Zendaya enjoys ‘tension build’ by ‘sensuality and desire’ in upcoming movie ‘Challengers’

Zendaya’s forthcoming sports comedy, Challengers, that revolves solely around “sensuality and desire” is set to release next year in 2024. The movie is directed by Luca Guadagnino.

“What Luca’s really good at is finding sensuality and desire,” Zendaya, 26, told Empire in an interview published on Aug. 1. “There’s so much in just glances. The tension builds. Not having the release is a good thing sometimes."

Watch Challengers Tease:

The upcoming R-rated movie portrayed Zendaya in the role of Tashi, a topclass former tennis player turned coach, who encourages her husband’s art, a mediocre level athlete played by Mike Faist, to become a Grand Slam Champion.

Tashi gives confidence to Art to challenge Josh O'Connor, who plays Patrick, his former best friend and Tashi's ex-boyfriend, for courtside supremacy after Art's losing streak.

“The tennis is the sex,” 33-year-old British actor O’Connor told Empire. “Those moments are so sexy. The film is dealing with the tension before and after. The sex they’re all desperate for is on the court.”

The intimate moments of the movie are set on Rihanna’s song S&M. In one scene of the trailer the three competitors enjoy a steamy throuple entanglement on a hotel bed.

“He had no knowledge of tennis going into this,” Faist, 31, said to Empire of Guadagnino’s approach to filmmaking. “And I think he had only a vague interest in certain tennis specificities. He was more interested in the bodies and sweat.”