Zendaya tennis film “Challengers” scores big at the weekend box office

By LINDSEY BAHR

Sexy tennis drama “Challengers” topped the box office this weekend with $15 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Zendaya and his castmates Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor were on a press tour around the world to promote Italian director Luca Guadagnino's original film, which premiered in 3,477 locations in the US and Canada.

“We're obviously very, very pleased with the number,” said Kevin Wilson, who heads theatrical distribution for Amazon Studios and MGM. “If you look at the audience that was there, it's really encouraging. It’s not exactly easy to get an audience into the cinema.”

58% of ticket buyers were women, although the total number of ticket buyers also tended to be younger: 41% were between 18 and 24 years old.

Ticket sales on large screens, including IMAX, accounted for about 40% of opening weekend revenue. According to a PostTrak exit poll reported by Deadline, 55% of viewers said they saw the film because of Zendaya. In fact, Zendaya films accounted for around 26% of the total box office this weekend, with the IMAX re-release of Dune: Part Two grossing nearly $2 million.

The 27-year-old actor has been part of some of the most successful franchises of recent years, including the Spider-Man and Dune films. In both cases, they were supporting roles in big brand houses, but their eye-catching appearance on the red carpet often makes headlines. “Challengers” would be the first real test of her ability to “open” a film about her own star, and MGM and Amazon wouldn’t risk doing it without her.

The studio had originally planned to release “Challengers” in theaters in fall 2023, with a scenic start at the Venice Film Festival. But when the actors went on strike last July, the studio decided to cancel the festival premiere and postpone the film until this weekend, when it was safe to assume the strike would be resolved. Zendaya wore many tennis looks during her appearances, styled by Law Roach.

“It would be hard to argue that we should have released this film if she wasn't able to support it,” Wilson said.

He particularly credited the studio's advertising and marketing teams for organizing a world tour that resulted in several viral fashion moments.

Reviews for the R-rated film, which explores a heated and competitive love triangle between the tennis players, were mostly positive. The film currently sits at 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and received a B+ CinemaScore from audiences on its opening day.

Guadagnino's last film, “Bones and All,” with Zendaya's “Dune” co-star Timothée Chalamet, grossed $15.2 million in its entire run. By midweek, “Challengers” is expected to surpass “Call Me By Your Name” ($18 million) and become Guadagnino's highest-grossing film.

For Amazon MGM Studios, the value also extends beyond the box office, providing “downstream value” for Amazon even if “Challengers” eventually makes its way to Prime Video.

“I've always believed that the theatrical cut was the best way to launch some of these films,” Wilson said. “When this thing gets to Prime Video, it's obviously going to perform a lot better than if it had gone straight to the platform. Theater is just part of it.”

Second place went to the faith-based film “Unsung Hero,” which grossed an estimated $7.8 million from 2,832 locations. It is based on the true story of the Smallbone family and the rise of their children Rebecca St. James and sons Joel and David (for KING + COUNTRY) in the country music scene. Joel Smallbone directed, co-wrote and starred with his father David.

The Lionsgate film, made for just $6 million, earned a rare A+ CinemaScore and has a 100% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The critic's rating is a much more moderate 58%. The audience was predominantly female (69%) and over 25 (91%).

Third place went to “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” with $7.2 million in its fifth weekend. In fourth place, A24's “Civil War” also grossed $7 million in its third weekend, bringing its domestic total to $56.2 million. Rounding out the top five was the horror film “Abigail” with $5.3 million.

“April 2024 presented an opportunity for interesting, innovative and critically acclaimed films to top the box office,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “It was a great month for moviegoers looking for something beyond the typical summer blockbusters.”

Box office returns may not be comparable to last year, when “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” still dominated, but Dergarabedian said it's also important to generate audience goodwill.

The summer movie season begins next weekend with the action comedy “The Fall Guy” from Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday in U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. The final domestic figures will be published on Monday.

1. “Challengers,” $15 million.

2. “Unsung Hero,” $7.8 million.

3. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” $7.2 million.

4. “Civil War,” 7 million.

5. “Abigail,” $5.3 million.

6. “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” $3.9 million

7. “Kung Fu Panda 4,” $3.6 million.

8. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” $3.3 million.

9. “Dune: Part Two,” $2 million.

10. “Boy Kills World,” $1.7 million.