“Challengers” clip shows Josh O’Connor & Mike Faist’s characters are a couple

I don’t get it.

R1 well I do.

Zendaya is a Goddess

❤️Josh O’Connor and his huge dong 🍆

His American accent sounds very natural.

Josh O'Connor said there wasn't a scripted kiss between him and Mike Faist, but that he kissed him anyways. ❤️‍🔥

She's so far up her own ass she thinks she can convert the gays with her beauty.

Oh look at that, Luca Guadagnino manages to turn a gay story into a straight one. Again. Remember his miniseries which was going to be gay-themed?

Would any woman want to play second fiddle to a man like this?

R8 I wouldn't be surprised if he started becoming one of those "gay" men who started fucking pussy every now and then and continues to identify as 100% gay despite enjoying it. Like the Maverick Men. 🤮

R8 (continued) or Joey Mills (alledgedly).

Who is playing Christa McAuliffe?

WAIT...they're a couple but find Zendaya so irresistible they want to fuck her?

Nahh, I'm good.

R13 it’s called a throuple

R14 It's called bullshit.

R15 stay pressed

I so want this to be compelling trash; schlock at its finest.

The Facebook mention is a good sign.

I just saw someone who said if you like Saltburn’s vibes you’ll enjoy this one. They are different but have that same messy borderline trashy entertainment value.

R16 Surrrre

I’ve seen the trailer for this two or three times in the movies over the last few months. The impression it gives is that it’s a romantic triangle with both straight guys vying for her attention, and noses getting out of joint when one of the men gets closer to her. Nothing about the guys being lovers.

R20 it’s called twists. They aren’t actually supposed to give away the movie in the trailer. You must be accustomed to that nonsense. But they’re not actually supposed to.

New clip

And another clip

I'm so in on this movie!

Thank you, r22 and r23.

Those clips show nonsense of the pure, skilled, meaningless, soap opera, overwrought, big budget kind.

Just what I was hoping for and in the mood for.

[quote]Take My Money

Gladly.

I thought this was two straight men exploring how to share a girl and getting turned on by the bisex. Fuck this gay conversion bullshit, I disappointed in Zendaya and Luca Gugadino.

Dudes are both hideous and, though she’s lovely, bitch can’t act.

The most titillating film of 1986.

I can’t wait to watch

I’m not happy with the trend of gay guys fucking pussy or wanting to (like in porn FTM). Though, straight guys have been fucking guys, too, so..

Is this supposed to be a rom-com, a sex comedy, a sports dramedy or an erotic mystery psychological drama?

I don't know, r31.

And perhaps after watching it, I still won't know.

It’s clearly not a fucking romcom.

It’s a DRAMA, not a romcom aka romantic comedy. And it’s about the rifts, ups and down of the relationships of these 3 characters over the course of over a 10-15 years. The movie does time jumps back and forth. They start off as teens when they meet and are in their 30s in other scenes.

Tennis is used a metaphor in the movie.

This is going to win all the awards. I have not heard one bad thing about it.

It just doesn't sound all that appealing.

R35 no it won’t. A movie can be great but that doesn’t mean it’s awards worthy. It’s great in its category.

Sorry, but I always start laughing when Zendaya collapses onto the tennis court and starts screaming in pain with that one expression she has.

How do you say Hack in Italian?

Zendy has a lock on Best Actress

Zendy and SMG suffer from 12-years-old syndrome. They're built like 12-year-olds and cannot be taken seriously in adult roles.

A new clip.

The ads for this film are ri-GODDAMN-diculous. You'd think it was the most interesting piece of cinema in decades.

[quote]Oh look at that, Luca Guadagnino manages to turn a gay story into a straight one.

Never trust Italian gays. They're trying to kill us. (see: Dolce & Gabbana)

It also isn’t a gay story. Clearly. Why that poster keeps calling it a “gay story” is beyond me.

The kiss. That’s as gay as it’s getting. They aren’t gay. Zendaya’s character gets them to kiss

Queen

But they did used to be boyfriends right? So they're bi?

I wish this Zendaya woman would just disappear.

Doesn’t this feel like a flop? I’m unclear who the audience is. Certainly not the elderly of Datalounge.

A flop? No. They predict it to open to $15 million and seem happy with that. Granted movies haven’t been making much lately.

The target audience is 18-34. Clearly not aimed at elders. I mean seriously, did you have to ask that?

How in the fuck does this have a budget of $55 million?

$10 million of that went into Z’s bank account.

I heard it was $40 million budget. Not $55 million

Well I'll believe what the trades say rather than what you heard.

R12, plankton.

A lot of people are wondering why it cost anything over $30 million. This is a film that could have been made for $20 million max but add the extra $10 million to pay Zendaya.

Are Portuguese men as lispy and gay as Spaniards?

R57 neither male is Spanish nor Portuguese. So who cares?

Wrong thread! Oops.

(As discussed on here on threads) People don’t go to the movies much anymore. Research has shown that 1/3rd of people still go to the movies while 2/3rds wait for streaming. The demographic for this movie is the main ones who stick to streaming. Like what happened with “Saltburn”, it will be modest in theaters (although this will make a lot more than Saltburn) and then be a massive hit on streaming.

I can see it being a bit of a 'cult' hit but not a massive hit, even on streaming. It's basically YA softcore porn about a MMF love triangle among some tennis players. It's not a great movie and the soundtrack/music choices seem to be for a completely different film. It doesn't work well enough to be a huge hit anywhere.

And judging from the BBC review it doesn't even meet softcore standards.

It will be a streaming hit. Yes.

R63 because it’s a FILM. Not a fucking porn. Your brain is rotted.

r65 Hey fangirl, go check out how they're marketing this film themselves. They're the ones leaning in on how sexy it's supposed to be.

Sexy doesn’t equal sex.

And softcore doesn't equal sex either, fuckwit.

Zendaya Stan’s seem really cunty. I hope it flops but then they will make excuses for her.

R69 Zendaya fans are like the Gen Z version of the Beyhive. Intolerable.

I agree it'll do well on streaming due to all the buzz surrounding it and how popular Zendaya seems to be at the moment.

I can't remember the last time I went to see a film at the cinema and there's often a very small delay before releasing it on streaming as more people seem to prefer that.

R69 no. Everyone is tired of dealing with an uneducated loser with no job who seems to have brain rot

r72 And yet you continue to post.

R73 yes. Because this isn’t your site. You don’t own it. You actually have no influence here whatsoever. Even Muriel wants you gone and keeps red tagging you with reason. Take the hint and move on. Get a job while you’re at it.

"Get a job" says the person constantly posting here. "This isn't your site" says the frau trying to tell people what they can and can't post.

Also, never been red-tagged. Of course, you're the kind of loon who thinks there's only one other person who could possibly disagree with you.

I loved this movie.

Are we supposed to believe that they are mesmerized by Zendaya’s sexiness?

By her beauty. Yes. Shes beautiful. They called her pretty, not sexy.

It’s a comedy.

It’s a dramedy. Yes. The cast said it’s a comedy but a drama. It’s both.

You haven’t watched it if you think it’s a “comedy”. There are some funny moments but it’s a drama.

Zendaya is beautiful. Tashi is hot. Shes fierce and a cunt.

The entire sauna scene. The movie jumps in timelines a lot, but when you watch it you always know which timeline you’re in. Art says “when we were teenagers” but then you get a flashback of Patrick and Tashi reuniting for the first time since they broke up as teenagers. This is a few years later, after Tashi and Art reacquainted and became a couple. She cheated on Art with Patrick. Then you find out Art actually saw them together that night but he’s never said anything.

I really like this awesome smutty film.

Do you always go around spoiling the plot of a movie before it opens?

The plot of the movie is known. I spoiled nothing.

Aside from spoiling DL with your frauness

Just saw Challengers. The theater was half full on a 7:00 Thursday night showing. The movie was great fun and we had a blast. The camera work is excellent and innovative. Luca definitely knows how to light his cast to look like movie stars and Josh and Mike are shirtless in many scenes. Josh has a long butt shot. No titties from Z. The acting by all three of the stars is excellent, but Josh’s character is the most layered and Josh had great fun with his role…his enjoyment is palpable. The boys friendship is heavily homoerotic…heavy kissing and the scene goes on for awhile , jumping on each other, eating churros face to face, and other subtle stuff. The end scene is exciting and earned. We left the theater revved up. Recommend that you see it the theater to get the full actions shots on the ternis court and to experience the soundtrack which is quite loud and energetic

So more baby sex, no sex shit from Luca. God, he so sucks.

R88 go watch porn. You’re brainrot is serious.

They have a close, playful friendship, but I did not sense any homoeroticism, that is, no lingering looks or gentle touches or anything else that would lead me to believe there was some unrequited feelings between the two.

I don’t want to give any spoilers but the the final seconds of the film made me think that Zendaya was a succubus who used her pussy to come between these men r90

Yes, the final shot truly encapsulated the themes of the movie

No sex scenes?

Pass.

Porn has rotted the syphilitic brain of r93

R90 definitely didn’t watch the movie and it shows.

R93 suffers from brain rot. It’s sad, actually.

R91 that’s exactly what she did. Tashi is not the good guy (even though I liked her). She is the bad guy of the story. She manipulated them and used them to her own advantage, especially after she injured herself and could no longer play the way she used to.

Heading towards flop:

Critics love Challengers at 91% certified fresh, but last night’s audiences were so-so on it with three stars on Screen Engine/Comscore’s PostTrak at 3 1/2 stars, 75% positive and only a 56% definite recommend.

R98 zzzzzzzzz. It’s not a flop. Just go away. As discussed MORE THAN ONCE, people will watch this on streaming. Keep up or get off.

Queen.

Is this idiot who’s constantly typing“Zendaya Queen” the Brooklyn Sea Cow 3dwin?

R95 I watched the movie very closely for any signs of guys in love or in lust but while they surely loved each other they weren't gay nor were they destined for a romantic relationship.

Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor eating churros

R102 no. You didn’t watch. Or the film is too smart for someone like you.

"too smart for someone like you"??

Oh Mary, [italic]please.[/italic]

You're actually congratulating yourself on the intellectual rigor of a [italic]rom-com[/italic] you admire?

It isn’t a romcom. Again, you clearly didn’t watch it if you label it a romcom. Just stay in your uneducated, unemployed lane. That’s where you’ll always be.

““you’re 31, you’d have a better shot with a gun in your mouth”

Tashi was a savage.

R104, opinions are like assholes like you. Everyone has one, and they all stink

Queerty's take:

[quote] But if you’re looking for overt acknowledgment that either of these man are queer, blink and you may miss it. During a locker room-set scene, Patrick—surrounded by nameless naked men—sits and swipes through a dating app on his phone. Of the potential matches we see, one appears to be a man, and Patrick seems to pause on the profile just a little longer.

[quote]. Would Patrick openly admit to others that he’s swiping through guys on the apps, that he harbors same-sex attractions? It’s unclear, and never comes up again in the film. But our read of it is, at the very least, the impact of his intimate relationship with Art is one he’s never really been able to shake, and he at least seems open to the possibility that those lingering feelings could be telling him something more.

No one gives a shit about this stupid tennis movie. $15 million opening for a $55 movie before PA sucks.

Tasha was a bitch r107

That scene with her and Art on the bed….really tough for Art.

And “will you hold me until I fall asleep?”

Fuck that. Women should not hold men until they fall asleep. That is between men. Men, straight or gay, should hold, and comfort men, in their arms. Patrick would be a much better choice than Tasha, because Patrick really loved Art.

R110 is also a bitch, and a stupid one at that.

Go take your sour vitriol someplace else old man.

[quote]Just stay in your uneducated, unemployed lane. That’s where you’ll always be.

I'm a tenured college professor and I have a Ph.D.

R103. They’ve fucked.

R113 keep telling yourself that. It won’t come true just because you say it.

R114 we don’t know that. But there are lots of undertones that even Tashi picks up on immediately.

r115, why would I say that were it not true? You sound defensive and frightened.

Kids, I was talking about the actors on-set, not the characters.

Those were fuck-me/thanks for the great fuck eye glances.

R116 because it’s not true. Period. No one is frightened of your uneducated lying pathetic ass. We are sick of it.

Jesus… LADIES…you are both CUNTS

Now let’s get back to discussing CHALLENGERS

Ignore-dar reveals that more than forty (!!) of the posts on this thread are from the same completely unhinged poster.

And just look how many of them are nasty attacks or accusations directed against other posters:

[quote] “Challengers” clip shows Josh O’Connor & Mike Faist’s characters are a couple And they wanna add Zendaya to become a bisexual throuple! Omg I’m DYING TO SEE THIS!!

[quote] R1 well I do.

[quote]Zendaya is a Goddess

[quote]His American accent sounds very natural.

[quote]R13 it’s called a throuple

[quote]R15 stay pressed

[quote]I just saw someone who said if you like Saltburn’s vibes you’ll enjoy this one. They are different but have that same messy borderline trashy entertainment value.

[quote]R20 it’s called twists. They aren’t actually supposed to give away the movie in the trailer. You must be accustomed to that nonsense. But they’re not actually supposed to.

[quote]New clip

[quote]And another clip

[quote]I can’t wait to watch

[quote] It’s clearly not a fucking romcom.

[quote] It’s a DRAMA, not a romcom aka romantic comedy. And it’s about the rifts, ups and down of the relationships of these 3 characters over the course of over a 10-15 years. The movie does time jumps back and forth. They start off as teens when they meet and are in their 30s in other scenes. Tennis is used a metaphor in the movie.

[quote]R35 no it won’t. A movie can be great but that doesn’t mean it’s awards worthy. It’s great in its category.

[quote]A new clip.

[quote]It also isn’t a gay story. Clearly. Why that poster keeps calling it a “gay story” is beyond me.

[quote]The kiss. That’s as gay as it’s getting. They aren’t gay. Zendaya’s character gets them to kiss

[quote]Queen

[quote]A flop? No. They predict it to open to $15 million and seem happy with that. Granted movies haven’t been making much lately. The target audience is 18-34. Clearly not aimed at elders. I mean seriously, did you have to ask that?

[quote]$10 million of that went into Z’s bank account. I heard it was $40 million budget. Not $55 million

[quote]A lot of people are wondering why it cost anything over $30 million. This is a film that could have been made for $20 million max but add the extra $10 million to pay Zendaya.

[quote]It will be a streaming hit. Yes.

(cont.)

(cont.)

[quote]R63 because it’s a FILM. Not a fucking porn. Your brain is rotted.

[quote]Sexy doesn’t equal sex.

[quote]R69 no. Everyone is tired of dealing with an uneducated loser with no job who seems to have brain rot

[quote]R73 yes. Because this isn’t your site. You don’t own it. You actually have no influence here whatsoever. Even Muriel wants you gone and keeps red tagging you with reason. Take the hint and move on. Get a job while you’re at it.

[quote]By her beauty. Yes. Shes beautiful. They called her pretty, not sexy.

[quote]It’s a dramedy. Yes. The cast said it’s a comedy but a drama. It’s both.

[quote]You haven’t watched it if you think it’s a “comedy”. There are some funny moments but it’s a drama.

[quote]Zendaya is beautiful. Tashi is hot. Shes fierce and a cunt. The plot of the movie is known. I spoiled nothing.

[quote]R88 go watch porn. You’re brainrot is serious.

[quote]R90 definitely didn’t watch the movie and it shows.

[quote]R93 suffers from brain rot. It’s sad, actually.

[quote]R91 that’s exactly what she did. Tashi is not the good guy (even though I liked her). She is the bad guy of the story. She manipulated them and used them to her own advantage, especially after she injured herself and could no longer play the way she used to.

[quote]R98 zzzzzzzzz. It’s not a flop. Just go away. As discussed MORE THAN ONCE, people will watch this on streaming. Keep up or get off.

[quote]Queen.

[quote]R102 no. You didn’t watch. Or the film is too smart for someone like you.

[quote]It isn’t a romcom. Again, you clearly didn’t watch it if you label it a romcom. Just stay in your uneducated, unemployed lane. That’s where you’ll always be.

[quote]““you’re 31, you’d have a better shot with a gun in your mouth” Tashi was a savage.

[quote]R113 keep telling yourself that. It won’t come true just because you say it.

[quote]R114 we don’t know that. But there are lots of undertones that even Tashi picks up on immediately.

[quote]R116 because it’s not true. Period. No one is frightened of your uneducated lying pathetic ass. We are sick of it.

Someone needs to take her medications, apparently.

Zzzzzzz. Get a job. You just proved you have TOO MUCH TIME. And it’s not because you’re rich. What Professor has time to post from morning to night every day? 😂

You’ll be redtagged again soon anyway.

All this digital violence!

This was such a good shot! Phew

The OP is 3dwin, the Brooklyn Sea Cow

Ugh

Professor, you were in the right, all along.

🤡 really just replied to himself calling himself Professor. Fucking loser with no job 🤣

The sea cow's projecting again

I have no interest in the SC or its history.

Please let’s move on from the un-sacred cow.

The more attention…

Poor thing. No education. No job. No friend. No family who loves him because if they did they wouldn’t put up with a grown man LOSER living off of them. No significant other. Lies about his age/gender/location/race/ethnicity/sexuality/occupation etc. by the hour practically.

I wonder what he will do when he is subpoenaed.

Sea Cow, please take your meds.

[quote] By her beauty. Yes. Shes beautiful. They called her pretty, not sexy.

[quote] Zendaya is beautiful.

Have standards really deteriorated this much?

A meal is never just a meal in a Luca Guadagnino movie; each bite is a prelude to a kiss, every feast a form of foreplay.

God’s Own Country star O’Connor has gone as far as to say that the sexuality of both characters is “fluid” and their relationship is “platonic and non-platonic."

Speaking to Variety, O’Connor said: “I think they’re obsessed with each other. I think it’s stronger than love, we need each other to feel complete.”

As expected, it flopped against a $55 million budget plus a $20 million promotional push. Zendaya is no Pretty Woman.

R134 it’s Luca’s biggest opening ever. It didn’t flop. Low life with no education. *giggles*.

Call Me By Your Name made $18 million domestically over the course of a few months in theaters. Bones and All made $15 million WORLDWIDE.

This made $15 million its opening weekend. Already the biggest film for Luca.

I said this before and I’ll say it again.

The majority of movie goers is straight men. They’ve always made the majority of movie going. Only 1/3rd of the people who used to go to movies still do. Audiences are already down to 1/3rd. This is confirmed. When they put anything gay in a movie it automatically turns off a lot of the majority who watch those movies, straight men. The kiss between the two men got too much attention and publicity and I said that will only work against the film, not in favor of it like they think. Not to mention the kiss keeps it from opening in certain countries all together.

However, it isn’t a flop by any means. Look at what the box office has looked like most weekends this year. It’s been pretty bad.

[quote] Kevin Wilson, the head of theatrical distribution at Amazon MGM Studios, said he expects that the film will score with Prime Video subscribers, comparing it to “Saltburn,” the steamy drama that the company released last fall which went on to be among its most-watched streaming releases

R138 more than one of us has said this will be another Saltburn situation. More than one of us. I see the people at MGM know this is the case. The demographic it’s aimed at don’t go to movies like that. They stream.

Luiz Fernando, a man who studied films and global box office and keeps up with the world’s box office said it best about this one.

In other words, Zendaya is a streaming star!

I thought the movie was great, it didn't quite feel like any movie I've seen before.

Josh O'Connor definitely steals the show. His character and performance really brings the film alive. Zendaya does a good job but honesty I was hoping for more, she is talented but she does have her limits as an actress IMO. Mike Faist has the most underwritten character of the three, but does all he can with it.

Luca's direction and score really make the movie sing.

The chemistry between the boys was stellar if you can't see that Patrick is in love with Art you are blind. It really boils down ton Patrick is in love with Art, Art is in love with Tashi, and Tashi is in love with tennis.

They would be nothing without Zendaya's character though r91. She is the one who pushes them to greatness. Ultimately the three of them need each other, that's when they excel. Tashi is happiest we see her in years at the end of the movie r91/r92. They are finally giving her what she wants. Some good fucking tennis.

R134: It still dunks on anything non-IP that little Mouseboy has had top billing in.

Zendaya is a modern movie star carried by IP. What a flop. The true budget was $55 million and most of the production cost went to Zendaya's salary.

Luca explains the churro scene between Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor

Honestly watching that scene in the theater it managed to be more homoerotic than them actually kissing each other r146. The actors really killed it.

Luca confirms that in his mind after that final match ends they all "head back to the hotel"

I saw it this afternoon and though I read a lot of the reviews (and read the comments here) the movie surprised me. It’s a slow burn with lots of back and forthing in time which became tiring. I realized it was in no way shot or paced like a conventional Hollywood entertainment (like “Anyone But You”) but was more like an arty foreign film. But then about halfway through when the complexity of the threeway relationship becomes clear, the movie snapped into focus for me. And then I found the last third to be a sort of trashy romantic melodrama which made me fall in love with it.

All three actors are good and hold up their end of the triad, but though the trades and mainstream reviews made it seem like this is a breakthrough for Zendaya, I thought the movie belonged to the boys. Granted, I’m a gay man. But so is the director and Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist are shot with such glamorous attention to every facial expression and part of their bodies that viewing this movie will be a very sensual experience for any gay man. Neither actor is conventionally handsome, but even when each manages to look ugly at times, they seem beautiful because of the fetishistic attention they get from their director. We see them the way a man looks at a man he is infatuated with.

O’Connor has the flashiest part as the grinning bad boy and he runs with it and takes the acting honors hands down. Faist is the loyal, pussy-whipped cuckold but despite that is adorable, delectable and touching. Zendaya’s character is a strong and interesting young woman for an American movie, she plays a bad girl, a cold , competitive careerist — often unsympathetic — but frowns too much, too often seems pissed off. She plays the heartlessness but not the fun and sex. She doesn’t seem to be having a good time with her part the way O’Connor is with his.

The ending is technically ambiguous but I thought it made it clear the three would be forming an open menage a trois going forward, which is another departure for an American film. It’s going to do great when it hits streaming.

Thanks r149

R142 you did not watch if you felt anything about her performance here was “limited”. She was great.

I agree r149. There is a lot of debate about the ending, but to me it seemed clear that its about the three of them realizing they belong together. If they would have just done a throuple from the beginning they probably would have been a force and avoided their problems.

R149 she isn’t the breakout. “Breaking out” is the role that breaks you out into the mainstream and stardom. She is a star already. Her performance is solidifying her as an actress and star. She gives a true leading lady level performance. And she is the lead. She is the center of all things and the boys focus is on her. Even in scenes where Tashi is not physically present she is present through spirit and dialogue.

^ Tom Holland

Tom Holland barely thinks about Zendaya r154

He too busy choking on Harrison’s dong