Zendaya R-Rated Pic ‘Challengers’ From Luca Guadagnino Heads To Spring 2024 Due To Actors Strike

Another 2023 theatrical release gets moved due to the SAG-AFTRA strike as MGM is pushing the Zendaya-led tennis romance Challengers to April 26. The R-rated pic from director Luca Guadagnino was scheduled to open stateside on September 15, working off the heat of its Venice Film Festival opening-night premiere. That world premiere is not happening now.

With Zendaya able to promote to her 200M social media followers as she’s one of the top 25 most followed stars on Instagram worldwide, this movie really needs her support to get her fanbase to cinemas. Further proof of Zendaya’s sway on social: The Challengers trailer has received over 150 million global views already and spurred 320 million stateside conversations. It’s the most-viewed trailer for an original film in its first 24 hours (meaning it’s not a sequel, reboot or based on pre-existing IP).

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The weekend before summer starts next year is being eyed as an even better place for this movie, which will be counterprogramming to 20th/Marvel Studios’ May 3-launching Deadpool 3. Currently there are no other wide releases from the majors booked on April 26.

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Disney already braced for both strikes a while ago by making several release-date changes. A24 just pulled Problemista from the August calendar due to SAG-AFTRA strike, and Lionsgate on Thursday pushed White Bird from August 18 to Q4 2023, as well as its Dirty Dancing sequel from February 9 date to summer 2025; that latter pic still in development.