2024 is looking to become a massive year for Zendaya, especially during the span of two months in the first half of the year. The 27-year-old didn’t star in any major projects in 2023, but she remained one of the most celebrated stars in Hollywood, thanks in part to the momentum still carrying over from her standout 2021. In addition to reprising her role as MJ in Spider-Man: No Way Home, the year saw Zendaya star in Malcolm & Marie and Dune while also voicing Lola Bunny in Space Jam: A New Legacy.
While Zendaya has risen to superstardom with the help of her major film roles, she’s also best known for playing Rue in HBO’s Euphoria. To date, her performance as a teen struggling with drug addiction has garnered several accolades, including two Emmy Award wins. Though Euphoria is a TV show skipping 2024, fans of the star have two chances to catch Zendaya on the big screen in what may become dominance at the box office, at least in the spring of 2024.
Dune 2 & Challengers Will Make March & April 2024 Massive For Zendaya
Zendaya is starring in two of 2024’s most highly-anticipated movies. In March, the actress will reprise the role of Chani in Dune: Part Two, Denis Villeneuve’s sequel to the 2021 movie. Dune: Part Two was initially expected to be released in the fall of 2023 before experiencing several release date moves. It was then bumped to 2024 due to delays from the writer and actor labor strikes. After gaining a March 15th release, Dune: Part Two‘s release changed again, so it will now land on March 1st. April 26th will then feature Zendaya as the lead in Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers; another film bumped from 2023 due to the labor strikes.
Dune 2 & Challengers Could Have Zendaya’s Best Movie Performances Yet
Though Zendaya’s Dune character was a highlight of the 2021 movie, she didn’t factor into the plot until midway through the film. Dune: Part Two is giving Chani a more prominent role alongside Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides, which fixes a big criticism surrounding the previous installment. Taking into account all of the exciting aspects surrounding the sequel, Dune: Part Two could be one of Zendaya’s best performances yet. This is especially true considering she now has a significant role in a major franchise film rather than being kept primary as a side character.
For Challengers, expectations are already high due to Guadagnino’s track record when it comes to giving his leads quality characters to bring to life. Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria, and Bones and All are all examples of Guadagnino’s recent work that were elevated by their leads, and there’s no reason to think Challengers will be different. Zendaya is portraying the wife and coach of a tennis star competing against her former flame. While Zendaya has proven herself with dramas through Euphoria, her movies haven’t entirely showcased her full potential just yet, but that can change thanks to Challengers and even Dune: Part Two.
