Zendaya Was Originally Cast in "After the Hunt"
Malik Hassan Sayeed, the cinematographer for After the Hunt, revealed in a Deadline interview that Zendaya was initially slated to play the role eventually taken by Ayo Edebiri in Luca Guadagnino's film, but she later dropped out.
Production Timeline and Zendaya’s Schedule
The film began production in July 2024. During that year, Zendaya had a light schedule, appearing only in the film The Drama, shot in October. This suggests she may have chosen not to participate in After the Hunt, which would have reunited her with Guadagnino, her director from Challengers.
Reception and Impact of the Film
Zendaya's decision seems wise given the film’s poor reception. The movie was widely criticized for its reactionary politics and performed badly at the box office. It is also surprising that the production budget reached $80 million, as much of the film is set indoors in rooms and offices.
“After the Hunt” cinematographer Malik Hassan Sayeed actually let it slip in a Deadline interview that Zendaya was actually supposed to play the Ayo Edebiri role in Luca Guadagnino’s film, but dropped out.
I’m still not entirely sure how the film cost $80M to produce — it still boggles my mind, since most of it takes place in rooms and offices.
Author’s Summary
Zendaya was originally cast for After the Hunt but wisely exited before production; the film later faced harsh criticism and commercial failure despite a high production budget.