Hollywood Embraces Sexual Content in "Challengers" and "Poor Things"

Hollywood is witnessing a resurgence of sexual content in films, as exemplified by the recent releases of "Challengers" and "Poor Things," according to a report by Le Monde on April 25, 2024. These films showcase a return to more explicit and daring depictions of sexuality on the big screen.

"Challengers," directed by Luca Guadagnino, is a sexually charged drama set in the world of tennis. The film follows a passionate love triangle between three young tennis players - Tashi Duncan (played by Zendaya), Art Donaldson (Mike Faist), and Patrick Zweig (Josh O'Connor) - over the course of 13 years. It examines themes of desire, love, power, and co-dependency among the gifted athletes, with Tashi using the competitive nature and unfulfilled desires between Art and Patrick to her advantage.

The film skillfully builds sexual tension without relying on overly explicit scenes, instead focusing on the metaphorical concept of "tennis as sex." Zendaya's confident and dominant portrayal of Tashi, along with the intense chemistry between the characters, fuels the drama both on and off the court. "Challengers" switches between the present-day tournament and flashbacks revealing the evolution of the complex relationships.

"Poor Things," a dark comedy starring Emma Stone, also pushes boundaries with its sexual content. The film, which won Stone a Golden Globe, features her as Bella Baxter, a woman brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist. It includes a montage of Bella working as a sex worker in Paris and several racy scenes. One scene depicting sexual activity in the presence of children required edits to secure an 18 rating in the UK.

Stone, who also served as a producer, emphasized the importance of having an intimacy coordinator on set and defended the honest nature of the sex scenes as necessary for her character's journey and growth. "The sex scenes, though intense, were necessary for the character's journey and growth," Stone stated in an interview.

Why this matters: The release of "Challengers" and "Poor Things" signifies a shift in Hollywood's approach to depicting sexuality in mainstream films. These films challenge the boundaries of what is considered acceptable sexual content and may open the way for more daring and explicit explorations of human desire and relationships on the big screen.

Despite the controversy surrounding the sexual content in "Poor Things," the film emerged as a big winner at the recent Golden Globes, with Emma Stone's performance earning her an award. "Challengers" has also generated significant buzz for its skillful building of sexual tension and the strong performances of its young cast. As Hollywood continues to push the envelope with more sexually explicit content, it remains to be

Key Takeaways

• Hollywood sees resurgence of sexual content in films like "Challengers" and "Poor Things".
• "Challengers" explores a passionate love triangle in the world of tennis through metaphor.
• "Poor Things" features explicit sexual content, including a controversial scene with children.
• Emma Stone defended the sex scenes in "Poor Things" as necessary for her character's growth.
• The films challenge boundaries of acceptable sexual content in mainstream cinema.