There just aren’t enough good tennis comedies out there. It’s far too long between films such as Wimbledon and Battle of the Sexes. But would you expect to get the next one from Luca Guadagnino, the director behind Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria, and Bones & All? Probably not. But here’s the trailer for Challengers, a tennis rom-com led by Zendaya in what looks to be an ace of a role.
In Challengers, Zendaya stars as a former tennis prodigy-turned-coach, caught in the middle of a match between two professional and romantic rivals. One is her husband, a champion on a losing streak. The other, his former best friend and her ex-boyfriend.
Zendaya is joined in the cast by West Side Story actor Mike Faist and The Crown‘s Josh O’Connor. The screenplay is by Justin Kuritzkes, who is also working with Guadagnino on an adaptation of Queer. Guadagnino is again working with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross on the score.
Challengers take the court on September 15th.
From visionary filmmaker Luca Guadagnino, 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 – West Side Story), 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 – The Crown) – 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.
