Zendaya to Star in Alex Garland’s New Film: What We Know So Far
After Dune, the actress is returning to science fiction. This time, she will be directed by the filmmaker behind Ex Machina and Annihilation.
Zendaya’s new film does not yet have a publicly announced title, but the names attached are already intriguing: Alex Garland will write and direct, with A24 backing the project. According to Variety, filming is scheduled for 2027. The plot and details of the actress’s role remain under wraps.
For Garland’s fans, it is a chance to remember what first drew them to his films. In Ex Machina, a discussion of artificial intelligence became a psychological game in which each scene made it harder to tell who was studying whom. In Annihilation, the beauty of an unfamiliar world existed alongside a sense of unease. His science fiction can draw viewers in with a mystery, then make them question their own answers.
For Zendaya, working with A24 has already become a significant part of her career. Alongside Euphoria, she starred opposite Robert Pattinson in The Drama. The new project continues that trajectory: her filmography still makes room for auteur cinema alongside major franchises.
Her schedule is already impressive. Her 2026 projects include Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Dune: Part Three. Moving from familiar characters to a role Garland is keeping secret makes the actress’s next step particularly intriguing.
The director also has several major stories in the works. Garland is busy with the Elden Ring adaptation and remains a writer on the 28 Years Later franchise. According to Danny Boyle, the script for the third film has already been written, although the project is currently on hold. The new film with Zendaya adds another entry to Garland’s schedule.
A release date for the new film has not yet been announced. The central question remains open, too: what world will Garland send Zendaya into, and what part will she play in his next story?