Zendaya tennis movie ‘Challengers’ scores at weekend box office

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.

The studio had originally planned to release “Challengers” in the fall of 2023, with a picturesque launch at the Venice Film Festival. But when the actors went on strike last July, the studio made the decision to scuttle the festival premiere and move the film to this weekend when they could safely assume the strike would be resolved. Zendaya sported many tennis-themed looks, styled by Law Roach, for her appearances.

“It would be hard to argue that we should have released this movie when she wasn’t able to support,” Wilson said.

He gave special credit to the studio’s publicity and marketing teams for orchestrating a world tour that resulted in several viral fashion moments.

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.

Guadagnino’s last film “ Bones and All,” starring Zendaya’s “Dune” co-star Timothée Chalamet, made $15.2 million in its entire run. By midweek, “Challengers” expected to surpass “Call Me By Your Name” ($18 million) to become Guadagnino's highest grossing film.

For Amazon MGM Studios, the value also extends beyond the box office driving a “downstream value” for Amazon, including when “Challengers” eventually makes its way to Prime Video.

“I’ve always believed that theatrical is the best way to launch some of these films,” Wilson said. “When this thing gets to Prime Video, it’s obviously going to perform at a level that would be much greater than had it just gone directly to the platform. Theatrical is only a piece of it.”

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.

The Lionsgate film, which was made for only $6 million, scored a rare A+ CinemaScore and has a 100% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The critic’s score is a much more tempered 58%. Audiences were overwhelmingly female (69%) and over 25 (91%).

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.

“April of 2024 provided an opportunity for interesting, innovative and critically acclaimed films to be at the top of the box office,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “It was a great month for moviegoers looking for something beyond the typical summer blockbusters.”

The box office might not compare to last year when “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” was still dominating, but Dergarabedian said establishing audience goodwill is important as well.

Next weekend the summer movie season kicks off with the Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt action-comedy “ The Fall Guy.”

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Challengers,” $15 million.

2. “Unsung Hero,” $7.8 million.

3. “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” $7.2 million.

4. “Civil War,” 7 million.

5. “Abigail,” $5.3 million.

6. “The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare,” $3.9 million

7. “Kung Fu Panda 4,” $3.6 million.

8. “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” $3.3 million.

9. “Dune: Part Two,” $2 million.

10. “Boy Kills World,” $1.7 million.

This image released by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures shows Zendaya, left, and Josh O'Connor in a scene from "Challengers." (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures via AP)

This image released by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures shows Zendaya in a scene from "Challengers." (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures via AP)

This image released by Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures shows Mike Faist, from left, Zendaya and Josh O'Connor in a scene from "Challengers." (Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures via AP)

From left, Josh O'Connor, Zendaya and Mike Faist, cast members in "Challengers," pose together at the premiere of the film at the Regency Village Theatre, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Zendaya, a cast member in "Challengers," poses at the premiere of the film at the Regency Village Theatre, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

Zendaya, a cast member in "Challengers," poses at the premiere of the film at the Regency Village Theatre, Tuesday, April 16, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian troops were locked in intense battles with Ukrainian soldiers around the embattled town of Vovchansk in northeast Ukraine on Monday, pushing ahead with a ground offensive that opened a new front and put more pressure on overstretched Ukrainian forces.

Moscow's renewed northeast offensive, launched late last week, was the most significant border incursion since the full-scale invasion began.

In just two days, Moscow has captured between 100 to125 square kilometers (38 to 47 square miles) that includes at least seven villages, most of them already depopulated, according to two open source monitoring analysts.

Vovchansk, among the largest towns in the area whose pre-war population of 17,000 had dwindled to just 2,500 before Russia renewed its ground assault last week, has emerged as a key focus of the pitched battles engulfing the Kharkiv region. By Monday, only 200 to 300 residents remained, said Kharkiv Gov. Oleh Syniehubov, as Russian forces closed in from three sides.

Poorly built fortifications and long-term ammunition shortages enabled Russia’s sweeping advance in the area since Friday, local officials and soldiers said. The Kremlin’s forces were seeking to divert and distract Ukrainian troops across the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line until a big batch of new military aid for Kyiv from the U.S. and European partners arrives on the battlefield in the coming weeks and months, Ukrainian commanders and analysts said.

That makes this period a window of opportunity for Moscow and one of the most dangerous for Kyiv in the two-year war, they said. By intensifying offensive operations, Russia seeks to stretch Ukraine's forces thin and forge breakthroughs.

Russian forces claimed to have taken an additional 90 square kilometers (35 square miles), which has not been independently confirmed.

Opening a new front from two points along the border with the Russian region of Belgorod was the easiest tactic to pin down and divert Ukrainian forces from heavy battles raging in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, Russia's most sought-after prize.

“The enemy identified the most geographically convenient place ... the state border line,” said Yurii Federenko, commander of the ACHILLES battalion of the 92nd brigade. His unit was among others rotated into the northeast from the Donetsk region to stabilize the northeast front, he said.

He fears a similar front may be opened in the Sumy region, which also shares a border with Russia.

The string of villages captured along the contested gray zone, where enemy shelling precludes the building of fortifications, were also the easiest for Moscow's forces to nab. Their momentum will likely slow as they approach better fortified settlements, Ukrainian commanders said.

Small batches of U.S. military aid have started to trickle into the front line in the form of much needed artillery, said Federenko, whose unit received some of the aid. But it will take at least two months before incoming supplies will meet Kyiv's needs to hold the line, he said. Until they arrive, Ukraine won't be able to seize the battlefield initiative, he said.

“They now have an opportunity to attack us while we cannot properly reply,” he said.

Russia's offensive seeks to take advantage of this window of time. “In order to achieve success, in my opinion, in Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the enemy needed to spread ... our defense forces. Accordingly, the enemy started the campaign in Kharkiv region specifically,” Federenko said.

The Kharkiv incursion has effectively pinned Ukrainian forces in the region, while potentially drawing precious reserves away from heavy battles in the Avdiivka and Chasiv Yar areas of the Donetsk region, where Russia’s advance has been far more significant and strategically important.

Ukrainian local officials said they feared Vovchansk's fate may mirror that of Bakhmut and Avdiivka, Ukrainian cities where fierce fighting and scorched earth tactics forced Ukrainian withdrawals.

Russian forces were inching closer to Vovchansk, and heavy battles were ongoing on the town's outskirts. Using assault infantry units Russian forces are attempting to secure positions in three directions, as Ukrainian forces attempt to dislodge them using firepower. Ukrainian commanders describe the battles as dynamic and complicated.

Russian troops have so far entrenched themselves in the villages of Strilecha, Pylna, Borysivka, Krasne, Oliynykove, Mrakovets, Pletenivka, and from there were launching attacks near Hlyboke Zelene Hatysche, and Buchansk.

The capture of the Donetsk city of Avdiivka in February opened a door for the Kremlin’s troops to push westward, deeper into Donetsk. Russia illegally annexed Donetsk and three other regions in 2022 shortly after it invaded Ukraine, and taking control of all of Donetsk is one of the Kremlin’s main war goals.

If Ukraine isn’t able to halt Moscow’s advance, it could create conditions for a possible attack on Kharkiv, Ukraine’s second-largest city.

It could also create a “buffer zone” to protect Belgorod, where frequent Ukrainian attacks have embarrassed the Kremlin. In March, Russia announced plans to evacuate about 9,000 children from the Belgorod region because it was being shelled continuously.

Russian emergency services on Monday finished clearing the rubble in the region’s capital city of Belgorod, where a section of a residential building collapsed following what authorities said was Ukrainian shelling.

Fifteen bodies were pulled from the rubble, Belgorod regional Gov. Vyacheslav Gladkov said, and 27 other people were wounded.

Another three people in the city of Belgorod were killed by shelling late Sunday, he said.

Yevgeny Poddubny, a usually well-connected military correspondent for Russia’s state TV corporation VGTRK, said in a recent Telegram post that the Kharkiv assault marked the beginning of “a new phase.”

“We’re pushing the enemy back from the border, destroying the enemy in order to deprive the Kyiv regime of the opportunity to use relatively cheap rockets to attack Belgorod,” he said.

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

Ukrainian military medics of the 47th Brigade shift an injured comrade to a stretcher at the field hospital in Avdiivka direction, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken from video released by Belgorod regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov's Telegram channel on Sunday, May 12, 2024, Russian emergency services transport a wounded person from a partially collapsed block of flats authorities said was hit during an attack by Ukrainian shelling, in Belgorod, Russia. In a statement, Russia's Investigative Committee, the country's top law enforcement agency, said that the 10-story block had been hit by Ukrainian shelling. (Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov Telegram channel via AP)

Liudmila, 85, looks though the window of a bus after being evacuated from Vovchansk, Ukraine, Sunday, May 12, 2024. Her husband was killed in their house after a Russian airstrike on the city. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

This photo released by Belgorod regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov's Telegram channel on Sunday, May 12, 2024, volunteers help an elderly woman to leave an area of a partially collapsed block of flats after a missile attack by the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the Russian city of Belgorod, Russia.In a statement, Russia's Investigative Committee, the country's top law enforcement agency, said that the 10-story block had been hit by Ukrainian shelling. (Belgorod Region Governor Vyacheslav Gladkov Telegram channel via AP)

People sit in a bus after evacuation from Vovchansk, Ukraine, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Rescue workers help Liudmila Kalashnik, 88, after evacuation from Vovchansk, Ukraine, Sunday, May 12, 2024. Her husband was killed in their house after a Russian airstrike on the city. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

People walk with their belongings to the evacuation point in front of a building that was damaged by a Russian airstrike in Vilcha, near Vovchansk, Ukraine, Sunday, May 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service on Sunday, May 12, 2024, Russian emergency services work at the scene of a partially collapsed block of flats authorities said was hit during an attack by Ukrainian shelling, in Belgorod, Russia. (Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)

In this photo taken from video released by the Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service on Sunday, May 12, 2024, Russian emergency services work at the scene of a partially collapsed block of flats authorities said was hit during an attack by Ukrainian shelling, in Belgorod, Russia. (Russian Emergency Ministry Press Service via AP)

Ukrainian military medics of the 47th Brigade shift an injured comrade to a stretcher at the field hospital in Avdiivka direction, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Friday, May 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)