Zendaya in Challengers, whose release date has now been moved to April next year. Photograph: Niko Tavernise/AP
The highly anticipated tennis drama Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino, will not be opening this year's Venice film festival due to the ongoing Hollywood actors' strike. The MGM/Amazon film, featuring Zendaya and Josh O'Connor, was initially scheduled for an August premiere on the Lido but has now been pulled from the lineup. Moreover, the film's release date has been rescheduled from September to April of the following year.
As a replacement, the festival organizers have announced that the opening film will be the Italian drama Comandante, directed by Edoardo De Angelis. It is unfortunate news for Guadagnino, as his previous films Bones and All, Suspiria, and A Bigger Splash had all premiered at the prestigious festival.
The Sag-Aftra strike prohibits actors in the guild from participating in promotional activities for their films, which would have prevented the stars of Challengers, Zendaya being one of them, from attending the Venice festival. This strike has significant implications for the fall festival circuit, as it hinders the usual buzz-building for potential awards contenders. The strike has been ongoing for two weeks and revolves around concerns about residual pay and the growing influence of artificial intelligence in the entertainment industry.
Not only has Challengers been affected by the strike, but there are also rumors that Warner Bros may delay the release of its November blockbuster Dune 2, which also stars Zendaya. Other studios are contemplating changing the release dates for films like The Color Purple and Aquaman 2.
The strike's impact is already being felt in the industry, with Lionsgate moving the release of White Bird, featuring Helen Mirren, and the Dirty Dancing sequel. A24 has also pulled the release of comedy Problemista.
Despite the strike's effects on major productions, special waivers have been granted to independent films that do not have studio or streaming involvement. This has allowed certain projects, such as the pop-star drama Mother Mary starring Anne Hathaway and the action comedy Bride Hard starring Rebel Wilson, to continue production.
The strike's continuation has led to calls for allowances, with Tom Cruise reportedly lobbying Sag-Aftra to permit actors to promote their work during the strike.
In conclusion, the Hollywood actors' strike has caused significant disruptions in the film industry, affecting major releases and prestigious film festivals like Venice. It remains to be seen how the situation will unfold and what impact it will have on the overall landscape of the entertainment world.
