'Battles of the Sexes' Premieres Sept. 22
"Battle of the Sexes," the story of Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs' iconic 1973 tennis match, has its first trailer out, and it features Emma Stone and Steve Carell as its leads.
The trailer opens with Carell's Bobby Riggs in a gamblers anonymous meeting. He introduces himself as an addict but then proceeds to ruin the meeting by proposing that the group gamble.
"You know, you folks aren't here because you're gamblers," he says. "You are here because you are terrible gamblers."
The facilitator attempts to control Bobby, but he simply goes on, taking out a deck of cards and throwing it on the table. The scene then cuts to Bobby phoning Stone's Billie Jean King, who is awoken by the call. Bobby proposes a tennis match between the two of them.
The trailer reveals that Billie Jean is on the top of her game. She is dubbed as "the most successful female player of all time," in addition to being "a champion of women's rights."
Bobby is painted as a misogynistic and arrogant clown, who tries to provoke Billie Jean into a match against him. The match is heralded as the titular "Battle of the Sexes." The trailer also previews Billie Jean's discovery that she is attracted to women, including a romantic relationship with one.
Earlier this month, PEOPLE obtained exclusive first look photos from the film. One photo sees Bobby and Billie Jean at a press conference, which was also glimpsed in the trailer.
"This was a really important and serious time in the women's liberation movement, and it was one of the first times that a political issue was acted out in the circus-like atmosphere," co-director Jonathan Dayton told the publication. "It just felt incredibly relevant to today's time."
It was also revealed that both actors had to undergo serious preparation for their roles, with Carell working out with Riggs' actual trainer and Stone training "like an action hero."
"Battle of the Sexes" will premiere on Sept. 22.
