Zendaya's Challengers pulled from Venice Film Festival premiere

Challengers, the upcoming film starring Zendaya in the lead role, will be skipping its scheduled Venice Film Festival premiere on August 30, due to the ongoing actors strike.

"After thoughtful consideration with our partners, and given the parameters that SAG-AFTRA has outlined for its membership, we have made the difficult decision to withdraw Challengers' from this year's Venice International Film Festival," MGM said in a statement.

Zendaya will be playing the role of a tennis coach in the love triangle drama. The film's official logline read, "Challengers stars Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a former tennis prodigy turned coach and a force of nature who makes no apologies for her game on and off the court. Married to a champion on a losing streak (Mike Faist – West Side Story), Tashi's strategy for her husband's redemption takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick (Josh O'Connor – The Crown) – his former best friend and Tashi's former boyfriend. As their pasts and presents collide, and tensions run high, Tashi must ask herself, what will it cost to win."

The film was supposed to hit the theatres on September 15 but has been moved to April 26, 2024. The film is directed by Luca Guadagnino and also stars Josh O'Connor and Mike Faist. Written by Justin Kuritzkes, Challengers is produced by Guadagnino and Zendaya, along with Rachel O'Connor and Amy Pascal.