Fans of Luca Guadagninio pricked up their ears when the director announced last year that his next film would be a movie about tennis. Guada and tennis? That doesn’t sound like it’d work on paper. But in Empire‘s sneak preview of “Challengers,” stars Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor explain what Guada has on his mind regarding his new film. As usual, it’s all about “sensuality and desire,” as only Guada can do.
“He [Guadagnino] had no knowledge of tennis going into this,” Faist told Empire about the director’s approach to the sport in “Challengers.” “And I think he had only a vague interest in certain tennis specificities. He was more interested in the bodies and sweat.” In the upcoming film, Zendaya plays a tennis pro-turned-coach Tashio as her husband Art (Faist) faces off against her ex Patrick (O’Connor) in tournament play. Given the trio’s shared steamy history, things get hot and heavy pretty fast.
“What Luca’s really good at is finding sensuality and desire,” Zendaya said to Empire about the film. “There’s so much in just glances. The tension builds. Not having the release is a good thing sometimes.” O’Connor explained the film’s motivations a little more curtly. “The tennis is the sex,” said the actor. “Those moments are so sexy. The film is dealing with the tension before and after. The sex they’re all desperate for is on the court.”
And the first trailer for “Challengers” already hinted at the tension audiences should expect between the three actors. The preview, as well as a still from a film, hints at a threesome between the three leads when their characters are younger. But, don’t worry, tennis fans: Zendaya, Faist, and O’Connor took their sports training seriously. IndieWire reports that the cast trained with former tennis pro Brian Gilbert for three months to prepare for their roles.
But Guada ultimately wanted “Challengers” to explore his usual preoccupations. The director described his film as “hyperkinetic” to IndieWire. “I think those three characters in that movie are beautifully complex and really fucked-up people that I love very much,” he said. “And a sports film, why not?”
Sure, why not, Guada? Unfortunately, audiences will have to wait longer for “Challengers” to reach them. The film was originally set to open the Venice Film Festival this year before MGM pushed the film back to an April 26, 2024 release due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. “Commandante,” a WWII biopic about an Italian admiral, will open Venice this year instead.
So take a lesson from the “Challengers” characters, Guada fans: let the tension build as we wait for the film’s debut next spring. Sometimes the release is worth the wait. Check out the trailer for “Challengers” below.
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