Here at RUSSH we're pretty much convinced there is nothing Zendaya can't do. She has well and truly conquered the television world – if you've missed Euphoria, do yourself a favour and watch her masterful performance. And now it seems the actress is looking for her next milestone, an Academy Award.
Pairing up with Oscar-nominated director, Call Me By Your Name’s Luca Guadagnino, the actress is taking on a new role in the film Challengers; a dramatic tennis-themed romance. Filming for the production wrapped in Boston in February 2022, yet due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, the film's premiere was delayed. Below, we're sharing all the details so far and what to expect from the film.
When will Challengers premiere in Australia?
The film was initially given a US release date of 15 September 2023, however it was delayed due to the 2023 Hollywood strikes. As it stand, the new Australian Universal release date for Challengers is April 24. Take a look at a sneak peek of the film, as posted by Zendaya, below.
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What is Challengers about?
Challengers follows Tashi, a tennis player turned coach, who turns her husband from a mediocre player into a world-famous grand slam champion. Tashi enters her husband in a "Challenger” event, a low-level tournament on the pro tour. There, he finds himself facing off against Patrick, his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. Expect a love triangle and a heaping spoon of tennis jargon.
Who is involved?
This looks to be a plot filled with love, loss, and likely betrayal, all what Guadagnino does so well. Zendaya will take the role as Tashi, while Mike Faist will play her husband, with Josh O’Connor from The Crown and Mothering Sunday completing the cast as Patrick. To sweeten the lineup of our dreams, Amy Pascal has signed on as producer. If her name sounds familiar it's because she is the force responsible for captivating dramas like The Post and Little Women, often referred to as Greta Gerwig's right hand women, which holds up as she worked on the Barbie movie.
What's more is that beloved designer Jonathan Anderson announced over Instagram that he would come onboard as costume designer for the film, ensuring that Challengers will be a fashion spectacle as well as a cinematic masterpiece. We spy a Uniqlo and adidas sponsorship in the trailer too.
Is there a trailer?
Debuting on June 21, 2023, the trailer is textbook Guadagnino, with roiling romance, ambition, jealousy and unresolved grievances set to the tune of Rihanna's S&M. Zendaya glows and her character Tashi has both men twisted around her pinky finger. "I'm taking such good care of my little white boys." View it for yourself, below.
Image: Twitter
