Zendaya to star in Luca Guadagnino's next movie

Zendaya's golden moment continues. After her worldwide success with Euphoria, Spider-Man: No Way Home and Dune, she is ready for a new work adventure. The Californian actress will star in Challengers, the next film directed by Luca Guadagnino. News about the project is still scarce, but it seems that producer MGM is in talks to include two other rising Hollywood stars in the cast: Josh O'Connor, famous for his role as Prince Charles in the third and fourth seasons of The Crown, and Mike Faist, who is a Bafta nominee for playing Riff in Steven Spielberg's West Side Story.

What is already sure is the plot, based on a story written by Justin Kuritzkes that had appeared on the 2021 Black List of Best Unmade Screenplays:

"The story follows Tashi (Zendaya), a tennis player-turned-coach who has taken her husband, Art (Mike Faist), and transformed him from a mediocre player into a world-famous Grand Slam champion. To jolt him out of his recent losing streak, she makes him play a Challenger event — close to the lowest level of tournament on the pro tour — where he finds himself standing across the net from the once-promising, now burnt-out Patrick (Josh O’Connor): his former best friend and Tashi’s former boyfriend."

Reportedly, after reading the first few pages of the script, Zendaya was so excited about it that she wanted to take part in the project not only as a leading lady but also as a producer. If true, this would be both an interesting development in the star's career and a shrewd move, considering the success of other films set in the world of tennis such as Battle of the Sexes, Match Point, Wimbledon or the recent King Richard which follows the life story of Serena and Venus Williams. 

The filming of Challengers, for which Zendaya is rumored to be paid over $10 million, is expected to begin in March on the US East Coast. Luca Guadagnino must first complete post-production on Bones and All, starring Timothée Chalamet and Taylor Russell, while the Italian director's next commitments include a project on the life of Audrey Hepburn, who will be played by Rooney Mara.