Zendaya is one of the busiest actresses in Hollywood right now, and after seeing her in a star-studded role, you’ll understand why!
The trailer for her latest film, The Challenger, is out now, and fans want to know more about the cast, release date and whether the tennis movie is based on a true story.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Challenger…
What is the Challenger movie about?
Zendaya stars as Tashi Duncan, a tennis player-turned-coach who turns her husband into a world-renowned Grand Slam champion—but her husband Art ends up in a love triangle competing with his ex-best friend and Tashi’s ex-boyfriend, Patrick.
The official synopsis reads: “Tennis player-turned-coach Tashi (Zendaya) takes her husband Art (Mike Fester) and turns him into a world-famous Grand Slam champion. losing streak, she puts him in a “Challengers” event — the near-lowest level of professional tournaments — where he finds himself across the net from his ex-best friend and Tashi’s ex-boyfriend (Josh O). Connor).”
Is the Challenger R-rated?
Described by the Italian director as an R-rated “sexy comedy,” The Challenger stars Zendaya as Tashi, an ex-player who is now the coach of her husband Art, played by Mike Faist, who is currently starring in Soho Place’s West Side Story Break out of Brokeback Mountain.
When is The Challenger starring Zendaya coming out?
Challenger will be released on September 15th, 2023, which means we only have a few months to wait!
It’s also going straight to theaters, but with the film being distributed by Amazon-owned MGM, it’s likely to be available on Amazon Prime at some point in the future.
Is The Challenger Based On A True Story?
Despite the complicated love story in the film, it is considered entirely fictional.
Speaking about the film, the film’s director, Luca Guadagnino, recently told IndieWire: “I think the three characters in that film are very complex and really are people that I really like.
“There’s also a sports movie, why not? It’s very active, and I make movies, so it’s great.”
Where was The Challenger filmed?
Filming took place in and around the Back Bay and East Boston neighborhoods. Filming ended on June 26, 2022. Guadagnino visited Zendaya on the set of Dune: Part II to complete the Challenger’s ADR.
meet the challenger cast
Of course, in addition to “Euphoria” starring Zendaya, the cast also includes “The Crown”‘s Josh O’Connor and “West Side Story”‘s Mike Feist.
Here’s the cast so far:
- Zendaya as Tashi Duncan
- Mike Faist Art
- Josh O’Connor as Patrick
- Jack Jansen as Finn Larsen
- AJ Lister as Lily