Zendaya, 27, shines as “Challengers” storms the box office, raking in $15 million in ticket sales over its debut weekend. The Italian director Luca Guadagnino’s tennis drama, featuring Zendaya alongside Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor, drew significant attention, particularly from younger audiences, with women comprising 58% of ticket buyers and 41% falling between the ages of 18 and 24.
Notably, large format screens, including IMAX, contributed 40% of the opening weekend grosses. A PostTrak exit poll revealed that 55% of audiences were drawn to the film because of Zendaya. Even beyond “Challengers,” Zendaya’s influence remained strong, with her movies collectively accounting for 26% of the overall box office, including the re-release of “Dune: Part Two” in IMAX.
While Zendaya has previously appeared in successful franchises like “Spider-Man” and “Dune,” “Challengers” marks her first leading role in a major motion picture. The decision to delay the film’s release until Zendaya could actively promote it underscores her significance to the project’s success.
Despite initial plans for a fall 2023 release, the studio strategically timed the release to coincide with the resolution of a prior actors’ strike, ensuring Zendaya’s full support during the promotional period. With positive reviews and promising box office numbers, “Challengers” is poised to become Guadagnino’s highest-grossing film to date, surpassing the success of “Call Me By Your Name.”
For Amazon MGM Studios, “Challengers” represents not only a successful theatrical venture but also a strategic move to maximize downstream value on Prime Video. With theatrical releases serving as an effective launchpad for broader digital distribution, Zendaya’s star power continues to drive success both on and off the screen.
