Challengers,” a 2024 film set in the tennis world starring O’Connor, Zendaya and Mike Faist, was shut out of the 2025 Oscars despite positive critical reviews. “Challenge

“ challengers original score snub cancel the oscars,” one person on X wrote. Another added, “No CHALLENGERS in original score… I feared days like this would come.” Simply put: “No CHALLENGERS for original score, for shame.”

That is what ultimately makes its snub at the Oscars so absurd. Similar to how, in a just world, the Best Original Song award should go to a song that actually features prominently in the film, rather than one that just plays over the credits — Best Original Score should award music that impacts a movie's aesthetic and level of success.

There are so many things that don’t make sense in the world right now, and one of them is Challengers getting zero nods at the Oscars. Zero! Never mind the fact that it was a tightly written story, great performances from all three leads (Zendaya,

The love triangle of Challengers spans years, and the movie's ability to go back and forth in time is aided by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross's energizing music throughout. Despite