in an interview with EW.
Luca Guadagnino, director of Challengers, inadvertently linked his latest film to the Spider-Man universe by having Zendaya be that connection.
Zendaya plays Mj opposite Tom Holland in the latest Spider-Man movies, and she is currently starring as tennis prodigy Tashi in Challengers.
At a point in the film, Tashi is discussing tennis with her husband Art, played by Mike Faist, when their daughter Lily walks in and asks if she can watch the animated Spider-Verse. The Easter egg lit up Spider-Man fans when the Marvel superhero was mentioned.
Although Zendaya doesn’t voice a character in the Spider-Verse animated film, she is part of the Spider-Verse at Sony. Guadagnino is now revealing that the connection wasn’t on purpose.
“When you get rights for something to be used in a movie, it’s very complicated,” Guadagnino said in an interview with EW.
- 4/28/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Fresh off her role in the sci-fi epic “Dune: Part Two,” Zendaya is already back in the spotlight with her new film “Challengers.” From her early days in Disney to her roles in Spider-Man and Euphoria, the actress has become a global phenomenon at a young age.
A still from Euphoria
Zendaya’s latest film is garnering great reviews from critics and fans alike, and everyone is all praise for her performance in the film. Despite the reviews, the movie’s official CinemaScore rating is nowhere near what fans had expected.
Zendaya’s Challengers Received a B+ CinemaScore
A still from Challengers
Directed by the acclaimed Luca Guadagnino, Challengers has hit theaters and is generating a lot of buzz. The movie boasts a stellar cast alongside Zendaya, with names like Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor playing pivotal roles. Reviews from fans and critics have been positive, praising the film’s execution and,...
A still from Euphoria
Zendaya’s latest film is garnering great reviews from critics and fans alike, and everyone is all praise for her performance in the film. Despite the reviews, the movie’s official CinemaScore rating is nowhere near what fans had expected.
Zendaya’s Challengers Received a B+ CinemaScore
A still from Challengers
Directed by the acclaimed Luca Guadagnino, Challengers has hit theaters and is generating a lot of buzz. The movie boasts a stellar cast alongside Zendaya, with names like Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor playing pivotal roles. Reviews from fans and critics have been positive, praising the film’s execution and,...
- 4/27/2024
- by Piyush Yadav
- FandomWire
Tom Holland once again proves he’s Zendaya‘s biggest fan!
On Saturday (April 27), the 27-year-old Spider-Man: No Way Home actor took to Instagram to send love to his 27-year-old Emmy-winning girlfriend after her new movie Challengers officially opened in theaters.
Keep reading to find out more…“I know what I’m doing this weekend!” Tom wrote along with the Challengers movie poster.
Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win.
On Saturday (April 27), the 27-year-old Spider-Man: No Way Home actor took to Instagram to send love to his 27-year-old Emmy-winning girlfriend after her new movie Challengers officially opened in theaters.
Keep reading to find out more…“I know what I’m doing this weekend!” Tom wrote along with the Challengers movie poster.
Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist), Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O’Connor) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win.
- 4/27/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Zendaya got her big break thanks to Disney Channel’s Shake It Up, and from there, she went on to become one of the most sought-after actresses of today. She has many incredible accolades to her name including a Golden Globe. Needless to say, the child prodigy grew up to hit Hollywood with a force never seen before.
A still from Disney Channel’s Shake It Up (2010-2013)
However, it seemed like for a long time Zendaya has been stuck playing younger characters in projects like Spider-Man and Euphoria. But now, the actress her has taken the stereotype and tossed it straight into the trash can with her latest movie, Challengers. In a recent interview, Zendaya talks about playing a grown-up in the film and the thoughts that went through her mind during the same.
Zendaya Talks about Playing an Adult in Challengers
Challengers (2024)
Directed by Luca Guadagnino, Challengers is...
A still from Disney Channel’s Shake It Up (2010-2013)
However, it seemed like for a long time Zendaya has been stuck playing younger characters in projects like Spider-Man and Euphoria. But now, the actress her has taken the stereotype and tossed it straight into the trash can with her latest movie, Challengers. In a recent interview, Zendaya talks about playing a grown-up in the film and the thoughts that went through her mind during the same.
Zendaya Talks about Playing an Adult in Challengers
Challengers (2024)
Directed by Luca Guadagnino, Challengers is...
- 4/27/2024
- by Mishkaat Khan
- FandomWire
Starring Zendaya alongside Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor in an unprecedented role, Challengers has emerged as one of the most anticipated films of the year. Following the unconventional relationship between three tennis players and how it evolves, the movie has been a topic of discussion about Zendaya’s acting prowess and its concept.
Challengers | Credit: MGM
And one of the scenes from the film that has been making the rounds since the first glimpse is the hotel room scene. However, screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes has revealed that the scene was not in the initial draft and was added based on an idea from director Luca Guadagnino, ultimately becoming one of the movie’s most notable moments.
Luca Guadagnino’s Vision Inspired Challengers‘ Hotel Room Scene
Challengers screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes recently opened up about working with the filmmaker Luca Guadagnino and how his vision for the film led to the addition of...
Challengers | Credit: MGM
And one of the scenes from the film that has been making the rounds since the first glimpse is the hotel room scene. However, screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes has revealed that the scene was not in the initial draft and was added based on an idea from director Luca Guadagnino, ultimately becoming one of the movie’s most notable moments.
Luca Guadagnino’s Vision Inspired Challengers‘ Hotel Room Scene
Challengers screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes recently opened up about working with the filmmaker Luca Guadagnino and how his vision for the film led to the addition of...
- 4/27/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
As Zendaya’s star rises in the wake of “Dune: Part Two” and now “Challengers,” the tennis film reminds viewers that she also has Marvel’s “Spider-Man” franchise with Tom Holland under her belt.
“Challengers” watches Zendaya play a fierce and ambitious woman whose career-stopping injury puts her in the position of coaching her professional tennis-playing husband, Art Donaldson (Mike Faist). Strategizing, she decides that a low-stakes Challenger tournament in New Rochelle might get some of Art’s mojo back — but things get complicated when the washed-up Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) takes the wild card slot to try and qualify for the U.S. Open. Patrick dated Tashi when she was in college at Stanford alongside Art, who used to play doubles with Patrick when they went to boarding school.
A line in the film calls to mind the actress’ rendition of “Mj,” aka Michelle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“Challengers” watches Zendaya play a fierce and ambitious woman whose career-stopping injury puts her in the position of coaching her professional tennis-playing husband, Art Donaldson (Mike Faist). Strategizing, she decides that a low-stakes Challenger tournament in New Rochelle might get some of Art’s mojo back — but things get complicated when the washed-up Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor) takes the wild card slot to try and qualify for the U.S. Open. Patrick dated Tashi when she was in college at Stanford alongside Art, who used to play doubles with Patrick when they went to boarding school.
A line in the film calls to mind the actress’ rendition of “Mj,” aka Michelle in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- 4/27/2024
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
A central scene in director Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers wasn’t in Justin Kuritzkes’ original script.
In the film, Zendaya plays Tashi Duncan, a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion, Art (West Side Story‘s Mike Faist), on a losing streak, Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (The Crown‘s Josh O’Conner) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend.
Key to the film is the love triangle between the characters and its power dynamics. The scene in question has the trio relaxing in a hotel room, flirting.
“How often does this happen, going after the same girl?” asks Tashi.
“Not as often as you think,” replies Art, before Patrick explains, “We usually have different types.”
It ends with the...
In the film, Zendaya plays Tashi Duncan, a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion, Art (West Side Story‘s Mike Faist), on a losing streak, Tashi’s strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (The Crown‘s Josh O’Conner) – his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend.
Key to the film is the love triangle between the characters and its power dynamics. The scene in question has the trio relaxing in a hotel room, flirting.
“How often does this happen, going after the same girl?” asks Tashi.
“Not as often as you think,” replies Art, before Patrick explains, “We usually have different types.”
It ends with the...
- 4/26/2024
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
“I’m watching tennis as we speak — Djokovic,” Zendaya tells me during one of her first interviews about “Challengers.”
It’s July 11, 2023. The 27-year-old actor is watching Wimbledon on TV while preparing for SAG-AFTRA to go on strike, which would leave her unable to attend her film’s Aug. 30 world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Of course, one week after the actors strike was ordered, Amazon MGM Studios decided to pull out of the festival, pushing “Challengers” to an April 26 debut.
Zendaya leads the film as Tashi Duncan, an 18-year-old tennis prodigy on her way to Serena Williams-like stardom until she injures her knee and loses her shot at a pro career. Over the course of 13 years, she continues to find herself ensnared in a psychosexual relationship with the sport and two other players, Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) and Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor).
“I’d never seen a character like Tashi.
It’s July 11, 2023. The 27-year-old actor is watching Wimbledon on TV while preparing for SAG-AFTRA to go on strike, which would leave her unable to attend her film’s Aug. 30 world premiere at the Venice Film Festival. Of course, one week after the actors strike was ordered, Amazon MGM Studios decided to pull out of the festival, pushing “Challengers” to an April 26 debut.
Zendaya leads the film as Tashi Duncan, an 18-year-old tennis prodigy on her way to Serena Williams-like stardom until she injures her knee and loses her shot at a pro career. Over the course of 13 years, she continues to find herself ensnared in a psychosexual relationship with the sport and two other players, Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) and Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor).
“I’d never seen a character like Tashi.
- 4/26/2024
- by Selome Hailu
- Variety Film + TV
When Zendaya attended a screening of her new sultry tennis drama Challengers this week, she wore a gray T-shirt with the words “I Told Ya” printed in bold black letters. The casual shirt was a noticeable change from the crisp whites and sour greens of the tennis-themed couture the star has donned during the Challengers international press tour, but it too was a callback to the movie.
The “I Told Ya” tee is something of a character in Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers — a film that follows tennis prodigy Tashi (Zendaya...
The “I Told Ya” tee is something of a character in Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers — a film that follows tennis prodigy Tashi (Zendaya...
- 4/26/2024
- by Kalia Richardson and Sage Anderson
- Rollingstone.com
It's safe to say first-time feature screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes came out of the gate hot with his first produced screenplay. "Challengers," the erotic tennis thriller starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor, was one of /Film's most anticipated films of 2024, and the movie lived up to our sky-high expectations by being a mesmerizing drama about three people locked in a deep and unconventional relationship.
But interestingly, one of the film's most important scenes was not in its first draft. I spoke to Kuritzkes this week in advance of the film's release, and he told me about how a story idea from director Luca Guadagnino eventually evolved into one of the movie's most famous moments:
"One of the first conversations we had was that Luca said, 'In a love triangle, all the corners should touch.' I heard that, and I thought, 'Yeah, all these people's lives are so deeply intwined,...
But interestingly, one of the film's most important scenes was not in its first draft. I spoke to Kuritzkes this week in advance of the film's release, and he told me about how a story idea from director Luca Guadagnino eventually evolved into one of the movie's most famous moments:
"One of the first conversations we had was that Luca said, 'In a love triangle, all the corners should touch.' I heard that, and I thought, 'Yeah, all these people's lives are so deeply intwined,...
- 4/26/2024
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Ben Thompson on Wbgr-fm on April 25th, 2024, reviewing “Challengers,” a new tennis themed film involving mixed doubles, featuring Zendaya. In theaters on April 26th.
Rating: 4.0/5.0
Zendaya is Tashi Duncan, a world ranked tennis player who suffers a career ending injury right before she was about to turn pro. In flashbacks, while competing at the junior-to-collegiate level she meets Patrick (Josh O’Connor) and Art (Mike Faist), two promising male tennis players … she creates young-tennis-players in love connection with both. Fast forward to the present, Tashi is married to Art, and has coached him to a wealthy professional level. When Art starts to fade in the Wimbleton-level circuit, Tashi suggests a club challenge, where old buddy/flame Patrick reappears .. and while facing off against Art, volleys again for Tashi’s loyalties.
”Challengers” is in theaters beginning April 28th. Featuring Zendaya,...
Rating: 4.0/5.0
Zendaya is Tashi Duncan, a world ranked tennis player who suffers a career ending injury right before she was about to turn pro. In flashbacks, while competing at the junior-to-collegiate level she meets Patrick (Josh O’Connor) and Art (Mike Faist), two promising male tennis players … she creates young-tennis-players in love connection with both. Fast forward to the present, Tashi is married to Art, and has coached him to a wealthy professional level. When Art starts to fade in the Wimbleton-level circuit, Tashi suggests a club challenge, where old buddy/flame Patrick reappears .. and while facing off against Art, volleys again for Tashi’s loyalties.
”Challengers” is in theaters beginning April 28th. Featuring Zendaya,...
- 4/26/2024
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Much has been made about the smoky sexiness of Luca Guadagnino's "Challengers," notably the brief threesome scene near the beginning of the movie. While the scene is plenty sexy, it constitutes the bulk of the on-screen physicality of "Challengers," and it is, perhaps disappointingly, relegated to about 90 seconds of tongue kissing; Guadagnino's film is not the bisexual throuple film the ad campaign would have you believe it is.
Instead, it's a soapy, recognizably classical love triangle about three bitter souls who were never able to get over that fateful make-out session. The three players involved were promising tennis champions in high school. There's Tashi (Zendaya), the hotshot celebrity that is already being courted by marketers. There's Patrick (Josh O'Connor), the rough-hewn, stubble-encrusted stud. And there's Art (Mike Faist), the talented jokester whose magic shell quickly hardens into a crunchy layer of jealousy. "Challengers" follows them, via flashbacks, through their...
Instead, it's a soapy, recognizably classical love triangle about three bitter souls who were never able to get over that fateful make-out session. The three players involved were promising tennis champions in high school. There's Tashi (Zendaya), the hotshot celebrity that is already being courted by marketers. There's Patrick (Josh O'Connor), the rough-hewn, stubble-encrusted stud. And there's Art (Mike Faist), the talented jokester whose magic shell quickly hardens into a crunchy layer of jealousy. "Challengers" follows them, via flashbacks, through their...
- 4/26/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Zendaya is back on the big screen this weekend in her first-ever leading role for a feature film with the tennis movie Challengers.
Fans who are checking out the movie will likely want to know if they should stick around after the credits for an additional scene. Many movies these days, especially ones that are part of a franchise, will include extra footage at the end to tease future installments or to give audiences some bonus content.
So, do you need to stick around after Challengers?
Keep reading to find out if you need to wait for a post-credits scene…
We can confirm that No, there is no post-credits scene during the movie Challengers, so feel free to leave the theater right when the movie ends without having to worry about missing anything.
From director Luca Guadagnino, Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and...
Fans who are checking out the movie will likely want to know if they should stick around after the credits for an additional scene. Many movies these days, especially ones that are part of a franchise, will include extra footage at the end to tease future installments or to give audiences some bonus content.
So, do you need to stick around after Challengers?
Keep reading to find out if you need to wait for a post-credits scene…
We can confirm that No, there is no post-credits scene during the movie Challengers, so feel free to leave the theater right when the movie ends without having to worry about missing anything.
From director Luca Guadagnino, Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and...
- 4/26/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
‘Challengers’ has a brand-new release date, and is getting ready to bow in cinemas across the United States.
Zendaya is ready to serve up some love, and a few nasty tennis shots as well in her newest movie “Challengers.” The film has seen its release date bounce around and was due to premiere in theaters in September 2023 before seeing the date shift because of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes to Friday, April 26, 2024.
Key Facts: “Challengers” has built a 90% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. MGM+ could get the film first, but it’s more likely to make its streaming debut on Prime Video. Fans should expect a wait of at least 100 days before seeing “Challengers” on Prime Video.
Tennis player turned coach Tashi (Zendaya) has taken her husband Art (Mike Faist) and transformed him into a world-famous Grand Slam champion. To snap him out of his recent losing streak, she...
Zendaya is ready to serve up some love, and a few nasty tennis shots as well in her newest movie “Challengers.” The film has seen its release date bounce around and was due to premiere in theaters in September 2023 before seeing the date shift because of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes to Friday, April 26, 2024.
Key Facts: “Challengers” has built a 90% rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes. MGM+ could get the film first, but it’s more likely to make its streaming debut on Prime Video. Fans should expect a wait of at least 100 days before seeing “Challengers” on Prime Video.
Tennis player turned coach Tashi (Zendaya) has taken her husband Art (Mike Faist) and transformed him into a world-famous Grand Slam champion. To snap him out of his recent losing streak, she...
- 4/26/2024
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Zendaya, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor‘s steamy three-way Challengers kiss has been generating a lot of attention since the movie’s first trailer. However, the moment almost didn’t make it into the movie!
In a new interview, director Luca Guadagnino explained that the scene was not in the original script.
He opened up about why it was added and reflected on filming the scene.
Keep reading to find out more…
“I don’t think that was in the script at the beginning. Not at all,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “We discussed at length with Justin [Kuritzkes, the movie's writer] the concept that the triangle needs to flesh out the possibility that all the corners touch — that if you’re jealous of someone, you’re not jealous of your partner, you’re jealous also not to be picked by the rival.”
He continued, adding, “You want to be the object of the affection of the rival,...
In a new interview, director Luca Guadagnino explained that the scene was not in the original script.
He opened up about why it was added and reflected on filming the scene.
Keep reading to find out more…
“I don’t think that was in the script at the beginning. Not at all,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “We discussed at length with Justin [Kuritzkes, the movie's writer] the concept that the triangle needs to flesh out the possibility that all the corners touch — that if you’re jealous of someone, you’re not jealous of your partner, you’re jealous also not to be picked by the rival.”
He continued, adding, “You want to be the object of the affection of the rival,...
- 4/26/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Stars: Zendaya, Mike Faist, Josh O’Connor | Written by Justin Kuritzkes | Directed by Luca Guadagnino
Up-and-coming tennis star Tashi Duncan (Zendaya) has it all in the palm of her hand — talent, success, and future opportunities. Meanwhile, Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor) are a duo who share a bond beyond their rackets, with the meeker Art being shaped into manhood by the boisterous Patrick. When Tashi’s career stops in its tracks, it’s a duel for attention between the boys, forming an uneasy yet seductive triad.
Oh Luca Guadagnino, you’ve done it again. The acclaimed director has already painted incredibly broad strokes with his somehow cohesive back catalogue, from sexy cannibals in Bones and All to a coven of ravenous witches in Suspiria. Challengers is simultaneously a completely new direction for him and a pleasingly familiar one, combining Guadagnino’s heady loves of sex and power into the layered,...
Up-and-coming tennis star Tashi Duncan (Zendaya) has it all in the palm of her hand — talent, success, and future opportunities. Meanwhile, Art (Mike Faist) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor) are a duo who share a bond beyond their rackets, with the meeker Art being shaped into manhood by the boisterous Patrick. When Tashi’s career stops in its tracks, it’s a duel for attention between the boys, forming an uneasy yet seductive triad.
Oh Luca Guadagnino, you’ve done it again. The acclaimed director has already painted incredibly broad strokes with his somehow cohesive back catalogue, from sexy cannibals in Bones and All to a coven of ravenous witches in Suspiria. Challengers is simultaneously a completely new direction for him and a pleasingly familiar one, combining Guadagnino’s heady loves of sex and power into the layered,...
- 4/26/2024
- by Jasmine Valentine
- Nerdly
Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers leaves its sex on the court. In the film, now in theaters, Zendaya stars as Tashi, a former rising star on the tennis circuit who finds herself caught in the net of a love triangle between two best friends and rival players, played by Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor. Challengers is brimming with sensuality, despite not actually having any sex scenes. Instead, in Guadagnino’s hands, it’s all in the serve. He gets the audience right up to the line, but never takes them over it. It creates a hunger in the movie, an insatiable horniness that is only satisfied by the electrifying matches on the court. The sexiest scene isn’t even the much-publicized threesome scene between Tashi and her “little white boys,” as she calls them. (Though that scene is even steamier than the trailer led you to believe.) Instead, the film’s...
- 4/26/2024
- TV Insider
Luca Guadagnino isn’t exactly known for mainstream box office success, with credits on his resume like Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria and Bones and All. However, you take a young rising star like Zendaya and create a sexy love triangle around her in a sports setting, then as the late great Carl Weathers would say, “Baby, you got a stew going!” Guadagnino’s sports romance drama, Challengers, would open to $1.9 million at the box office in Thursday night previews.
According to Variety, while the R-rated film isn’t going to bust any blocks, as romance dramas rarely do, but the Amazon MGM movie is expected to win the weekend with an estimated $12 million to $15 million gross. Challengers is expected to overtake Civil War for the number one spot at the box office for the week. Civil War would enjoy two weeks at the top, becoming the biggest earner...
According to Variety, while the R-rated film isn’t going to bust any blocks, as romance dramas rarely do, but the Amazon MGM movie is expected to win the weekend with an estimated $12 million to $15 million gross. Challengers is expected to overtake Civil War for the number one spot at the box office for the week. Civil War would enjoy two weeks at the top, becoming the biggest earner...
- 4/26/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
“Challengers” is getting ready to serve at the box office.
Director Luca Guadagnino’s sexy tennis drama made $1.9 million at the the box office in Thursday previews.
The Amazon MGM film, which stars Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, is expected to make between $12 million and $15 million in its opening weekend. It’s poised to take the number one spot this weekend and beat A24’s “Civil War,” which has conquered the box office the last two weeks.
The trio of young stars play tennis pros caught in a personal and professional entanglement. Zendaya, who’s coming off the sci-fi blockbuster “Dune: Part Two,” plays Tashi Duncan, a former prodigy who had to retire from tennis after a serious injury. Mike Faist, who played Riff in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” is Art Donaldson, another tennis pro caught in a losing streak who later marries Tashi and is coached by her.
Director Luca Guadagnino’s sexy tennis drama made $1.9 million at the the box office in Thursday previews.
The Amazon MGM film, which stars Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, is expected to make between $12 million and $15 million in its opening weekend. It’s poised to take the number one spot this weekend and beat A24’s “Civil War,” which has conquered the box office the last two weeks.
The trio of young stars play tennis pros caught in a personal and professional entanglement. Zendaya, who’s coming off the sci-fi blockbuster “Dune: Part Two,” plays Tashi Duncan, a former prodigy who had to retire from tennis after a serious injury. Mike Faist, who played Riff in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” is Art Donaldson, another tennis pro caught in a losing streak who later marries Tashi and is coached by her.
- 4/26/2024
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
What To Watch This Weekend: Crakk, Challengers, etc. (Photo Credit – IMDb)
What to Watch This Weekend? If you also have this question on your mind, we have everything sorted for you. This weekend, several titles are releasing to entertain you. From “Crakk” and “Laapataa Ladies” to “Zendaya’s Challengers,” the movies on streaming platforms and in theatres are critically acclaimed.
In this article, we have mentioned several big releases that will keep you engrossed and make your weekend wholesome. From thrillers to comedies, there’s something in every genre. So, take note of these titles and don’t miss out on catching up on them Asap.
What to Watch This Weekend (Ott Releases) Bhimaa
Available on: Disney+ Hotstar
The Telugu fantasy action drama stars Tottempudi Gopichand and Malvika Sharma, directed by A Harsha.
Trending Ruslaan Movie Review: Aayush Sharma Packs In Kicks & Punches In A Spy Thriller With Hits & Misses...
What to Watch This Weekend? If you also have this question on your mind, we have everything sorted for you. This weekend, several titles are releasing to entertain you. From “Crakk” and “Laapataa Ladies” to “Zendaya’s Challengers,” the movies on streaming platforms and in theatres are critically acclaimed.
In this article, we have mentioned several big releases that will keep you engrossed and make your weekend wholesome. From thrillers to comedies, there’s something in every genre. So, take note of these titles and don’t miss out on catching up on them Asap.
What to Watch This Weekend (Ott Releases) Bhimaa
Available on: Disney+ Hotstar
The Telugu fantasy action drama stars Tottempudi Gopichand and Malvika Sharma, directed by A Harsha.
Trending Ruslaan Movie Review: Aayush Sharma Packs In Kicks & Punches In A Spy Thriller With Hits & Misses...
- 4/26/2024
- by Pooja Darade
- KoiMoi
[Editor’s note: The following article contains some spoilers for “Challengers.”]
“Then the lights go out and it’s just the three of us / You me and all that stuff we’re so scared of”
By the time Luca Guadagnino’s sexy, thrilling “Challengers” sticks two of its leads in — of all places — a suburban Applebee’s, we have a sense of where this is all going.
Built around a love triangle, Guadagnino’s latest stars Zendaya as once-in-a-generation tennis prodigy Tashi, who gets entangled (both personally and professionally) with the sparky Patrick (Josh O’Connor) and his more focused Bff Art (Mike Faist). Told in a nonlinear fashion, the film volleys back and forth between time and place, always coming to rest on a key 2019 match between Patrick and Art.
While screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes’ original script contains plenty of twists, turns, and revelations, the film starts in a place where we soon learn Tashi is retired, she’s married to...
“Then the lights go out and it’s just the three of us / You me and all that stuff we’re so scared of”
By the time Luca Guadagnino’s sexy, thrilling “Challengers” sticks two of its leads in — of all places — a suburban Applebee’s, we have a sense of where this is all going.
Built around a love triangle, Guadagnino’s latest stars Zendaya as once-in-a-generation tennis prodigy Tashi, who gets entangled (both personally and professionally) with the sparky Patrick (Josh O’Connor) and his more focused Bff Art (Mike Faist). Told in a nonlinear fashion, the film volleys back and forth between time and place, always coming to rest on a key 2019 match between Patrick and Art.
While screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes’ original script contains plenty of twists, turns, and revelations, the film starts in a place where we soon learn Tashi is retired, she’s married to...
- 4/26/2024
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
You will never see sweat shot as lovingly, as carefully, or as carnally as you see it filmed in Challengers, Luca Guadagnino’s doubles match of tennis drama and tortured love triangle. It virtually glistens off of the two male players competing to win — on the court, off the court, in the bedroom, during a sauna psyche-out in which one of them is kindly asked to put his dick away — and glides off of every inch of their toned physiques. Massive droplets drip off their noses, down their necks and arms,...
- 4/26/2024
- by David Fear
- Rollingstone.com
Once again, tennis is the new sexPhoto: Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures
“It’s funny,” Zendaya says early on in our conversation about Challengers, “because people keep saying that it’s romantic.” She scoffs. “I was like, I don’t know where the romance is here.”
She is right, but it...
“It’s funny,” Zendaya says early on in our conversation about Challengers, “because people keep saying that it’s romantic.” She scoffs. “I was like, I don’t know where the romance is here.”
She is right, but it...
- 4/26/2024
- by Drew Gillis
- avclub.com
This weekend brings a unique hybrid, a mixing of genres that has happened in the past but is somewhat rare. Perhaps it’s because one of the genres is the sports movie, more specifically tennis. Yes, there have been a couple of prominent films within the last couple of years, though they were “inspired by true stories”, mainly the Oscar-winning King Richard and the humorous, but “for reals”, Battle Of The Sexes. This new flick is pure fiction, though gleaned from recent players, and it’s also (the other genre) a dramatic love story. Oh, and this is the big selling point for the studio, it’s a true “love triangle”, as two male tennis “hotshots” share a passion for the game and the same woman. So, in the sport and the romance, these two are truly motivated Challengers.
In the film’s opening moments, we get a few short...
In the film’s opening moments, we get a few short...
- 4/26/2024
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Zendaya briefly opened up about how she has been “nervous” leading up to the release of Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers.
The Emmy-winning actress took to Instagram to share a carousel of photos and videos behind the scenes of her upcoming film with her co-stars, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor.
“This is my first time leading a film in this way so ya girls been nervous but everyones excitement and encouragement has meant the world to me,” she captioned the Instagram post. “I’m so honored that I get to do this beside these incredibly talented, brilliant (and hilarious) people and on behalf of all of us, we hope you enjoy the film and again…try not to judge the characters too much lol but also #teamtashi.”
The carousel included videos of Zendaya working out with a bouncy ball and training on a tennis court, O’Connor flipping a plastic water...
The Emmy-winning actress took to Instagram to share a carousel of photos and videos behind the scenes of her upcoming film with her co-stars, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor.
“This is my first time leading a film in this way so ya girls been nervous but everyones excitement and encouragement has meant the world to me,” she captioned the Instagram post. “I’m so honored that I get to do this beside these incredibly talented, brilliant (and hilarious) people and on behalf of all of us, we hope you enjoy the film and again…try not to judge the characters too much lol but also #teamtashi.”
The carousel included videos of Zendaya working out with a bouncy ball and training on a tennis court, O’Connor flipping a plastic water...
- 4/25/2024
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
This article contains major spoilers for "Challengers."
Given our Puritanical origins, Americans tend to have a strange relationship with the concept of kink. It's only within the last half-century or so that popular culture has allowed for the exploration and broadcast of what used to be taboo topics: Things as basic and human as the general act of sex, the proliferation of violence, and so on. Prior to that watershed time in American history, so much of life was hidden behind closed doors, causing the general public persona of the average citizen to be repressed or sublimated.
While America is certainly not alone when it comes to rabidly enjoying sports — whether participating directly or merely observing them being played — it feels like our culture uses the pastimes as one of several outlets with which to get in touch with our baser, more primal selves. If football is a stand-in for...
Given our Puritanical origins, Americans tend to have a strange relationship with the concept of kink. It's only within the last half-century or so that popular culture has allowed for the exploration and broadcast of what used to be taboo topics: Things as basic and human as the general act of sex, the proliferation of violence, and so on. Prior to that watershed time in American history, so much of life was hidden behind closed doors, causing the general public persona of the average citizen to be repressed or sublimated.
While America is certainly not alone when it comes to rabidly enjoying sports — whether participating directly or merely observing them being played — it feels like our culture uses the pastimes as one of several outlets with which to get in touch with our baser, more primal selves. If football is a stand-in for...
- 4/25/2024
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
Originally set to release last September but being delayed due to the strikes, Luca Guadagnino’s tennis flick Challengers has finally hit the big screen to much excitement and anticipation. The story follows Tashi, a tennis player turned coach who has transformed her husband Art into a world-famous Grand Slam champion. In an attempt to boost his confidence and break his losing streak, she signs him for a ‘Challenger’ event, a lower-level pro tournament, where he finds himself standing across the net from his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. With magnetic performances from the leads, expert cinematography, an engaging dual timeline and a heart-pounding original score, Challengers is a slam dunk worth waiting for.
The story of Challengers is incredibly effective, which is a testament to how it is told. Utilizing a dual timeline perspective to fill us in on the rocky relationship between the three leads...
The story of Challengers is incredibly effective, which is a testament to how it is told. Utilizing a dual timeline perspective to fill us in on the rocky relationship between the three leads...
- 4/25/2024
- by Becca Johnson
- Talking Films
Plot: Tashi, a former tennis prodigy turned coach is married to a champion on a losing streak. Her strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend.
Review: There are few films that affected me as much as 2022’s Bones and All. From the moment those credits rolled, I decided I would make an effort to see every Luca Guadagnino movie in theaters. The director is able to capture life through the lens in such a way that draws out intense emotions, regardless of subject. So add the talent of someone like Zendaya and it feels like the film is already starting out on third base. As much as Challengers is about tennis, it’s mostly using that as a framing device for its true subject matter: the love triangle between Tashi, Art, and Patrick.
Review: There are few films that affected me as much as 2022’s Bones and All. From the moment those credits rolled, I decided I would make an effort to see every Luca Guadagnino movie in theaters. The director is able to capture life through the lens in such a way that draws out intense emotions, regardless of subject. So add the talent of someone like Zendaya and it feels like the film is already starting out on third base. As much as Challengers is about tennis, it’s mostly using that as a framing device for its true subject matter: the love triangle between Tashi, Art, and Patrick.
- 4/25/2024
- by Tyler Nichols
- JoBlo.com
[Editor’s note: The following interview includes some spoilers for “Challengers.”]
Justin Kuritzkes managed to hit an ace with the first feature-length screenplay he’d ever written “that I felt good enough to share with anybody,” he joked during a recent interview with IndieWire over Zoom.
The playwright, author, and to some most memorably “Potion Seller,” credits the controversial 2018 U.S. Open final between Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams that began to devolve after an umpire penalized the latter tennis legend for allegedly receiving coaching from the sidelines.
“She immediately got really upset and said, ‘I didn’t do that. I would never do that.’ And I had never heard this rule before because I wasn’t massively into tennis. But immediately, this struck me as intensely cinematic,” said Kuritzkes. “You’re all alone on the court and there’s this one person in the stands who cares as much about what happens to you as you do, but you can’t talk to them.
Justin Kuritzkes managed to hit an ace with the first feature-length screenplay he’d ever written “that I felt good enough to share with anybody,” he joked during a recent interview with IndieWire over Zoom.
The playwright, author, and to some most memorably “Potion Seller,” credits the controversial 2018 U.S. Open final between Naomi Osaka and Serena Williams that began to devolve after an umpire penalized the latter tennis legend for allegedly receiving coaching from the sidelines.
“She immediately got really upset and said, ‘I didn’t do that. I would never do that.’ And I had never heard this rule before because I wasn’t massively into tennis. But immediately, this struck me as intensely cinematic,” said Kuritzkes. “You’re all alone on the court and there’s this one person in the stands who cares as much about what happens to you as you do, but you can’t talk to them.
- 4/25/2024
- by Marcus Jones
- Indiewire
In Challengers, everyone is obsessed with Zendaya. Or, at least, her character Tashi Duncan. “She’s gonna turn her whole family into millionaires,” says Josh O’Connor’s young tennis champ Patrick Zweig, to old friend and doubles partner Art Donaldson (Mike Faist). “She’ll have a fashion line, a foundation.” It’s easy to see why they’re in awe. Duncan is a world-class player, brand ambassador, and the object of both their affections. And with regards to ambition, ability, and enormous success at a young age, they could just as easily be talking about Zendaya herself – a star who, over the past few years, has been executing her own Tashi-esque world domination. So far, she’s moved from kids’ TV star to being a part of some of the biggest movies on the planet. With Challengers, though, she’s taking things to a whole other level.
Like Tashi...
Like Tashi...
- 4/25/2024
- by Sophie Butcher
- Empire - Movies
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