Luca Guadagnino’s attractive sports activities comedy “Challengers,” starring Zendaya as a former tennis prodigy turned coach entangled in a love triangle with two professional tennis gamers, performed by Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist, will open the Venice Movie Pageant.
“Challengers” will world premiere out of competitors on Aug. 30 within the Venice Lido’s Palazzo del Cinema, offering a star-studded kickoff for the fest’s eightieth version.
The hotly anticipated movie – which marks Guadagnino’s first full-fledged U.S. studio film – shall be distributed within the U.S. by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Photos/Amazon Studios, and internationally via Warner Bros Photos.
A Sept. 15 U.S. theatrical launch date has been set.
Within the movie, Zendaya stars as tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan, who’s married to a champion on a dropping streak named Artwork, performed by Faist (“West Facet Story”). Tashi’s plan for her husband’s comeback is for Artwork to enter the Challengers tennis match. However issues take an intriguing twist when Tashi should face off towards one other washed up participant named Patrick, performed by O’Connor, who additionally occurs to be Tashi’s former lover and Artwork’s finest pal.
“As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run excessive, Tashi should ask herself, what is going to it price to win,” is how the offered synopsis places it.
“It’s a contemporary daring story of youthful power, love and energy,” mentioned Guadagnino in a press release.
“Zendaya, Josh and Mike are completely authentic and recent, bringing a brand new power such as you’ve by no means seen earlier than,” he added, additional noting: “I can’t look forward to the Lido viewers to bop throughout the notes of the soundtrack of Trent and Atticus on the opening night time of the eightieth version of the Mostra.”
“As a filmmaker, it’s a dream come true and I’m grateful to Alberto [Barbera] and the entire Venice household for this glorious recognition for the movie,” the director went on to say.
Guadagnino final yr gained the Venice Silver Lion for Finest Director for “Bones and All,” which additionally scooped the Marcello Mastroianni Award for finest younger actor that went to Taylor Russell.
The truth that Guadagnino scored Venice awards final yr might assist clarify why “Challengers” is launching out-of-competition from the Lido this yr.
“Luca Guadagnino is without doubt one of the few Italian administrators who has all the time been accustomed to working with each Italian and overseas actresses and actors, getting prime outcomes from all of them every time. Even when he’s filming overseas, as is the case with ‘Challengers,’” mentioned Venice creative director Alberto Barbera within the assertion.
“With a light-weight hand and sporting self-confidence, Guadagnino units no limits to his artistic power on this movie as he offers with matters comparable to love, friendship, and male rivalry, and brings to life an enthralling and affecting film, filled with irony, sensuality, and good nature. Cinema in its purest type,” Barbera added.
“Challengers” is written by American playwright Justin Kuritzkes and produced by Amy Pascal, Guadagnino, Zendaya, and Rachel O’Connor. Govt producers are Bernard Bellew, Lorenzo Mieli and Kevin Ulrich. The music is by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross.
The eightieth version of the Venice Movie Pageant will run Aug. 30-Sept. 9
“Challengers” Trailer under
