The director of Challengers (title that received enthusiastic reactions), Luca Guadagninocomments theSurprise Spider-Man Easter Egg in his new hit film. Challengers is a very different role for Zendaya, the actress plays Tashi, a former tennis prodigy turned coach who makes no apologies for her ruthless play on and off the court.
In the second half of the film, Tashi is arguing with her husband Art when their young daughter Lily interrupts to ask if she can watch one of the Spider-Verse films instead of the tennis they’re showing on TV in the background.
Needless to say, while Zendaya didn’t lend her voice to Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse or Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, many viewers will think this is a cheeky nod to her role of MJ in Marvel Studios’ live-action franchise. This is not the case, according to director Luca Guadagnino.
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Director’s commentary
“When you get the rights to use something in a movie, it’s very complicated” Guadagnino told Entertainment Weekly.”Amy Pascal, our amazing producer, was helpful. I said, ‘Amy, can we use one of your catalog titles, so it’ll be easier to get the rights?’“. “Lily’s a girl, she’s not going to choose to watch The Social Network or The Post, but maybe she’ll watch a Spider-Man cartoon, so I said, ‘Why not Spider-Verse?’ Now I realize what she sounded like an inside jokebut you know, the unconscious always guides us in a sense“.
Zendaya, who is rumored to be planning her wedding to MCU co-star Tom Holland, recently spoke to Variety about why she took on the role.
“I’ve been playing 16 year olds since I was 16“, explained the former Disney star. “So it was nice to play a character who wasn’t a little girl anymore. It was also interesting to play parts of my life that I haven’t lived yet: I didn’t get married. I didn’t have a child“.
“These milestones don’t necessarily have a direct point of reference in my life. It was a different feeling. Ultimately, it felt like the right time for a character like this“, concluded the actress.
