The No Film School Podcast

How ‘Challengers’ Screenwriter Justin Kuritzkes Aces Character, Tension and Stakes

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Justin Kuritzkes is the screenwriter for the film, Challengers, starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor. The story revolves around tennis pros who are caught in a love triangle. It’s not just about the game of tennis, but about the game of love and power. Let’s dive into Justin’s process of writing such a damn good movie!


In today’s episode, No Film School’s GG Hawkins speaks with writer Justin Kuritzkes to discuss: 

  • How screenplays differ from other written mediums
  • Building up a story that would realistically exist in the real world
  • The inspiration behind the story 
  • How writing the movie made tennis less enjoyable for him to watch
  • Deciding on the setting of the story
  • Surprising moments during the writing process
  • Writing in cars, hotel rooms, and airplanes when you are pressed for time
  • The questions he asked himself before writing the story 
  • Collaborating with actors and getting their feedback
  • Feeling like you are watching the movie as you write the script



    • Memorable Quotes

    • “The thing about screenwriting is that it’s such a rigidly formalistic, medium.” [3:52]
    • “I started thinking about the movie and I started watching a lot of tennis. Quickly, I became an obsessive tennis fan. I almost didn’t want to write the movie.” [11:40]
    • “It’s like the big bang. Once the character is there, it’s sort of like “Now, there is light!’” [14:23]
    • “If you feel like you are watching the movie when you’re writing it, hopefully, other people will feel that way, too.” [24:37]



      • Mentioned:

      CHALLENGERS



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