"Battle of the Sexes" is based on the real-life tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. A second trailer of the tennis drama was released today. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, best known for their work on “Little Miss Sunshine," directed the movie. The film was also produced by Danny Boyle and is sure to be a hit just in time for Oscar season.
Emma Stone to be joined on-screen by actor Steve Carell
Emma Stone and Steve Carell will be starring alongside each other in their upcoming movie "Battle of the Sexes." Stone and Carell play tennis champions Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs.
The movie is based on the real-life tennis match between the champions, which came to represent much more than a sport. Riggs challenged King to a match on the court with the end goal of proving that men are better than women.
At this time, King was struggling to come to terms with her sexuality and was involved with her secretary. The winner of the match would not only take the $100,000 prize, but would also win the debate in terms of the superior sex. This match gained national attention and became an important part of the feminist movement. The real-life story is now translating to the big screen with Stone and Carell playing the tennis pros and rivals.
What did the real Billie Jean King have to say about the movie?
According to The Telegraph, King is over the moon with the movie adaptation. She was thrilled to hear that Emma Stone had been cast to play her younger self, stating that she's a fantastic human being. King was overwhelmed by the cast and gave it her complete approval.
With other stars such as Sarah Silverman, Bill Pullman, Andrea Riseborough and Alan Cumming, the movie is already set to be a success.
Simon Beaufoy wrote the movie and he plans to capture the 1970's match in all its glory. During the real-life match, there were over 50 million Americans in attendance. It will be amazing to see this recreated in theaters.
Fox Searchlight is funding the movie. "Battle of the Sexes" began shooting in 2016 and is expected to released later this year.
"Battle of the Sexes" is due to hit US theaters on September 22, 2017. It will be interesting to see the 1970's match re-created by such a well-known cast. While both Emma Stone and Steve Carell started out with comedy, they have both shown that they can pull off serious roles and flourish in them. There is already speculation that Stone could land her second Oscar win with this role.
