With six major projects in twelve months, the 29-year-old actress, revealed by “Euphoria”, will be omnipresent on small and big screens.
It’s difficult to escape Zendaya in 2026. First on the cinema screens, where she will in turn play a Greek goddess, the fiancée of a swinging couple and the daughter of Shrek, without forgetting the universes of Marvel and Dune. Then on television, with the long-awaited return ofEuphoria. Rarely has an actress occupied so much media space in such a short time.
Since her role in Sam Levinson’s series – which earned her two Emmy Awards – Zendaya has managed to forget her past as a Disney star, moving easily between blockbusters and arthouse films. Challengers by Luca Guadagnino, released in 2024, is the epitome of this: the demanding art-house film has proven to be a critical and commercial success. This announced omnipresence is only testimony to the popularity of this actress.
The Drama
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Zendaya plays Emma Harwood, editor in a publishing house, engaged to Charlie Thompson, museum director played by Robert Pattinson. A few days before their wedding, their relationship falters after unexpected revelations.
The choice of this project by Kristoffer Borgli, produced by A24, says a lot about the evolution of Zendaya’s career. The director, revealed by Dream Scenario with Nicolas Cage, cultivates an acidic and destabilizing tone. The Drama, produced by Ari Aster and Lars Knudsen, will give a more twisted approach to the romantic comedy genre. The film will be released on April 3, 2026.
The Odyssey
After Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard and Cillian Murphy, Zendaya joins the very exclusive club of Christopher Nolan’s collaborators. The British filmmaker adapts The Odyssey, epic poem by Homer with Matt Damon as Ulysses. Zendaya plays Athena, the goddess of wisdom, alongside Tom Holland in the role of Telemachus, son of Odysseus.
Filming took place between February and August 2025, from the deserts of Morocco to the Greek and Sicilian coasts. The director shot in IMAX with unprecedented film technology, favoring practical effects and real sets. You will have to wait until July 17, 2026 to finally discover this event film.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day
Zendaya reprises her role as Michelle Jones-Watson, aka MJ, for this Spider-Man sequel. The end of Spider-Man: No Way Home had erased Peter Parker from the entire world’s memory, MJ included. The character no longer remembers the hero’s secret identity.
On this aspect, the actress’s screen time could be reduced. The film further introduces several superheroes, including Jon Bernthal’s Punisher and Mark Ruffalo’s Hulk. The fourth part of the saga will be screened on July 31.
Dune: Part Three
Denis Villeneuve concludes his trilogy with Dune: Part Three, adaptation of the novel Dune Messiah by Frank Herbert. In the previous part, Chani (Zendaya) found herself betrayed by Paul (Timothée Chalamet), forced to become engaged to Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) to consolidate his power.
The film should explore the consequences of this political decision on their romantic relationship against the backdrop of a holy war, twelve years after this union. Zendaya’s character therefore risks being at the heart of this love tragedy. Patience, the film is announced for December 18, 2026.
Euphoria, saison 3
Euphoria remains to this day the defining project in Zendaya’s career. After a five-year time jump, Rue leaves high school and finds herself in Mexico, in debt to drug dealer Laurie, looking for ways to pay off her debt.
Proof of her star status: Zendaya now earns a million dollars per episode, compared to 500,000 for the first two seasons. Several actors will not return – in particular, Storm Reid (Gia, Rue’s younger sister) and Barbie Ferreira (Kat). After four years of waiting, the final season of the HBO series is expected to be released in April 2026.
Shrek 5
Shrek is perhaps a register where you wouldn’t expect it, that of a family film with a wider audience, far from the dramatic roles that built his career. Zendaya lends her voice to Felicia, the now teenage daughter of Shrek and Fiona in the DreamWorks franchise. The character, born in Shrek the Third with his two triplet brothers Fergus and Farkle, had only appeared as a child until now.
Shrek, Donkey and Fiona will once again be played by Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and especially Cameron Diaz, for his big return after a decade of absence. Fifteen years after the previous episode, Shrek 5 will be released on December 23, 2026.
