Is Zendaya’s ‘Challengers’ movie based on a true story?

Actress and singer Zendaya Coleman sent shockwaves online following the trailer debut of her new sports film Challengers as she and the cast captivated audiences with their breakthrough performances, entertaining plot lines, and raunchy scenes. 

For context, Challengers follows the lives of tennis players –who grew up together– battling for a grand slam title, bringing a rivalry between the group on and off the court. The movie also stars Josh O’Connor, Mike Faist, Jake Jensen, Faith Fay, A.J. Lister, Scottie DiGiacomo, Sid Jarvis, Charles Massey, and many more. 

Unlike any regular sports film, one factor that may have pique fans’ interest in Challengers is the possible love triangle between Coleman and her two male costars, Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor, as a scene showcased the trio participating in sexual activities before the star settling down with one of the men.  

As the trailer began circulating online, many also believed that Challengers could be based on a true story due to how the entire production was structured, from the characters’ careers to the unraveling of their personal lives. In this article, fans will uncover if  Challengers is based on real-life events or a juicy fiction. 

Is Challengers Based On Real Life Events?

According to Distractify, it has yet to be officially confirmed or denied that Challengers is based on a true story. However, other news outlets report that the film’s plot is fiction, following Challengers‘ director Luca Guadagnino‘s response about Coleman, Faist, and O’Connor’s characters during an interview with Indiewire. 

Although Guadagnino didn’t share any details regarding the plot being based on a true story or not, the 51-year-old revealed that each character in Challengers was “beautifully complex” yet “f–ked up people” that he adored, which is why he felt compelled to include them in a sports film because it added depth to the project. He said, 

“I don’t want to think much about Challengers I think those three characters in that movie are beautifully complex and really fucked-up people that I love very much. And a sports film, why not? It’s hyperkinetic, and I do films, so it’s great.”

Whether Challengers is a true story or not, the trailer has done the film justice because it has people talking about it ahead of its theatrical debut. 

Challengers is scheduled to premiere in theaters on August 11.