Zendaya’s ‘Challengers’ Movie Gets New Release Date Amid Actors Strike

A new tennis movie that features Zendaya has a new release date. As mentioned by The Hollywood Reporter, MGM is pushing Challengers from the release date of Sept. 15, 2023, to Apr. 26, 2024. Additionally, the movie will not premiere at the Venice Film Festival, which takes place from Aug. 30 – Sept. 9. 

This move comes as the SAG-AFTRA strike rolls on. Actors associated with SAG-AFTRA can’t do any promotion for films or television shows, meaning Zendaya and other cast members of Challengers can’t do interviews about the film or attend any events related to the movie. Zendaya is also a producer on Challengers along with Amy Pascal via her Pascal Pictures and Luca Guadagnino, who is also the director. 

“Tashi (Zendaya), a tennis player turned coach, has taken her husband, Art (Mike Faist), and transformed him from a mediocre player into a world-famous grand slam champion,” the synopsis states. “To jolt him out of his recent losing streak, she makes him play a ‘Challenger’ event — close to the lowest level of tournament on the pro tour — where he finds himself standing across the net from the once-promising, now burnt-out Patrick (Josh O’Connor): his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend. Tensions run high on and off the court as old flames are reignited, competition builds, and love and careers hang in the balance; it’s anyone’s game.”  

As mentioned by Variety, Zendaya trained for three months to play a tennis star in Challengers. The outlet caught up with Guadagnino at the Academy Museum Gala in October 2022, and he praised Zendaya for her work in the movie. “She’s wonderful,” Guadagnino said. “I mean, wow. We edited the movie and we almost actually don’t use any of her double. She’s so good.”

Filming of Challengers wrapped in June 2022 and former tennis star Brad Gilbert worked as a consultant. “They spent like three months working very hard,” Guadagnino said of his leads. “Everybody – technically, athletically.”   

Challengers might be pushed back, but another Zendaya film is still a go for its release date. Dune: Part Two is set to be released on Nov. 3, 2023. The 26-year-old actress also stars in the HBO series Euphoria, but the third season does not have a release date.