The Zendaya starring new film from Luca Guadagnino, Challengers, is set to make its debut at this year’s Venice Film Festival. The film, which will screen out of competition ahead of its general release in September, also stars The Crown‘s Josh O’Connor and West Side Story‘s Mike Faist in a ménage à trois that set the internet ablaze. Other films set to screen at the 80th annual film festival include Yorgos Lanthimos‘ Frankenstein-esque sci-fi Poor Things, Matteo Garrone‘s drama Io Capitano, as well as Pablo Larrain‘s El Conde.
Zendaya appears in the film as Tashi Duncan, an up-and-coming tennis sensation who becomes romantically entangled with best friends and fellow players Art (Faist) and Patrick (O’Connor). While she initially enters a relationship with Patrick, she ultimately marries Art, in what sounds like the messiest of love triangles. When her promising career is cut short thanks to an injury, she becomes Art’s coach, however years later the pair are reunited with Patrick when the former best friends are forced to face off on the court. A trailer for the romantic sports comedy released last month, set to Rihanna‘s “S&M”, promising a steamy movie event.
The film will premiere on August 30, opening the festival. Shortly after, the film will hit U.S. cinemas via MGM and Amazon Studios, and internationally through Warner Bros. Pictures. The screenplay was written by Justin Kuritzkes, while Amy Pascal, Zendaya and Rachel O’Connor are credited as producers alongside the director. While his first film was 1999’s The Protagonists, Guadagnino came to mainstream international recognition following the release of the Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer starring Call Me by Your Name, an adaption of André Aciman‘s novel of the same name. This film was followed by horror remake/reimagining Suspiria, and later romantic horror Bones and All, all of which cementing him as one of the most interesting directors working today.
Guadagnino is a Venice Regular
Speaking in a statement, Guadagnino said “I am so thrilled for audiences to experience my new film Challengers at the Venice Film Festival. It’s a modern bold story of youthful energy, love and power. Zendaya, Josh and Mike are totally original and fresh, bringing a new energy like you’ve never seen before.” He continued, “as a filmmaker, it is a dream come true and I am grateful to Alberto and the whole Venice family for this wonderful recognition for the film.” The director returns to Venice after appearing in competition last year with Bones and All. Alberto Barbera, the festival’s artistic director called Guadagnino “one of the few Italian directors who has always been accustomed to working with both Italian and foreign actresses and actors, getting top results from all of them each time,” adding that he “sets no limits to his creative energy in this film as he deals with topics such as love, friendship and male rivalry, and brings to life an enthralling and affecting movie, full of irony, sensuality and good nature.”
Challengers hits theaters on September 15.
via Collider