We Can’t Stop Talking About ‘Challengers’

For months, we’ve been getting full court press (pun intended) for “Challengers.” Originally slated for a fall 2023 release but delayed when writers and actors went on strike for more equitable working conditions, at long last, we have arrived at what is probably the buzziest movie so far this year.

In case you’ve been living under a rock, “Challengers,” according to social media, is the “Zendaya tennis love triangle (and maybe threesome?) movie.” (We’ll get into why this is reductive in a moment.)

The movie’s marketing has relied heavily on its star power: Zendaya stars as tennis phenom Tashi, alongside Josh O’Connor (“The Crown”) and Mike Faist (“West Side Story”) as Patrick and Art, two — let’s face it — deeply mediocre white men vying for her romantic attention. “Challengers” follows the trio from when they are promising teenage tennis players, through their college years, and into adulthood. There’s a lot going for it on paper: It’s the latest film from director Luca Guadagnino, known for his visually striking romances.

When HuffPost senior culture reporters Marina Fang, Taryn Finley and Candice Frederick initially convened to discuss “Challengers” out loud, we quickly realized we had so many thoughts to lob back and forth. So we took to the court for a long match.

Our Overall Impressions

Marina: Before we get into the nitty gritty, what were your initial gut reactions to “Challengers”? I think we were all at the same press screening, and I have to say, I enjoyed that it was a big — but not too big — crowd. While I have some specific criticisms about the substance that we’ll get into, I thought it was an enjoyable big-screen experience, and I think, if anything, people will want to talk about this movie. These