Challengers sets new Rotten Tomatoes record for Zendaya

Erin Zammitt
·2 min read
zendaya in challengers
Challengers sets Zendaya Rotten Tomatoes recordWarner Bros.

Challengers has set a new Rotten Tomatoes record for Zendaya, in its first reviews.

The actor stars in the new film as former tennis prodigy turned coach Tashi Duncan, alongside Josh O'Connor and Mike Faist.

Critics have responded well to the new movie, ahead of its theatrical release this Friday (April 26), and it has achieved a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 96% from its first 113 reviews.

This impressive score has set a new record for Zendaya, marking her highest Rotten Tomatoes rating for a feature film in her career, surpassing movies such as Dune and Spider-Man: No Way Home.

mike faist, zendaya and josh o'connor sit on a bed in challengers
Warner Bros.

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She has appeared in two films that have achieved 100% on the review aggregator, but Invisible Beauty was a documentary about fashion pioneer Bethann Hardison, while Beyoncé's Lemonade was a short film and visual album.

In Challengers, which is directed by Call Me By Your Name's Luca Guadagnino, Tashi tries to revive the tennis career of her husband Art (Mike Faist), but in the process he has to face off against his former friend – and Tashi's ex – Patrick (Josh O'Connor).

The film contains some erotic scenes between the three lead actors, with critics describing the hit movie as "incredibly hot" and "sexy".

zendaya in challengers
Niko Tavernise / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures - Warner Bros.

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Zendaya recently explained that they felt comfortable while filming these scenes and said: "We had an intimacy coordinator which was fantastic and very helpful, because it was important that we felt safe. I spoke with my colleague so that we could find a way to feel at ease. We played tennis together, we went out together, we rehearsed together. We got to bond and feel good with each other."

West Side Story star Mike agreed with this sentiment, and added: "We were able to spend time together during rehearsals and beyond, especially with Josh. We were able to get to know each other as people before we could get into the film. We created a real friendship that created the basis of the film."

Challengers will be released in the UK on April 26.

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