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Watch the sultry new trailer for ‘Challengers,’ the Zendaya tennis movie filmed in Boston
In the new "Challengers" trailer, Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor play tennis players who put the "love" in "love triangle."
Love is more than just a score in the new “Challengers” trailer, featuring fresh footage of the upcoming tennis movie starring Zendaya (“Euphoria”) that was filmed in Boston in 2022.
In the trailer for the latest film from director Luca Guadagnino (“Call Me By Your Name”), we see Zendaya glaring down the opposition as tennis prodigy Tashi Duncan. She catches the eye of best friends Art (Mike Faist, “West Side Story”) and Patrick (Josh O’Connor, “The Crown”), leading to a hotel room tryst in which the pair compete for her affection.
The “Challengers” trailer then fast-forwards to years later, and Tashi (who suffers a career-ending knee injury in the trailer) is both the coach and wife of Art, a tennis champ currently on a losing streak. To help Art regain his form, Tashi’s strategy involves playing in a “Challengers” tournament against Patrick, now a washed-up former pro on the outskirts of the tennis world. As the swelling beat of Nelly Furtado’s “Maneater” indicates, Tashi may be setting up the two men to compete for more than an on-court victory.
“Challengers” filming locations
The production of “Challengers” caused quite a stir in the spring of 2022, with Zendaya spotted in the Back Bay several times with boyfriend (and fellow “Spider-Man” star) Tom Holland.
Due to Zendaya mania, filming locations were largely kept under wraps, with scenes shot in both East Boston and the Back Bay, among other Boston-area locations. (You can spot an alley in the Financial District in the newest trailer.)
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Along with Boston, “Challengers” was filmed in Bedford, Beverly, Braintree, Canton, Framingham, Lynn, and Norton. Production mostly took place in the spring of 2022, with additional footage shot in November that year.
MGM delayed the release of “Challengers” multiple times during the dual Hollywood strikes of 2023. Originally scheduled to hit theaters in August or September 2023, “Challengers” now has a theatrical release date of April 26.
Watch the new “Challengers” trailer:
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