As the box office navigates another slow period due to a lack of a huge April tentpole hit, Amazon MGM’s “Challengers” needed just $15 million in its opening weekend to take the No. 1 spot.
Starring Zendaya in a tennis drama about a player turned coach who navigates a love triangle between the two men she trains, “Challengers” will easily become the highest grossing film ever in the U.S. for director Luca Guadagnino, with the previous record being the $18 million grossed by his Oscar winner “Call Me By Your Name” in 2017.
“Challengers” is also earning the second highest launch for an original R-rated drama since the pandemic behind only the $19 million opening for “Don’t Worry Darling” in 2022, a film that grossed $87 million worldwide.