Zendaya has that 24K Box Office Magic and is on a roll, breaking box office records one after another. After smashing the competition away by delivering a solo Box Office success of over $15 million in its opening weekend, Challengers has already broken many records. And it turns out it will continue to lead, as it becomes the highest-grossing tennis drama, leaving behind Will Smith’s King Richard and Kristen Dunst’s Wimbledon by a whopping 80% increase in its box office comparisons. The movie has also become the director, Luca Guadagnino’s second biggest opener.
Studios estimate that Challengers, the seductive tennis drama, brought in $15 million this weekend at the box office. Zendaya has been traveling the world with her co-stars Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor, promoting the original film directed by Luca Guadagnino, which debuted in 3,477 theaters across the US and Canada.
Dune 2 $700 Million Milestone
Nobody is doing it like Zendaya, and we have to take a masterclass. After the record-breaking box office performance of Dune 2, which has raked in $700 million in collections, this year has been especially successful for Zendaya. She continues her box-office streak with Challengers’s $15 million opening, taking her box-office meter to a massive $715 Million. Yes, we know that there are other profit factors. But Zendaya has stood out in all of them.
The 27-year-old actor has recently appeared in some of the most popular franchises, such as the Dune and Spider-Man films. Although those were supporting parts in large-scale, well-known productions in both instances, her striking red-carpet appearances frequently make news. MGM and Amazon were unwilling to take the chance of releasing Challengers without her, as it would be the first genuine test of her ability to “open” a movie based on her star.
According to reports, Challengers has also become the highest-grossing tennis drama. It has surpassed Will Smith’s King Richard. The Biopic about Serena and Venus Willaim’s father grossed over $5.4 Million in its opening and also left behind another Spider-Man alum, Kirsten Dunst’s Wimbledon, which grossed over $7.4 Million.
As per a report by noted analyst Luiz Fernando on X, ‘Challengers will beat both #KingRichard’s 15.1M, and #Wimbledon’s 17M entire U.S. runs in just five days by the end of TUE! By WED, #ChallengersMovie will have beaten #CallMeByYourName’s 18.1M entire US run as the highest-grossing movie directed by #LucaGuadagnino.’
The R-rated film, which hints at a seductive and competitive love triangle between the tennis players, has received mostly positive reviews. It received a B CinemaScore from opening day viewers and has an 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Note: Box office numbers are based on estimates and various sources. Numbers have not been independently verified by Koimoi.
