Zendaya in ‘Challengers’.
| Photo Credit: IGN Movie Trailers/YouTube
The sexy tennis drama Challengers won the box office this weekend with $15 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. Zendaya and castmates Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor have been on a globetrotting press tour to get the word out about Italian director Luca Guadagnino’s original film, which opened in 3,477 locations in the U.S. and Canada.
“We’re obviously very, very happy with the number,” said Kevin Wilson, who heads theatrical distribution for Amazon Studios and MGM. “Looking at the audience who showed up, it’s really encouraging. It’s not the easiest audience to get to theaters.”
Women made up 58% of ticket buyers, who also skewed younger overall: 41% were between the ages of 18 and 24. Ticket sales from large format screens, including IMAX, made up about 40% of the opening weekend grosses.
According to PostTrak exit poll reported by Deadline, 55% of audiences said they went to see the film because of Zendaya. In fact, this weekend, Zendaya movies accounted for around 26% of the overall box office with the re-release of Dune: Part Two in IMAX, which made nearly $2 million.
The 27-year-old actor has been part of some of the most successful franchises of the last few years, including the Spider-Man and Dune movies. In both cases those were supporting roles in massive brand-name properties, but her eye-catching red carpet looks also often make headlines. Challengers would be the first real test of her ability to “open” a film on her own star and MGM and Amazon were not going to risk doing it without her.
Reviews have been largely positive for the R-rated movie, which teases a steamy and competitive love triangle between the tennis players. It currently has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and got a B+ CinemaScore from opening day audiences.
Second place went to the faith-based film Unsung Hero, which made an estimated $7.8 million from 2,832 locations. It’s based on the true story of the Smallbone family, and the rise of their children Rebecca St. James, and sons Joel and David (for KING + COUNTRY) in the country music scene. Joel Smallbone directed, co-wrote and portrays his father David.
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Third place went to Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire, with $7.2 million in its fifth weekend. In fourth place, A24’s Civil War also added $7 million in its third weekend, bringing its domestic total to $56.2 million. And rounding out the top five was the horror movie Abigail with $5.3 million.
