Dev Patel to star in 'The Journeyman,' a crime thriller about tennis match fixing

Move over, Challengers. Another tennis movie is coming to the big screen. Academy Award nominee Dev Patel has reportedly signed on to star in The Journeyman, an upcoming crime thriller which centers on match fixing in the sport.

Patel, known for his roles in Slumdog Millionaire, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and more, will play "a down-on-his-luck tennis pro who is drawn into the dark world of match-fixing to make ends meet for his family," per a report this week by *Variety,* where Leo Barraclough writes: "[Patel's character] finds himself trapped in a ruthless world of corruption and violence he may never escape."

The film will be directed by Tarsem Singh; produced by AGC Studios with Academy Award nominee Scott Franklin, Patel’s Minor Realm and LBI Entertainment; and have a script written by the husband-and-wife team Bryan and Alexis Roberts.

The film's release date has not yet been announced, but it comes on the heels of the 2024 release of the steamy Zendaya-led romance Challengers, which grossed nearly $100 million at the box office this year. The film, which chronicles a love triangle between Zendaya and her co-stars Mike Faist and Josh O'Connor that began when they were all top-level junior tennis players and follows their diverging paths on the pro tour, has been credited with elevating tennis into the pop-culture conscious in a fresh, new way, and even possibly increasing interest in the sport amongst new audiences.

Read more: 'Challengers' star Zendaya says players have thanked her for 'making tennis cool'

While the subject matter in Patel's upcoming film is darker, the major players involved in its production are equally enthusiastic about what's to come. AGC Studios chairman and CEO Stuart Ford teases that The Journeymanpromises a "viscerally authentic version of the pro tennis circuit that goes beyond what’s been seen on the big screen before."

“The Roberts have written a taught, suspenseful crime thriller full of twists and turns that feels like a perfect fit for a visionary filmmaker like Tarsem and a top tier producer of Scott’s caliber," Ford said. "Tarsem’s renowned visual flair and deep experience in working with top athletes will also see him depict a viscerally authentic version of the pro tennis circuit that goes beyond what’s been seen on the big screen before.

"I’ve wanted to work with Dev Patel for a long time meanwhile and this is a phenomenal role for him to get his teeth into.”