Challengers star Josh O’Connor has joined the cast of Steven Spielberg’s new film. O’Connor will star alongside Emily Blunt, Colin Firth, Colman Domingo and Eve Hewson in the yet-to-be-titled movie. Universal Pictures is set to release the film on May 15, 2026.
Spielberg is directing from a script by David Koepp, whose previous collaborations with the director include Jurassic Park, War of the Worlds and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The studio has described the project as a “new original event film,” but specific plot details have not yet been revealed. The screenplay, based on a story by Spielberg, is expected to incorporate sci-fi elements. Kristie Macosko Krieger, a frequent collaborator with Spielberg on projects such as A.I. Artificial Intelligence and West Side Story, will serve as a producer.
O’Connor is best known for The Crown, in which he portrayed Prince Charles during Seasons 3 and 4 of the hit Netflix series. He also starred in Luca Guadagnino’s steamy tennis drama Challengers, where he rounded out a love triangle with Zendaya and Mike Faist. O’Connor is currently filming Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind alongside Alana Haim and will appear in the third installment of Rian Johnson’s star-studded Knives Out series, Wake Up Dead Man, set for release in 2025.
Spielberg is Hollywood’s most commercially successful filmmaker, having directed blockbusters such as Jaws and E.T., as well as the Indiana Jones and Jurassic Park franchises. He is a three-time Oscar winner for Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan. Spielberg recently collaborated with Universal on The Fabelmans, a semi-autobiographical tale about a film-obsessed teenager growing up in Arizona and Northern California.