Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Challengers’ Test Screens …

Luca Guadagnino’s “Challengers,” listed as a September 15th release, will most likely premiere at Venice.

I have no idea if “Challengers” was originally submitted for Cannes. These type of details are not usually disclosed, they can damage an unreleased film’s reputation.

Here’s a reaction I got from a test-screening:

Just came back from “Challengers.” I’m still on a high. Just for reference I didn’t like Guadagnino’s last few movies but this one wasn’t so self-serious and felt much more authentic. It’s also a very sexy movie with the three main actors embroiled in a complicated romance. Zendaya and O’Connor are stunning. She maybe gives the best performance I’ve seen so far from her. It’s also set in the tennis world, which gives it a nice unique spin on the romcom genre. I also adored the score by Trent Teznor and Atticus Ross. There’s definitely a lot of computer beats in there but it fits very well with the story. It’s techno music!

Below are the Letterboxd ratings that seem to have come out overnight from that test screening.

Guadagnino going back to Venice makes perfect sense. He won the Best Director prize there last year for “Bones and All.” There are even rumors starting up signifying that he might be the Jury President this year. This would automatically insert “Challengers” as an out of competition title.

“Challengers” is being described as romantic comedy. The plot is said to be a love triangle between Zendaya’s character and her two male lovers, Mike Faist plays her husband and Josh O’Connor her ex.

Guadagnino has been a very busy man lately. He’s about to shoot Burroughs’ “Queer” next month, Frances McDormand and Daniel Craig are said to be starring in that one.