Generational acting talents are exactly that: generational. The frequency in which we get to bear witness to actors that have reached the rarely frequented realms of mega-stardom equates to once, perhaps twice a year. In what is still a male-dominated industry, the rise of true female stars is even rarer, such is the uneven playing field, meaning actresses have to defy greater odds to make it to the top. From Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Halle Berry to Angelina Jolie, the greats of today and yesteryear have left quite an impression on the industry.

Dune and Spider-Man star Zendaya looks set to assume the mantle of the leading actress of tomorrow, and as such, every new release is greeted with the same level of optimistic anticipation. While 2023 has been a relatively underwhelming year as far as new releases are concerned, 2024 is forecast to be a busy one for the former Disney gem, with Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two and Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers due to hit cinema screens in March and April 2024 respectively. With Dune: Part Two subject to a well-publicized delay, much to the frustration of the multi-talented actress, the sports drama Challengers has also been hindered by various external factors, but what exactly is causing the holdup?

Original Release Date
Amazon MGM Studios

Any work now produced by the man behind the likes of Call Me By Your Name, Bones and All, and I am Love attracts the media spotlight, so, unsurprisingly, when production began on Challengers in May 2022, anticipation around its release began to build. It was announced that the movie would be premiering in September 2023 as the opening film at the decorated exhibition of cinematic art at the Venice Film Festival. However, it was subsequently pulled by Amazon MGM Studios and rescheduled with a frustrating delay all the way until April 26, 2024, almost an entire year after its intended release.

Why Has Challengers Been Delayed?
Amazon MGM Studios

The film industry and its output have been severely hindered by the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, which has seen an unprecedented number of film workers walk out over work labor disputes. Running concurrently with the Writers’ Guild of America strikes, there has since been industry-wide disruption, and as such, many upcoming releases and premieres have been put on the back burner while a resolution is discussed. Currently, attempts to rectify and better working standards for those involved in the respective unions and AMPTP have stalled.

With meetings between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP occurring as recently as October 11, an agreement is yet to be reached, with the two parties at loggerheads over demand disparities. As a result, many movies that were due to receive their big-screen debuts this year have been pulled until later dates. Challengers is just one of numerous films now backlogged. While the new date in April allows for time around the negotiating table, it may be subject to yet another extension if a settlement isn’t reached. A major stumbling block has been the fact that, as a part of the strike, actors have not been partaking in promotional appearances, premieres, and the like, meaning Zendaya and her co-stars would be unable to promote their new movie.

What Can We Expect From Challengers?
Amazon MGM Studios

As a first-time collaboration between Guadagnino and Zendaya, two of the finest talents in film, Challengers is understandably hotly-awaited. Zendaya is set to feature as the protagonist, Tashi Duncan, a former tennis player turned coach who has turned her attention to taking her husband from languishing in tennis-playing mediocrity to becoming a grand slam champion. Her drive, motivation, and expertise have helped her guide her husband into becoming a world-level competitor.

However, after a series of losses threaten to derail his progress and reputation, Tashi decides to push him toward a challenger event where he comes up against a familiar foe, Tashi’s ex, and his ex-best mate, Patrick (Josh O’Connor). On the face of it, Challengers is composed of all the ingredients that will make this sports romance drama into an utterly compelling tale about the extent one may go for both love and sporting triumph. With Guadagnino in the directorial hot seat, a slick, contemporary, and timeless aesthetic is expected, with the director famous for capturing a real sense of the bourgeoisie in his movies, as well as an air of voyeuristic sensualism that has become such a hallmark of the Italian auteur.

Speaking exclusively to Elle, Zendaya divulged further information about the project and the impact of director Luca Guadagnino:

“It’s what Luca [Guadagnino] does so well. It’s the things that aren’t. It’s the moments between the moments. Like chemistry. The things that you can’t always say, but you feel… That is Luca’s specialty when it comes to filmmaking. All the things that aren’t on the page that only someone who’s got the camera can really find.”

Director Guadagnino was also full of praise for his lead:

“Zendaya is a wonderful partner to work with… The way she expresses and exudes the power of her athleticism is wonderful, but at the same time, the way she goes through seduction is very beautiful in the film.”

Fans can, hopefully, expect to see Challengers in theaters on April 26, 2024.