Battle of the Sexes trailer: Emma Stone, Steve Carell fight on (and off) the court

Fox Searchlight has unveiled the first trailer for its upcoming dramedy Battle of the Sexes. The film, helmed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (Little Miss Sunshine), sees Emma Stone and Steve Carell star as Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs and recreates the scenario surrounding the duo’s famous 1973 tennis match.

The match became one of the most-watched televised sporting events of all time, and saw No 2-ranked King — 29 at the time — beat 55-year-old retired former Wimbledon champion Riggs, sparking a global conversation on gender equality, and spurring on the feminist movement.

The trailer highlights how Riggs treated the promotion leading up to the match as joke, and gives a glimpse into his chauvinistic attitude towards women when Carell’s Riggs comments: “I’m not saying women don’t belong on the court - who would pick up the balls otherwise?”

Alan Cumming, Andrea Riseborough, Elizabeth Shue, Austin Stowell and Sarah Silverman round out the cast of the film, which is scheduled for release in theatres on September 22, 2017.