Zendaya’s Challengers Is Out Now
Starring Zendaya, the movie that’s inspiring a whole new league of tennis fans is finally out today (26th April) and we absolutely cannot wait to watch it.
We’ve loved all of the tenniscore fashion that Zendaya brought to the press tour and we’re sure to see more of it in the sports drama Challengers. Playing a tennis star turned coach, her character Tashi falls into a love triangle with her husband (and the man she’s mentoring), and a former lover. Ouch.
If you love the drama in tennis, you’ll want to also watch Netflix’s behind-the-scenes documentary Break Point that’s out with season 2, and Amazon Prime’s tennis miniseries Fifteen Love. But for now, enjoy the fictional world of Tashi Duncan.
What is Challengers about?
The trailer for Challengers released to a lot of buzz on social media, in part because it looks to be another big (and potentially award-nominated) stepping-stone in Zendaya’s career, and because of its apparently steamy premise. Tennis isn’t a stranger to being the backdrop to a romcom storyline- you might remember the Paul Bettany and Kirsten Dunst starring Wimbledon back in 2004- but Challengers seems to be taking things up a notch. Tashi Duncan (Zendaya) is a former tennis champ who won a Grand Slam early in her career, and after getting to the top and suffering injury has now settled into more of a coaching role.
Who else stars?
The trailer sees her in her glory days demolishing an opponent while being described as “having a fashion line and turning her family into millionaires”, and attracting the attention of future husband Art (West Side Story’s Mike Faist). The narrative flips into the future, with Art now an elite player and Grand Slam winner, but having taken a severe knock to his form (and ego) after losing several matches in a row. To make things worse, Tashi decides to sign him up for a challenger event against her ex-boyfriend and his childhood friend, Patrick (The Crown’s Josh O’Connor)
Why is it making a buzz?
With Patrick relishing the opportunity to bag himself an esteem-boosting victory, and Art feeling the pressure from both his friend and wife, all the ingredients seem to be mixing for major love-triangle drama. As the trailer reveals, it seems that Tashi was once in love with both men simultaneously, with a much-talked-about scene in which she invites them both to her hotel bed. But now, years later, Is Tashi falling back in love with Patrick as well as Art? Or, as the trailer (and Patrick) suggest, is she playing a whole other game entirely?
Zendaya might be the main draw when it comes to box office, but the direction and premise should be enough to get you intrigued. Luca Guadagnino is sitting in the director’s chair, best-known films like Call Me By Your Name and Bones and All, and it’s scored by rock star turned lauded film composer Trent Reznor, alongside his regular collaborator Atticus Ross.
