After swinging into theaters, this is when audiences can expect Zendaya's latest film, Challengers, to become available online.
The highly anticipated sports and romance film has generated significant buzz since its September 2023 release date was pushed back to April 2024.
Zendaya is expected to shine as Tashi Duncan. Challengers, which has a 96% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, is the best of her cinematic career.
However, not everyone will go to the theater to see the upcoming drama.
When Will Challengers Release Online?
There is no official update from Amazon MGM Studios on when Challengers will be released online. This should come as no surprise, as the film will receive a full theatrical release beginning Friday, April 26.
Recently, Amazon MGM Studios' approach has differed from its previous strategy of sending theatrically released films directly to streaming (on Amazon Prime Video or MGM+) after theater runs.
Notable titles like Air, Foe, and Saltburn followed this pattern. However, its latest movies have embraced a more conventional route, debuting in theaters before transitioning to digital and eventually streaming.
Here's a glance at some of the studio's most recent releases, including their theatrical, digital, and streaming dates.
It's important to note that Amazon MGM Studios projects have been relatively inconsistent with their release schedule compared to other studios:
American Fiction:
- Theatrical: December 15, 2023
- Digital: February 6, 2024 (53 days after theatrical)
- Streaming (Prime Video): March 8, 2024 (84 days after theatrical)
The Boys in the Boat:
- Theatrical: December 25, 2023
- Digital: January 16, 2024 (22 days after theatrical)
- Streaming (MGM+): March 29, 2024 (95 days after theatrical)
The Beekeeper:
- Theatrical: January 12, 2024
- Digital: January 30, 2024 (18 days after theatrical)
If Challengers follows the path of The Beekeeper, it could potentially hit digital platforms around May 13, 2024.
Yet, given its projected success at the box office, there's a chance this timeline could be extended, aligning more with American Fiction and putting its digital release sometime in mid-June.
Challengers Streaming Release Prediction
Recent trends in Amazon MGM Studios' release strategy suggest a standard transition period of about 90 days from theatrical debut to streaming online.
Applying this pattern to Challengers would make its potential streaming release window around Thursday, July 25.
This projection aligns with previous film releases from the studio, likely arriving on streaming platforms such as Prime Video or MGM+.
Like its potential digital release, Challengers' box office performance will quickly reveal the studio's most likely strategy.
As it should perform well based on Zendaya's star power, rave reviews, and overall intrigue, this may equate to a longer wait than many other Amazon MGM projects of the past year.
Challengers hits theaters on Friday, April 26.
Read more about Challengers on The Direct:
Zendaya's Challengers Movie Reviews: Critics Share Strong First Reactions
