After a box office triumph with Spider-Man: No Way Home, Zendaya has mirrored the success in both her personal and professional life. The Emmy winner chose a unique venture to wreak havoc at the box office again. An unlikely blend of the romantic comedy and sports genre: Challengers. Except it does not have the soft padding of a real sports virtuoso that award-winning movies such as King Richard and Chariots of Fire benefitted from. This is why Challengers is up for a challenge.

Given that the tennis movie boasts of Zendaya in its cast, it would have only taken one serve from her on a red carpet to ensure a grand slam. However, the SAG-AFTRA strikes deprive it of just that.

Zendaya-led Challengers toughs it out amidst SAG-AFTRA strike

From the extinctions of backends to rage around online streamers being a boon to everyone but the artists that make it a success, there are a lot of layers to the SAG-AFTRA strike. But one element that will directly concern the public is that, unlike the Writers’ strike, the actors’ strike means a halt on glamor season and promotional events. This means that Challengers will be setting foot in the cinemas without any promotion from its cast. And this was not what Luca Guadagnino had in mind when he booked the sorceress of creating Internet waves, Zendaya.

The director has urged Amazon, the production studio, to postpone the movie’s original release date in theaters set in September and the world premiere at Venice in August. The world premiere at the Venice Film Festival will now have to make do without the glitz and glamor of the stars unless a last-minute miracle comes through.

If Amazon does reject Guadagnino’s plea until the very end, then the movie will release in theaters alongside an Oscar winner’s horror mystery experiment, Horror in Venice. Can Challengers take up a challenge without the magic that is Zendaya on a red carpet?

Are the odds in favor of Challengers?

The upcoming movie Challengers is a unique blend of romantic comedy, drama, and sports. While the incorporation of sports with a star-studded cast and a trusted writer is a tried and tested concept, Challengers misses a crucial ingredient of the blockbuster recipe. Instead of revolving around the life of a real sports champion, it is Justin Kuritzkes’ story.

Without proper promotions that lead to social media engagements, Challengers may find itself on the odd side of cinema hunger games.

Do you think the release of Zendaya-led Challengers should be delayed? Let us know in the comments below.