Challengers First Trailer Serves Up A Romantic Rivalry For Zendaya
After recently dipping his toes into the horror realm, Luca Guadagnino — the director of acclaimed hits such as "Call Me By Your Name," "Suspiria," and "Bones & All" — has turned his attention to the world of sports for his new movie. "Challengers" tells the story of a tennis tournament, but in true Guadgnino fashion, it will also feature a hint of romance and high-stakes drama to spice up the competition.
Starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor, the story follows three tennis players who knew each other when they were young; however, their paths cross again when they join the tournament with the goal of winning. Of course, it's more complicated than a mere tennis game; Zendaya and Faist's characters are married in the present day, but the former used to date O'Connor's tennis enthusiast. Will the tournament reignite old passions?
"Challengers" will be released later this year. In the meantime, here is a trailer to whet your appetite for what promises to be a romantic sports drama.
Challengers will bring some sizzle to the tennis world
While there will be a love triangle at the center of the plot, "Challengers" is also a story about overcoming confidence issues. Art (Mike Faist) is a world-class Grand Slam champion who's been experiencing a losing streak, so his wife, Tashi (Zendaya), recommends that he take part in a pick-me-up tournament to get his groove back. That said, as the trailer teases, the lowly tournament might be more memorable than Wimbledon and other tentpole tennis events.
The film, which was written by Justin Kuritzkes, also promises to be alluring. In an interview with Indiewire, Luca Guadagnino revealed that it's a sexy movie that also has tennis in it, but that's all he's giving us. Of course, the trailer does share some interesting details about the characters and what viewers can expect from the movie.
With "Call Me By Your Name" and other movies, Guadagnino is known for telling stories that boast strong LGBTQ themes. While he's keeping the details about "Challengers" close to the vest for now, he did tease a queer storyline during the aforementioned conversation with Indiewire, noting that he's synonymous with these types of stories.