‘After the Hunt’: Zendaya’s Originally Intended Role
Malik Hassan Sayeed, cinematographer of After the Hunt, revealed in a Deadline interview that Zendaya was initially set to play the role that Ayo Edebiri eventually took.
Production Details and Zendaya’s Schedule
Production for After the Hunt began in July 2024. That year, Zendaya’s schedule was relatively light, with only one film, The Drama, filmed in October.
Reasons for Zendaya’s Departure
It seems Zendaya chose to drop out, possibly to avoid reuniting with director Luca Guadagnino, with whom she worked on Challengers. Considering the film was critically panned, criticized for its reactionary stance, and a box office failure, this appears to be a prudent decision.
Budget Concerns
The film’s $80 million production budget remains puzzling, as much of the story unfolds in confined settings like 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 initially cast in After the Hunt but exited before production, a decision that looks wise given the film’s poor reception and puzzlingly high budget.