Justin Kuritzkes Latest Celebrity News & Gossip

erotic new Challengers is turning more heads than volleys at .In the film, Zendaya's character Tashi is the ultimate tennis It-girl until a crushing injury forces her to the sidelines, where she serves as her husband Art's tennis coach. However, when Art (Mike Faist) finds himself on a losing streak after recovering from his own injury, she enters him into a low-stakes competition to get his head back in the game.

his new film, “Challengers,” co-starring Zendaya and “West Side Story” star Mike Faist, he’s showing a whole new side of himself.O’Connor plays tennis pro Patrick, one-third of a love triangle with Tashi (Zendaya), a tennis pro poised for greatness before an injury relegates her to coaching, and Art (Faist), another well-to-do tennis pro. Tashi eventually marries Art, and Patrick comes back into their lives years later, kicking off tensions and connections, including a racy threesome.Reviews have described “Challengers” as sexy and steamy, something O’Connor is still surprised he was chosen for.“If you were making the movie, you wouldn’t cast me,” O’Connor recalled telling screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes in an interview for The Wall Street Journal.

Marc Malkin Senior Editor, Culture and Events SPOILER ALERT: This article contains plot details for “Challengers,” now playing in theaters. Josh O’Connor never had a churro until he shot “Challengers.” The British actor and his co-star Mike Faist enjoy the fried doughy treat in one of the film’s most suggestive scenes. In short, Patrick (O’Connor) is visiting his girlfriend Tashi (Zendaya) and his best friend Art (Faist) at Stanford when the two young men catch up in a cafeteria. They’re sitting face-to-face as they devour the churros.

Josh O’Connor is best known to most audiences for his Emmy-winning performance as a young King Charles in seasons three and four of "The Crown." But for his new film, "Challengers," co-starring Zendaya and "West Side Story" star Mike Faist, he’s showing a whole new side of himself. O’Connor plays tennis pro Patrick, one-third of a love triangle with Tashi (Zendaya), a tennis pro poised for greatness before an injury relegates her to coaching, and Art (Faist), another well-to-do tennis pro.Tashi eventually marries Art, and Patrick comes back into their lives years later, kicking off tensions and connections, including a racy threesome.

Selome Hailu “I’m watching tennis as we speak — Djokovic,” Zendaya tells me during one of her first interviews about “Challengers.” It’s July 11, 2023. The 27-year-old actor is watching Wimbledon on TV while preparing for SAG-AFTRA to go on strike, which would leave her unable to attend her film’s Aug. 30 world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.

A central scene in director Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers wasn’t in Justin Kuritzkes’ original script.

Tennis isn’t a contact sport but it can be brutal on the body, mind, emotions, and ego, especially at the elite pro level depicted so sharply in the ripping sports drama Challengers.A tennis movie with much more on its menu, the film, directed by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me By Your Name), credibly captures the fiercely combative pro tour, where, for those at the top, the payoff in riches and fame can be massive.For rising or journeyman players toiling on the sport’s minor league Challengers circuit, however, the struggle to train, travel, stay healthy and fit, and just pay bills bears few rewards greater than simply winning. And if you’re not winning, then what are you doing here?That’s the ice-cold attitude espoused by tennis diva Tashi Duncan, portrayed with impervious brashness by Zendaya.

Zendaya not only stars in Luca Guadagnino‘s Challengers but is also a producer in the film written by Justin Kuritzkes.

A year ago, trades announced that Oscar-nominee Austin Butler (“Dune: Part Two“) would be leading a feature film adaptation of the famous Don Winslow crime saga novel “City On Fire” (No, not the similarly-titled Chow Yun-Fat movie that inspired Quentin Tarantino‘s “Reservoir Dogs“). A potential franchise starter for Sony, the crimed dra awould explore two criminal empires, Irish and Italian syndicates, that control New England and has been compared to the scope of something on the level of “The Godfather.” It’s been a long minute since we’ve heard an update, but Deadline reports the project has landed an impressive screenwriter to tackle the script.

EXCLUSIVE: Sony’s 3000 Pictures has set Justin Kuritzkes to adapt City on Fire, the first of a bestselling novel trilogy by Don Winslow that is being developed as a star vehicle for Austin Butler.

In Challengers, Luca Guadagnino serves up a film that is as much about the volleys of human emotion as it is about the physical rallies on the tennis court.

Clayton Davis Senior Awards Editor In Luca Guadagnino’s latest cinematic endeavor, “Challengers,” Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist form a dynamic, throuple-esque trio, each delivering performances that scream Oscar-worthy. The real question is, will Academy voters look beyond the palpable sexual chemistry to acknowledge the film’s artistic merit? That’s a challenge for the marketing maestros. Penned by newcomer Justin Kuritzkes, the spouse of “Past Lives” writer-director Celine Song, “Challengers” weaves through a 13-year narrative, chronicling the life of Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), a tennis wunderkind-turned-coach, who hatches a plan for her husband Art’s (Faist) comeback.

Zendaya is about to take her image and shake it up, judging from the steamy first trailer for her new film.

Zendaya has revealed the first poster for Luca Guadagnino‘s tennis drama Challengers.

Challengers,” starring Zendaya, which had been set as the Venice Film Festival opener, has been pulled from the festival due to promotional complications prompted by the SAG-AFTRA strike. Venice has announced that the sexy sports comedy — in which Zendaya plays a former tennis prodigy turned coach entangled in a love triangle with two pro tennis players, played by Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist — has changed its distribution strategy. The film’s promotion has been disrupted by the current actors strike, which prohibits SAG-AFTRA union members from doing any type of promotional activity. This means Zendaya, O’Connor and Faist would not have been able to launch the film on Aug. 30 on the Venice red carpet.

After delivering a blisteringly saucy trailer, Luca Guadagnino’s latest film “Challengers” will set the Venice Film Festival ablaze as their opening night film, screening out of competition, TheWrap has confirmed. The film follows Zendaya as Tashi Duncan, a successful tennis champ drawn to two men, played by Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor.

The Venice Film Festival will open with the world premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers.

The tennis world is intense on and off the court.

debuted its first trailer on Tuesday, giving fans their first look at the sports drama starring Zendaya, Josh O'Connor and  star Mike Faist.The actress stars 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. Tashi meets Art (Faist) and Patrick (O'Connor) as teenagers, and the trio spend a tantalizing time together before a crushing injury on the court cuts Tashi's rising career short.Now, as Tashi strategizes her husband's redemption after a losing streak, her plan takes a surprising turn when he must face off against the washed-up Patrick — his former best friend — in the Grand Slam.

Charna Flam Could Luca Guadagnino’s upcoming film be a “love” story for the ages? Guadagnino’s latest feature, “Challengers,” has finally released its first trailer, providing a highly anticipated look at Zendaya and Josh O’Connor in what’s being billed as a romantic sports comedy film. Zendaya stars as pro tennis player Tashi opposite O’Connor and Mike Faist (“West Side Story”). “Challengers” follows Tashi and her husband, Art (Faist), as they reunite with a former rival, Patrick (O’Connor) — who also happens to be Tashi’s former lover and best friend. Tashi convinces Art to enter the Challengers tennis tournament, but once Art learns he’ll be playing against Patrick, drama — and major competition — ensues.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Luca Guadagnino will next direct the William S. Burroughs adaptation “Queer” with Daniel Craig playing the renowned counterculture author’s alter ego, an outcast American expat who lives in Mexico, and “Outer Banks” star Drew Starkey starring as a younger man with whom he becomes madly infatuated. “Queer” will also topline Lesley Manville (“The Crown”), frequent Wes Anderson collaborator Jason Schwartzman; and Henry Zaga (“The New Mutants”), according to inside sources. The boldly ambitious indie film is set to start shooting this month at Rome’s refurbished Cinecittà Studios where the Mexico City-set movie will be filmed in its entirety.

Refresh for updates…The Black List — the annual roundup of Hollywood’s best-liked unproduced screenplays — has begun unveiling the titles selected for 2022.

Zendaya looks almost unrecognizable as she tranforms for her latest role, with photos making their way online this week.The 25-year-old was photographed on the set of her upcoming film, Challengers, in Lynn, Massachusetts--just north of Boston--on Thursday, May 19.The short, highlighted bob is a completely new look for the actress, who usually sports a long brunette hairstyle. Aside from the sophisticated cut, Zendaya was sporting her usual cozy clothes in the form of a oversized brown hoodie and a pair of black leggings.

Zendaya, “The Crown” star Josh O’Connor and “West Side Story” actor Mike Faist have been tapped to star in a new film from Luca Guadagnino called “Challengers” at MGM, according to a report first in Puck. “Challengers” is a romantic, sports-themed romance set in the world of pro tennis and stars Zendaya as a player turned coach who has managed to transform her husband (Faist) into a Grand Slam champion. But when he gets stuck on a recent losing streak, she makes him enter a “Challenger” event on the lowest rung of the pro circuit, only to discover he has to face an opponent (O’Connor) who is also his former best friend and his wife’s former boyfriend.

Ellise Shafer Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and “West Side Story” star Mike Faist are set to star in Luca Guadagnino’s new romantic drama “Challengers” at MGM.“Spider-Man: No Way Home” producer Amy Pascal is producing the film via her Pascal Pictures alongside Zendaya and Guadagnino. Playwright Justin Kuritzkes is penning the script.The film centers on the competitive world of tennis, in which player-turned-coach Tashi (Zendaya) has transformed her husband Art (Faist) into a grand-slam champion.

Luca Guadagnino has set himself quite an ensemble for his next film as Zendaya,  Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist tapped to star in Challengers (O’Connor and Faist are still in final negotiations, Zendaya is set). MGM recently acquired rights to the package with Amy Pascal, Guadagnino, Zendaya, and Rachel O’Connor of Pascal Pictures producing. Justin Kuritzkes penned the script.

Luca Guadagnino has set himself quite an ensemble for his next film as Zendaya,  Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist tapped to star in Challengers (O’Connor and Faist are still in final negotiations, Zendaya is set). MGM recently acquired rights to the package with Amy Pascal, Guadagnino, Zendaya, and Rachel O’Connor of Pascal Pictures producing. Justin Kuritzkes penned the script.