Challengers Makes Us Even More Excited For Upcoming Movie With 83% On Rotten Tomatoes

Mike Faist’s riveting performance in the critically acclaimed Challengers makes his upcoming movie that’s already received positive reviews all the more exciting. Directed by Luca Guadagnino, Challengers tells the story of three pro-tennis players, Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), Art Donaldson (Mike Faist), and Patrick Zweig (Josh O’Connor), depicting how their careers evolve and their lives intertwine at different points in time. Throughout the nonlinear narrative, the love triangle between Tashi, Art, and Patrick in Challengers continuously raises the stakes and creates just as much drama on the court as off.

Since releasing in theaters on April 26, Challengers has been killing it at the box office. It earned $15 million its opening weekend and has already grossed $54.5 million worldwide at the time of writing (via Box Office Mojo). In addition to its commercial success, Challengers is a huge hit with critics, many of whom have praised the outstanding performances by the main cast of Challengers, including Mike Faist. With its 89% critics score, Challengers continues Faist’s unbroken “Fresh” streak on Rotten Tomatoes after his last movie, which will have its theatrical premiere later this year.

Mike Faist Is Part Of The Bikeriders’ Cast After Challengers

Faist Plays A Fictionalized Version Of Photographer Danny Lyon In The Bikeriders

Now that Challengers has arrived, Mike Faist’s next film coming to theaters is Jeff Nichols’ The Bikeriders. Set in 1960s Chicago, The Bikeriders follows a fictional motorcycle club called the Vandals MC as they evolve from the found family dynamic they started with to a violent gang over the course of a decade. The Bikeriders is inspired by photographer Danny Lyon’s 1968 photobook of the same name about the real-life Chicago-based Outlaws MC. Faist plays a fictionalized version of Lyon in The Bikeriders, which also stars Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer, and more.

Since premiering at the 50th Telluride Film Festival on August 31, 2023, The Bikeriders has maintained an 83% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, aggregated from 36 reviews. Critics praised the “charismatic cast” of The Bikeriders and the “gritty authenticity” of Nichols’ writing and direction. The Bikeriders was slated for a theatrical release on December 1, 2023, but was removed from Disney’s release schedule during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. After getting dropped by Disney’s 20th Century Studios, The Bikeriders was acquired by Universal’s Focus Features and will finally release in theaters on June 21, 2024, less than two months after Challengers.

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The Bikeriders Can Continue Mike Faist’s Spectacular Rise

Faist’s Breakout Film Role Was Playing Riff In Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story In 2021

After the success of Challengers, The Bikeriders will continue Faist’s rise to fame that kicked off three years ago with his breakout film role. In 2021, Faist played Jet leader Riff in Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation of the classic 1957 stage musical, West Side Story. Prior to getting cast, Faist first caught the legendary director’s attention during his run as Connor Murphy in Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway, which earned him his first Tony nomination for Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical.

Although it fell short at the box office, grossing a disappointing $76 million on a $100 million budget (via The Numbers), Spielberg’s adaptation of West Side Story was highly-rated across the board, as reflected by its 92% critics score and 93% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Along with Ariana DeBose, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Anita, Faist’s rendition of Riff was often highlighted as one of the standout performances in West Side Story (2021).

After West Side Story, Faist played real-life GQ journalist and “pinball wizard” Roger Sharpe in the 2022 biopic Pinball: The Man Who Saved the Game. Though it flew somewhat under the radar due to its limited theatrical release and subsequent streaming release on Hulu, Pinball‘s 19 reviews still left it “Certified Fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes with a 95% critics score. Now coming off the heels of Challengers, Faist’s star is about to soar even higher with The Bikeriders.

Sources: Box Office Mojo, Rotten Tomatoes, Rotten Tomatoes, The Numbers

Challengers

Challengers is a romantic sports comedy film by director Luca Guadagnino. The film stars Zendaya as a retired Tennis legend who, while trying to coach her husband and lead him to victory in an upcoming Tennis match, discovers his coming opponent is her ex-lover.

Director

Luca Guadagnino

Release Date

April 26, 2024

Writers

Justin Kuritzkes

Cast

Zendaya , Josh O’Connor , Mike Faist