Double fault: Challengers receive zero Oscar nominations
In tennis, the first serve must clear the net and land in the opponent's court, failure to do so results in a "fault." If a player commits two faults in a row, it's called a "double fault," and the opponent wins the point.
This concept feels eerily fitting for the 2024 film Challengers, directed by Luca Guadagnino. Despite boasting an incredible soundtrack and a star-studded cast that seemed like a sure bet for Oscar nominations, the film was shut out entirely, leaving industry insiders and audiences alike stunned.
The film starred Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor as a trio of tennis professionals caught in a dramatic love triangle. Challengers proved to be a box office hit, grossing $96.1 million worldwide. The film also garnered rave reviews, earning an impressive 88% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, along with a solid 75% audience score.
The film's standout musical elements, particularly Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ work on the score, had it shortlisted for both Best Original Song (“Compress / Repress”) and Best Original Score. Reznor and Ross, who have earned three previous nominations and two wins in the latter category, seemed like a strong contender.
TikTok users are stunned
Fans are taking to TikTok to voice their frustration over Challengers' lack of recognition at the Oscars, with many expressing disbelief that the film didn’t receive a single nomination.
One notable post came from the official Fandango TikTok account (@Fandango), which shared a video featuring a dramatic scene from Challengers where Zendaya slams her tennis racket in a fit of rage.
The accompanying text reads, “When Challengers doesn’t get a single Oscars nom,” while the caption adds, “A little in my emotions about this snub. Our girl Zendaya deserves it.”
Another TikTok user, @ceryslovesfilm, posted a video holding a thumbs down and the text, “THEY SNUBBED CHALLENGERS.” Her caption read, “NOT EVEN A SCORE NOMINATION,” which quickly gained traction, racking up over 19,000 likes.
Fans in the comments expressed their shared frustration, with @govndr saying, “Actually crazy work, we all know it would’ve won Best Score.” @bezcm added, “Not a SINGULAR nomination for my goat Guadagnino.”
