MGM+ has set a streaming date for Luca Guadagnino's Challengers. The Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor-led film is hitting the streaming service sooner than expected.
Challengers' streaming date
It is being reported that Challengers will begin streaming on MGM+ on July 29. That means it will hit the streaming service about three months after its United States theatrical release.
Granted, the film is hardly doing anything at the box office. Amazon MGM Studios has slowly been pulling back theatrical showtimes for the film. As of the time of this writing, the film made $86.8 million worldwide at the box office.
Considering that Guadagnino's previous film, Bones and All, didn't fare well, grossing just $15.2 million, Challengers has been a modest success. Though the film did have a reported $55 million budget, so it wasn't a smash hit. It features rising stars such as Zendaya, Faist, and O'Connor which likely helped drum up interest.
What is Challengers about?
In the film, Zendaya plays a tennis prodigy, Tashi Duncan, whose career is cut short after a devastating injury. She begins coaching her husband, Art Donaldson (Faist). However, they soon encounter a figure from their past, Patrick Zweig (O'Connor), who was Art's childhood friend and Tashi's former lover. The film depicts their journey and rivalry leading up to the ATP Challenger Tour.
Luca Guadagnino directed the film based on a script written by Justin Kuritzkes. Guadagnino is an acclaimed filmmaker who gained notoriety for directing his Desire trilogy (consisting of I Am Love, A Bigger Splash, and Call Me by Your Name).
He gained wider recognition for directing Call Me by Your Name and the Suspiria remake in 2018. Timothée Chalamet had a breakout performance in the former film and would reunite with Guadagnino for Bones and All a few years later.
Originally slated for a fall 2023 release, Challengers was delayed to April 2024 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. This strike meant that Zendaya, Faist, and O'Connor would not be able to promote the project.
The film held its world premiere in Sydney, Australia, on March 26, 2024. It was subsequently released in the United States a month later on April 26.
Who is in it?
The trio of Zendaya, Faist, and O'Connor led Challengers.
After gaining notoriety for her leading roles on Disney Channel, Zendaya made a name for herself with roles in the MCU Spider-Man trilogy and The Greatest Showman. She has also led HBO's Euphoria for two seasons and several holiday specials. Her other notable film credits include Malcolm and Marie, Space Jam: A New Legacy, and Denis Villeneuve's Dune series.
Mike Faist is an experienced stage actor who rose to fame thanks to his role in Broadway's Newsies production. He also starred in Dear Evan Hansen from 2015-18. After leading the TV series Panic, Faist got his big break starring in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story with Rachel Zegler.
Most likely recognize Josh O'Connor from playing Charles, Prince of Wales, in The Crown. He has also had roles in Peaky Blinders and Doctor Who. Coming up, O'Connor will star in Rian Johnson's Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.
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