Challengers Trivia | 35 facts about the movie

Challengers is a 2024 American romantic sports comedy-drama film directed by Luca Guadagnino, starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist.

Let’s find out more about the movie!

1. Challengers is a 2024 American romantic sports comedy-drama film directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Justin Kuritzkes.
2. The film stars Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist.
3. Challengers premiered in Sydney, Australia on March 26, 2024.
4. It is scheduled to be released in the United States by Amazon MGM Studios on April 26, 2024
5. To prepare for her role, Zendaya spent three months with pro tennis player-turned-coach, Brad Gilbert.
6. The film was completed in April 2023, a whole year before its release.
7. Screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes is the husband of Celine Song, who wrote and directed Past Lives (2023).
8. Luca Guadagnino’s second collaboration with composers Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross after Bones and All (2022).
9. Luca Guadagnino visited Zendaya on the set of Dune: Part II (2024) in order to complete ADR for Challengers (2024).
10. Originally scheduled to release on September 15, 2023, however it was delayed to April 26, 2024 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
11. Austin Abrams, Jacob Elordi, and Dominic Fike were considered for the role of Patrick before Josh O’Connor was cast.
12. Luca Guadagnino’s first feature film to not be a co-production with Italy.
13. Luca Guadagnino’s second film set and made in the United States.
14. Nika King and Matthew Macfadyen were considered for undisclosed roles.
15. Luca Guadagnino’s first comedy.
16. Luca Guadagnino’s eighth narrative feature film and his tenth overall, including two documentaries.
17. August 11, 2023 was the film’s initial release date.
18. Luca Guadagnino third feature-length collaboration with Thai cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom.
19. Costume designer J.W. Anderson is the founder of JW Anderson, as well as creative director for the Spanish luxury house LOEWE.
20. Justin Kuritzkes’ first screenwriting credit.
21. One of two movies starring Mike Faist that intended to release in the latter half of 2023, but was delayed to 2024 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
22. However, the other film The Bikeriders (2023) still screened at multiple film festivals in 2023 before its release date moved from December 1, 2023 to June 21, 2024.
23. According to multiple festival directors, Challengers (2024) was the only film pulled from the 2023 fall festival circuit due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.
24. The film was originally supposed to open the 2023 Venice Film Festival, but it pulled its selection a month before the festival due to the actors’ strike.
25. Comandante (2023) replaced Challengers as the opening night film.
26. The film’s April 26, 2024 release date in the United States happens nine days after the 100th anniversary of the founding of the film’s studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, on April 17.
27. Principal photography began on May 3, 2022, in Boston, where a casting call took place for local residents to audition to play tennis players, general extras, and stand-ins.
28. In preparation for her role, Zendaya spent three months training with pro-tennis player-turned-coach Brad Gilbert. Gilbert was also a consultant on the film.
29. Filming occurred in and around the Back Bay and East Boston neighborhoods.
30. Jonathan Anderson, creative director of Spanish luxury brand Loewe, served as costume designer.
31. A trailer was released on June 20, 2023.
32. Zendaya revealed the film’s poster on her Instagram at the new year 2024 along with its release date.
33. She called the film “Codependency: The Movie” and O’Connor compared it to the 2007 comedy Superbad.
34. Although the film was initially set for a direct-to streaming release on Amazon Prime Video in France instead of a theatrical release, the decision was reversed in January 2024, meaning the film would start streaming on the service 17 months after its initial theatrical release.
35. While it was rumored the film would be released on April 24, 2024, two days before its release in the United States, a spokesperson for Warner Bros. Discovery denied this, stating the film had not been dated for a French theatrical release yet.