WATCH: New trailer released for tennis-centric movie 'Challengers' starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor & Mike Faist

The new trailer for the tennis-centric movie 'Challengers' starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist was recently released.

Directed by Luca Guadagnino, "Challengers" has received an R rating due to its explicit language, mature content, and graphic scenes. The film is set to hit theaters on April 26, 2024.

Originally slated to premiere at the 2023 Venice Film Festival with a theatrical release in September 2023, the film's debut was postponed to 2024 due to the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike last year.

"Challengers" follows the story of tennis star Tashi Donaldson, played by Zendaya, who, after a knee injury prevents her from competing, takes on the role of coach for her husband, Art Donaldson, portrayed by Mike Faist.

The plot gets complicated as Tashi finds herself coaching both Art and her childhood best friend and ex-lover, Patrick Zweig, played by Josh O'Connor. The trio becomes entangled in a love triangle, leading to a complex situation as Art and Patrick face off in a Challenger tournament.

Watch the new trailer here:

Luca Guadagnino on Zendaya and the other actors training with Coco Gauff's coach Brad Gilbert: "They spent like three months working very hard"

Brad Gilbert and Coco Gauff at the 2023 US Open

During an interview with Variety, Challengers' director Luca Guadagnino revealed that in preparation for their roles as professional tennis players, Zendaya, Josh O’Connor, and Mike Faist trained with Coco Gauff's coach, Brad Gilbert.

Guadagnino emphasized that the three actors underwent training under Gilbert for three months to perfect their playing style for their roles. He praised the exceptional dedication of the cast, particularly highlighting Zendaya's impressive skills. He revealed that Zendaya was so well-trained that most of the tennis shots featuring her in the film did not necessitate the use of a stunt double.

“They spent like three months working very hard. Everybody – technically, athletically," Guadagnino said of the trio of actors. "She’s wonderful, I mean, wow. We edited the movie and we almost actually don’t use any of her double. She’s so good.”

During an interview with IndieWire, Guadagnino praised the trio of actors for their portrayal of "beautifully complex" characters in the movie. He expressed his gratitude for being able to direct a sports film.

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