Zendaya's romantic tennis drama, Challengers, dominated the weekend box office with a $15 million opening from 3,477 theaters, meeting expectations and marking the second-best start for an original R-rated drama since the pandemic, following Don't Worry Darling.
It was a daring move for MGM Amazon Studios to release Luca Guadagnino's mature adult drama nationwide instead of opting for a platform release, considering its more arthouse appeal.
This decision was made in part to reach a broader audience, particularly Zendaya fans who are not yet subscribers to Amazon's streaming service, Prime. High-profile titles like this aim to keep existing subscribers engaged.
By midweek, Challengers is expected to become Luca Guadagnino's highest-grossing film domestically, surpassing Call Me By Your Name's $18 million gross. The film also performed impressively overseas, earning $9 million from 52 markets and reaching a global total of $25 million.
Challengers is finding success in Europe and Australia, with the UK leading the way with a $1.8 million debut.
While critics favored the R-rated film, audiences gave it a B+ CinemaScore. The majority of Friday's viewers were women (58%), with a significant portion falling between the ages of 18 and 34 (76%). Challengers is resonating most with ethnically diverse viewers, with white moviegoers making up 43% of the audience, followed by Latino (27%), Black (17%), Asian (9%), and Native American/other (4%).
The article is not finished. Click on the next page to continue.
The article is not finished. Click on the next page to continue.
Next page
