Challengers Movie: Everything You Need to Know About Zendaya’s Spicy New Film

Challengers Movie: Everything You Need to Know About Zendaya’s Spicy New Film

In case you missed all the hype about Zendaya landing in Australia recently, we’re here to let you know that her new movie, Challengers, is on its way, and it is certainly turning a lot of heads. If you’re keen to get up to date on all the spicy tennis action, here’s everything you need to know.

When is Challengers’ release date in Australia?

Image Credit: MGM/Warner Bros.

For all of you who have been waiting patiently for Challengers to hit cinemas in Australia, we can confirm that the film’s release date is April 18, 2024 – which means you can go and see it in cinemas as of today!

Interestingly, we’ll catch the movie before our mates in the United States and United Kingdom, who will get their hands on it by April 26.

Where to watch Challengers in Australia

At first, the best place to catch the Challengers movie is obviously going to be the cinemas; it will be released in all major cinemas around the country.

Where will Challengers be available to stream?

We don’t yet have confirmation of where the Challengers movie is set to stream after it eventually leaves cinemas, but, as the film is distributed by MGM — which is owned by Amazon — it has been theorised that it could eventually make its way to Prime Video. We’ll update you on that one once we know more.

Who’s in the cast of Challengers?

The cast of Challengers has received a lot of attention in the lead-up to its release. In the top spot, we have Zendaya (Dune, Euphoria), who stars as Tashi Donaldson (and produces the film, too), alongside Mike Faist (West Side Story) as Art Donaldson and Josh O’Connor (The Crown) as Patrick Zweig.

What’s Zendaya’s role in Challengers?

Image Credit: MGM/Warner Bros.

In the Challengers movie, Zendaya plays Tashi, who is the woman at the centre of the sports drama. Her character is described as a former tennis “prodigy” who helps her husband lift his game considerably in the sport.

At a recent press conference for the film, Lifehacker Australia asked Zendaya and the cast of Challengers which roles helped them prepare for the movie – to which she jokingly replied, “K.C. Undercover”.

Zendaya also serves as a producer on the film, giving her leeway both in front of and behind the camera. On the Challengers red carpet in Sydney, executive producer Rachel O’Connor told Lifehacker AU that it was very exciting to work with the actor in this capacity:

“She is as talented and formidable behind the camera as she is in front of the camera,” O’Connor said.

Zendaya said herself she relished this challenge to be a producer as it helped her to get over her shyness. See her open up about it in the clip below:

Is there a Challengers trailer?

Yes! There are a couple of spicy trailers for the Challengers movie, actually. You can catch glimpses of the love triangle developing in the clips below.

What is the plot in Challengers?

In essence, the film starts off with Tashi excelling in her career as a tennis player, only to be taken out in her prime due to an injury. This leads her to move into coaching. Adding to the drama of it all is a love triangle that develops, featuring two best friends and Tashi sitting in the centre.

The synopsis reads as follows:

Tashi, a former tennis prodigy turned coach is married to a champion on a losing streak. Her strategy for her husband’s redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend.

Is Challengers based on a true story?

Sorry to disappoint, but there appears to be no truth behind the inspiration for Challengers. As People writes, the story is untrue, however the cast did have to actually work on their tennis skills for three months to get better behind the ball.

“They spent like three months working very hard,” Guadagnino told Variety of his leading cast.

“Everybody – technically, athletically.”

This article has been updated since its original publication.

Lead Image Credit: MGM/Warner Bros

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