Director Luca Guadagnino took an unconventional approach to his latest film, “Challengers,” starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor as rival tennis aces in a high-stakes love triangle. Guadagnino, known for his deft eroticism in films like “Call Me By Your Name,” wanted to capture the characters’ complicated and sweaty dynamic on the tennis court in a unique way.
Instead of traditional tennis shots, Guadagnino envisioned the action to be immersive and emotionally resonant for the audience. With the help of special effects and a techno score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, the visuals in “Challengers” are naturalism on overdrive. However, shooting the tennis scenes proved to be a challenge, with the 10-minute finale game taking eight months to produce.
Guadagnino, along with cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom and tennis consultant Brad Gilbert, explained how they created the intense moments on the court. Guadagnino drew inspiration from filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard and Alfred Hitchcock, while Mukdeeprom found similarities between tennis movies and Martin Scorsese’s “The Color of Money.”
The cast trained for six weeks at a country club outside Boston, with Gilbert coaching them on the finer points of tennis. To achieve the precise movements Guadagnino wanted, the actors played without rackets or balls, with the rest being computer-generated.
Despite facing challenges with unique shots and camera angles, Guadagnino and his team persevered to bring “Challengers” to life. The film’s laborious production process paid off, creating a visually stunning and emotionally resonant experience for audiences.
