Grab the popcorn! 'Six Kings Slam' trailer plays like a movie, impresses on social media

Move over Thor and Iron Man, the Six Kings are here.

To get fans excited for the upcoming "Six Kings Slam" exhibition tournament in Riyadh (streaming this week on TennisChannel.com and T2), Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and other "heroes" of men's tennis have taken on their own larger-than-life personas.

Over five dramatic minutes, the competition's official trailer assigns Hollywood-style roles to the event's six players, who will compete between October 16 and 19 in the new exhibition:

• Alcaraz is the “Sand Man"
• Jannik Sinner is the “Renaissance Artist"
• Holger Rune is a “Viking Warrior"
• Daniil Medvedev the “King of Bears"
• Nadal is the “Clay Warrior”
• Djokovic is the “Leader of Wolves"

Each of the players' intros features subtle nods to the competitors' characteristics, from Sinner toppling a Roman-style sculpture of himself to Medvedev riding in on a fearsome bear, in reference to the etymology of his surname.

It culminates with the six players turning towards a flaming throne, which is awaiting the champion.

The trailer received rave reviews online when it first dropped late last month, with fans on social media marveling at its dramatic flair, and even going as far as to say that it was tennis' own version of the Marvel cinematic universe. Its "damn cool" production value left British pro Liam Broady "speechless."

"Probably [the] best I’ve ever seen in tennis," he wrote on X. "Would watch this movie. 10/10."

On Monday, two days ahead of the event's start, a one-minute trailer was released. In a separate promotional material, Djokovic summons his "fellow kings" to the flaming throne.

The event is part of Riyadh Season, a "series of entertainment, cultural, and sporting events" held in the Saudi Arabian capital that first began in 2019 to promote tourism in the kingdom.

The tournament format sees Djokovic and Nadal receive a first-round bye directly into the semifinals, while the other four will battle in quarterfinal matches to face the two legends. Medvedev and Sinner will play for the right to face Djokovic, while the winner between Alcaraz and Rune will take on Nadal. It's expected to be Nadal's first match action since he announced earlier this week that he'll end his career at the Davis Cup Finals in November.