I don't know what I expected. The same ambitious director, Christoper Nolan, who made a grounded Batman trilogy and a whole movie centered around entropy, wasn't going to just make a by-the-numbers Odyssey flick.

Don't get me wrong. I don't think The Odyssey is BAD. It's actually really good. That said, even though I was greatly looking forward to it, I didn’t really like it (and no, it’s not because it was Rated-R, which it definitely didn’t have to be). Here’s why.

Oh, and some minor spoilers up ahead.

Christopher Nolan Could Have Gone Fantastical For This One. Instead, He Went "Realistic"

When I first saw Interstellar, there was a key moment in the film where I thought, if this goes where I THINK it’s heading, then I’ll probably hate this movie, but if it doesn’t and Nolan surprises me, then I’ll probably love it. The moment in question was the S-T-A-Y scene, and it went exactly where I thought it was heading, and guess what? I don’t like Interstellar (Even though this website looks upon it fondly).

I had a similar moment with The Odyssey. You see, my favorite part of the epic poem is when Odysseus has to get his men through the Strait of Messina, but there are two horrific monsters called Scylla and Charybdis. Now, Charybdis is a living whirlpool, and Scylla is a multiheaded monster that’s waiting for sailors to come by.

I really wanted to know how Nolan would approach this moment since I knew it was coming and…I was massively disappointed. I’m not going to say it was “realistic,” but it definitely wasn’t as fantastical as it could have been. In fact, all of the mystical moments in this film felt subdued, and it just bummed me out (like the cannibalistic Laestrygonians just being some big dudes in armor). The same goes for the Cyclops scene (There was definitely no “Nobody is attacking me!” moment), as well as Odysseus's journey to the world of the dead.

I mean, the human drama in this film is great, and I liked all of that, but – as I should have expected – Nolan stayed well within his comfort zone when it came to the actual magical elements of this story (Though, the Circe scene was fantastic). Could you imagine if Peter Jackson or Guillermo del Toro tackled The Odyssey? I’ll tell you what, the whole Scylla and Charybdis moment would have definitely been a whole lot more epic.

It Also Takes Itself SO SERIOUSLY. Possibly Too seriously

Once again, I don’t know what I was expecting. The story of Odysseus’s inner turmoil is very effective here, and I love that Nolan included the war as something that is holding Odysseus back. Because in truth, Odysseus is lost both externally and internally as well.

Again, this movie is good for what it is. I’m just saying that I didn’t like it, or at least, I didn’t love it. That may be because I feel like it takes itself way too seriously. I want to go back to that Cyclops moment.

While MOST of the poem is grim and serious, certain parts are whimsical, and even fun. I feel like that’s missing entirely from this film. Yes, Nolan's approach has always been to make pretty much everything serious (which worked for Batman after the tremendously silly Batman & Robin), but I would have liked at least some levity in this movie, like the silly “Nobody is attacking me!” moment in the poem with the Cyclops.

Or, you know, maybe the gods could have actually been involved in the story rather than just being an interpretation. I’m not going to spoil Zendaya’s role in the story as Athena, but I would have loved it if there were clear and definable gods in this movie, since Nolan goes to the edge, but doesn’t quite go far enough.

I don’t know. I’d say The Odyssey is a solid 7 out of 10 movie, and I get why many would call it a 10 out of 10 flick. I just wish that Nolan would have stepped out of his comfort zone a bit more, but I guess it wouldn’t be a Christopher Nolan movie if he did that. Oh, well.

Just when you think Zendaya’s method dressing can’t get any more iconic, she somehow manages to up her game. We’re a week out from Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s debut on the 2026 movie calendar, and not only did the MJ portrayer don another great dress with nods to the upcoming MCU flick at the premiere in Shanghai, China — she showed off her new microbangs to take the look over the top.

Zendaya has been absolutely slaying with her looks while promoting The Odyssey — going full goddess mode in dresses that reference her character Athena — as well as her outfits for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Attending the Chinese premiere for the Marvel movie, the actress donned a webby Versace dress, but it was her hairstyle that really made a statement:

I mean, we’ve heard of breakup bangs, but newlywed bangs may be a creation unique to Zendaya after marrying her Spider-Man co-star Tom Holland. The baby bangs are jaggedly cut, with the rest of her long, brown hair straightened to fall down her back for a very sleek look.

The haircut provided an edgy complement to the vintage couture 2016 Versace gown, which was a tasteful take on the naked dress. Zendaya showed a lot of skin, thanks to the dress’ open weave, but white fabric draped across her body and down to the floor in a look that also had an air of Athena to it.

The bangs are definitely a new (and I’d say welcome) addition to her Spider-Man: Brand New Day press looks. Zendaya chopped off all her hair after filming Euphoria’s final season and Dune: Part Three, flirting with a pixie look in an open-backed spiderweb gown at an earlier appearance. She also featured the cutest short ‘do in a sparkly red-and-blue number that showed off her abs.

Her long hair returned, however, when she started donning ethereal gowns ahead of The Odyssey’s release, with messy curls adding the most perfect touch to that gorgeous winged dress. A loose braid was added to another look that featured a sculpted corset and beaded fringe, with her long curls cascading down her back.

If Zendaya’s goal with her method dressing is to get us excited about Spider-Man: Brand New Day, it’s definitely working (and I’m also starting to wonder how I might look with microbangs, if I’m being honest). There’s so much hype surrounding the summer blockbuster, with Tom Holland toppling one rumor and his wife mercifully keeping him from spoiling the ending.

Meanwhile, Sadie Sink has had an easier time keeping those Marvel secrets, as we still don’t know which character she’s playing. There’s a reason that Sink’s role has been kept secret, and while she is straight up trolling Spider-Man fans at this point, we haven’t seen her following in Zendaya’s footsteps to drop hints with her fashion. (What DID all those black outfits mean?!)

Thankfully, we don’t have too much longer to wait until our questions are answered. Spider-Man: Brand New Day premieres Friday, July 31.

Actor Tom Cruise has the reputation of advocating for a certain class of movies where what we see on screen is done for real. So of course he’s been supporting The Odyssey. The actor dropped by NYC’s Lincoln Square on opening weekend to see it himself, and had big praise for Chris Nolan, the cast and crew. But he also had thoughts on the Dune: Part Three sneak peek playing before IMAX screenings, as well.

Tom Cruise rented out a private showing of The Odyssey for himself and his team. He also apparently ended up inviting some of the employees of the AMC to join him. After an employee shared the “magical” experience, one fan had to ask them if Cruise had thoughts on the Dune: Part Three sneak peek. Here’s what reportedly happened:

In the front of IMAX screenings of The Odyssey, movie fans are treated to the prologue to Dune: Part Three, and Tom Cruise was no exception. Cruise was geeking out over the sequence that involves the Fremen getting caught in a visceral battle after feeling the rain for the first time. And apparently he even called one of the movie’s producers to congratulate them on a job well done. How cool.

Check out Cruise posing with four lucky AMC employees who got to experience the Dune 3 preview and The Odyssey with him. Talk about a treat!

Tom Cruise has certainly been vocal about his love of the Dune franchise before. He sent Chalamet “the most wonderfully inspiring email” that even included a Rolodex of experts he might need for additional stunt training. Per Chalamet’s recounting of the email to GQ, Cruise let him know that “nobody” would hold him to the Old Hollywood standard. And it was up to him to do so.

Dune: Part Three is set to round out Denis Villeneuve’s trilogy based on Frank Herbert’s books. It will follow a super unsettling Paul Atreides 17 years after the previous film. After Paul betrayed Zendaya’s Chani in Part Two and rose as the Lisan al-Gaib, it looks like the two become enemies. All the while, Robert Pattinson’s Scytale executes a plot to dethrone Paul.

It’s not only one of the most exciting upcoming book-to-screen adaptations, it could be the biggest box office weekend of the year. The movie shares a release date with Avengers: Doomsday in a movie event already calling itself Dunesday. We definitely expect Tom Cruise to be first in line after these alleged comments about Part Three.

After much uncertainty (and plenty of A.I-generated wedding photos), it’s finally been confirmed that Tom Holland and Zendaya are indeed man and wife. Holland confirmed that earlier this summer when he admitted that even his grandmother was confused by the A.I. pics. Even more recently, the leading man even joked about his marriage while promoting The Odyssey. While doing press for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Zendaya also had a cheeky comment on the union herself after receiving an impromptu proposal from a fan.

Zendaya recently appeared at a Brand New Day event in Mexico ahead of the highly anticipated 2026 movie schedule entry’s release. It was there that the A-lister walked the red carpet, where she was greeted by a host of photographers as well as admirers. When it came to the latter group of attendees, one person yelled “Will you marry me, please?” The situation was captured in a video shared to Instagram and, as seen in the clip, the MJ actress simply had a funny, three-word response:

I can see the Challengers star still hasn’t lost her impeccable comedic timing! On top of that, she’s also not wrong, given she’s definitely taken at this point. What I wonder, though, is whether or not that fan was aware that Zendaya and Holland had tied the knot or just went ahead and shot his shot anyways. I hope the guy didn’t take the star’s cheeky response too hard but, then again, he did perfectly set himself up for it.

As far as the marriage goes, it’s unclear as to exactly when Zendaya and Tom Holland actually tied the knot. Earlier this year, the actress’ stylist, Law Roach, let slip that the two had married in secret and, from that point on, rumors swirled around whether they actually jumped the broom. Of course, the Spider-Man stars themselves played coy for a while until Holland finally spilled the beans. (And the fact that he would reveal it tracks, given how often he drops Marvel spoilers).

That marriage proposal aside, the former Disney Channel star and her hubby have been busy as of late given their packed work schedules. Both have been jumping between Odyssey and Spider-Man press obligations, and I’m impressed with how they’ve handled it all. In the midst of all that, “Z” has also been sporting some sweet fits and further proving why she’s one of the fashion queens of Hollywood. And, by the looks of it, her hubby is enamored – not just by her threads but by her grace and charm as well.

I think that response to the marriage proposal also perfectly highlights Zendaya’s sense of humor, which manifests itself in a variety of ways. That even comes through when she frequently quotes a certain Spider-Man line to Holland when she sees fit. In short, this is a fun couple, and whenever that joy or humor spills into their public appearances, it’s a real treat.

Check out Zendaya and Tom Holland in The Odyssey, which is playing in theaters nationwide now. Also, see them in Spider-Man: Brand New Day when it hits cinemas on July 31.

We know that Zendaya's filming schedule was busy last year, as she worked on The Odyssey, Dune: Part Three and Euphoria. Now, with four major releases on the 2026 movie schedule, she's staying busy in a different way, as she promotes her projects and continues to prove why she's a fashion icon. This summer, specifically, she’s stepped up her fashion game, as she’s been on global press tours for The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Now, while she shows no signs of slowing down, I have to imagine that she needs a break after slaying this hard for so long.

I’m not kidding, Zendaya and her stylist, Law Roach, have been working overtime this summer. A few months after they put together a bunch of wedding-themed looks to promote The Drama, they brought their method-dressing A-games to not one major blockbuster’s press tour, but two. They began with some iconic fits like the one you can see below for Spider-Man: Brand New Day:

This gown is Giorgio Armani SS 1990, per Law Roach’s Instagram, and Zendaya wore it on June 23 to the Rome premiere of the fourth Spider-Man movie. She also rocked a fun red and blue fit to the photo call in Italy too.

During this leg of the Spider-Man press tour, she also rocked the prettiest backless spider-web dress in London, a fun suit jacket with red shorts in Amsterdam, and a stunning leather set in Berlin. That’s not even every look, either; these are just a few of my favorite examples.

Then, after a few weeks of globetrotting for Spider-Man, she began a different global press tour. That’s right, The Odyssey just came out in theaters, and in the weeks leading up to it, Zendaya wore a handful of stunning ensembles that were fit for a goddess. For example, on July 7 in Paris, she rocked a white dress from Givenchy Haute Couture SS 1997 by Alexander McQueen (per Roach’s IG), and it was paired with a mask by Philip Treacy.

A few days before that, she also graced London with some beautiful flowy looks, and then she rocked a curve-hugging Schiaparelli corset dress that was literally fresh off the runway to the premiere.

These are not all her looks for The Odyssey either; she wore many other lovely outfits while doing interviews for the movie too. For example, while on The Tonight Show, Zendaya wore a gold brocade ensemble by Zuhair Murad (which you can see below), and we cannot forget that jaw-dropping winged gown she wore to the movie’s New York premiere on July 14.

Notably, during The Odyssey premiere, where Zendaya wore that winged dress, she was asked about upcoming projects, like Shrek 5; she was also asked about taking a break after all this. During that interview with ET, she made it abundantly clear that she’s looking forward to doing “nothing” and minding her own business. She also, understandably, said that “sometimes you need to just disappear for a little bit.”

However, she’s not doing that just yet, because she still has more promo to do for Spider-Man. And she’s back wearing black outfits too, as she wore a black high-neck Ashi Studio gown to a fan event in Mexico City on July 20.

She really can’t stop, won’t stop with these looks, and there’s still over a week before Spider-Man: Brand New Day premieres on July 31. So, I’m sure the actress and her stylist have even more looks planned for the upcoming Marvel movie.

Now, by the time Spider-Man premieres, they will have been giving 110% and traveling all over the world for nearly two months straight. So, hopefully, Zendaya and Law Roach get a break. However, it won’t be a super long one, though, because Dune: Part Three will premiere on December 18. And we know the actress always goes hard with her fashion moments for those movies.

After that, though, she’ll be done for a while, and I hope she is able to take a vacation and breathe for a minute.

SPOILERS ahead for The Odyssey. Go see it before reading ahead!

Zendaya continues her reign over the 2026 movie schedule with the release of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. While the actress sadly has a small role in a film that’s nearly three hours long, I think she actually makes the biggest impact. I didn’t necessarily have set expectations for her role as the goddess Athena, but wow, did she steal one scene. That being said, there’s something about her character I’m not solid on.

I Think There’s Two Ways To Interpret Athena In The Odyssey

In Greek mythology, Athena is the goddess of wisdom and war. Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus sees Athena as a vision as she acts as a confidant and mentor to him. But there’s something interesting the Chris Nolan movie does with her character that really makes her presence in the rest of the movie matter more.

Close to the end of The Odyssey, Odysseus recalls his experience at Troy to his wife in more detail. He says he watched “rage” run rampant that night in a way that betrayed his own morals. As he tries to go home after the war, he finds himself emotionally fighting himself over something. Odysseus details how the use of the Trojan horse was a deceitful way to fight an opponent. And, when his soldiers invaded Troy, he’s disgusted by the way the entire city was slaughtered with little mercy, even for the likes of innocent civilians. That’s when we see the face of Zendaya as a woman Odysseus witnesses getting beheaded by his men. At the same time, a statue of Athena earns the same fate.

Since seeing The Odyssey, the sequence has had me thinking about what the moment means. Was Zendaya’s Athena showing herself to Odysseus as the woman he watched be slaughtered through Odysseus’s visions? Or was Athena disguised as a human who sent herself there in that moment to haunt him for his betrayal of the rules of war? It’s definitely a reveal I wasn’t expecting from the movie, and it's really the scene that sticks the most with me.

But, I Think It’s Left Open-Ended For A Reason?

As a longtime viewer of Christopher Nolan movies, I know that the filmmaker likes an ambiguous ending that can lead to multiple interpretations from viewers. I definitely think the whole thing with Athena falls into that camp. Is it Athena the entire movie, or does the goddess come to Odysseus as a symbol of the humanity he gave up during the Trojan War? Either way, the meaning did its job of being powerful and gut-punching. It’s also something that I want to ask more people about now after they watch it. Honestly, I’m not sure there’s one answer to the question. Maybe the fact that it feels enigmatic plays into this quote from earlier in the film:

• Odysseus: "Why can’t gods speak in ways we understand?"
• Athena: "Who doesn’t understand thunder? Or fire? A child’s smile? A good harvest?"

Early in the film, Odysseus is frustrated by the way the gods communicate. And the scene where Athena is beheaded kind of underlines both their points at the same time. While it’s not going to be talked about nearly as much as the spinning top at the end of Inception, I think it has a similar effect. I think the point is to get viewers talking about the scene because it’s kind of the big thesis moment of Nolan’s The Odyssey.

I felt that Odysseus’s epiphany about the ways in which he deviated from his own moral code was thrilling to watch in theaters. Zendaya’s Athena being part of the scene was very effective… even if I’m not totally sure if I can quite explain Athena's arc in the story completely.

The Odyssey is already shaping up to be the biggest movie on the 2026 movie schedule, and the huge press tour happening around the film has been a blast to watch. A lot of this can be attributed to the magnetic chemistry of The Odyssey cast, which includes stars like Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland and Zendaya. Despite being in the same film, Holland and Zendaya are keeping their private life private on the tour. Yet Holland recently made a reference to his marriage to Zendaya in a recent interview to promote the film, and I love this unexpected moment.

Holland, along with Damon, Hathaway and Robert Pattinson participated an interview for Wired, where they answered the internet’s most searched questions about The Odyssey. One particular question was asked about Damon’s character, Odysseus, and his relationship to Zendaya’s character, Athena. After reading the question, Holland made a cute comment that was just too perfect. He said:

Holland's comment is surprising, considering the fact that he and Zendaya have been incredibly quiet about their relationship. The general public didn’t even know they got married until Zendaya’s stylist, Law Roach, let this information slip during a red carpet interview. The pair subsequently dodged marriage questions, with Zendaya only coming out deny that AI photos of a wedding were real. However, it now seems Holland has no problem brazenly (but briefly) mentioning the marriage.

It's true that at this point, the marriage has been made public knowledge, and Holland has also confirmed the wedding in the past few months, hearing it said still feels strange, because of how strict they have been about their privacy. When they first started dating, Zendaya shared a birthday post dedicated to Holland, but that was posted years ago, at a point at which the two weren't even active as a couple on social media. Even on this press tour, they haven’t been paired up for interviews, making sure to shift the cultural conversation to the movie and not their relationship.

Still, I personally love when Holland or Zendaya make little comments about each other like this latest one. While they prefer privacy, little jokes remind fans that these two are very much a unit. Fans have been shipping them since even before they started dating in late 2020. Also, the fact that these two continue working together over and over again, and have two movies coming out together this year also shows that this is a firm professional pairing as well as a romantic one.

In short, I’m always rooting for these two, and I hope even more little nuggets like Holland's joke come out of this Odyssey tour or the Spider-Man one.

You can see (the happily married) Tom Holland and Zendaya in The Odyssey which is currently in theaters nationwide. It’s the first film to be made entirely in IMAX, so make sure to check it out on the biggest screen possible. Also, be sure to see Holland and Zendaya in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which opens in theaters nationwide on July 31.

It's no secret that audiences love the Spider-Man movies (which are currently streaming with a Disney+ subscription). Moviegoing audiences are currently looking forward to Brand New Day, which is the next big upcoming Marvel movie. In the meantime, Zendaya recently recalled what it was like being in theaters when the three Spider-Men united onscreen in No Way Home.

Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order were shook when Andrew Garfield and Tobey Maguire united with Tom Holland's Peter Parker in Spider-Man: No Way Home. In a clip from The Tonight Show's Instagram, Zendaya described what it was like being at the premiere and knowing that crossover was on its way. In her words:

I can only imagine how thrilling it was to know that the big secret was about to be revealed. While Andrew Garfield lied about his role for months, there was a ton of discourse online about whether or not he and Tobey Maguire would end up actually appearing in the MCU movie. Of course, the Emmy-winning actress had been keeping that secret as well.

Later in the same interview, Zendaya gushed about watching the audience's reactions during No Way Home's various multiversal twists. She spoke about her experience at the premiere by offering:

She's not wrong. This July is a particularly big month for Zendaya. In addition to Spider-Man: Brand New Day, she's also got a role in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. Both of those projects have tons of excitement surrounding them, and will be available exclusively on the big screen. It's a great summer for blockbusters, and both of July's happen to star Zendaya and Tom Holland.

The stakes are super high for the new Spider-Man movie, especially after No Way Home's twist ending. The last movie's conclusion saw Doctor Strange's spell succeed in wiping Peter Parker from the world's memories. That includes both MJ and Ned, with Tom Holland's character entering a life of solitude as he continues to serve as a superhero in New York City.

Luckily for the fandom, the wait for that blockbuster is nearly over. Spider-Man: Brand New Day will hit theaters on July 31st as part of the 2026 movie release list. One can only imagine how many plot twists are coming, and what Zendaya will watch fans react to this time around.

All year, we’ve been talking a lot about how Zendaya is ruling the 2026 movie schedule with four major releases. However, her work this year doesn’t stop there, as she also dropped the final season of Euphoria on the 2026 TV schedule. So, she’s ready for a break. However, next year, she’ll release a huge project: Shrek 5. With all that in mind, I can’t help but wonder: How hard was it for her to say yes to this animated movie when she had five other major projects in the works?

It was announced that Zendaya would join the cast of Shrek 5 in early 2025, and we’ll finally get to see her character in action when the film premieres in theaters on June 30, 2027. Before then, the Euphoria star will release three more movies. However, all that work didn’t stop her from quickly saying yes to this new Shrek installment, as she told ET:

The first Shrek movie came out in 2001 (you can stream it now with a Peacock subscription), and Zendaya was about 5 years old at that time. Like many of us (myself included), she literally grew up with these movies, as Shrek 2 came out in 2004 and the other two sequels followed in 2007 and 2010, respectively. So, I totally get why this was such an easy yes for her.

I mean, who wouldn’t want to join this iconic cast that’s led by Mike Myers, Cameron Diaz and Eddie Murphy? As Zendaya implied, they’re legends. So, joining this ensemble was a no-brainer.

However, I can’t help but wonder if her workload played into this decision. As I said, Zendaya has been a busy bee in 2026. So far, she’s released The Drama and the final season of Euphoria (which you can stream with an HBO Max subscription). The Odyssey literally just hit theaters, and then she’ll premiere Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31 and Dune: Part Three on December 18.

Without a doubt, she’s part of some of this year’s biggest and most anticipated releases. So, I’d get it if she needed a break. Luckily, she’ll be able to take one soon. Even though Shrek 5 is on the docket, she still will be able to get some downtime in, as she explained when the outlet asked her about her plans for her time off:

Zendaya has mentioned taking a break before, so this isn’t a surprise. And she totally deserves it too. Five projects is a lot; the fact that they’re all very big deals makes it even wilder that she’s done all this in 2026. Then, add on the fact that Shrek 5 comes out in a year, and it’s hard to comprehend how she juggles it all.

However, as she said, she wouldn’t change a thing, and I know there are many of us who can’t wait to see every project she releases. So, now, to see her on the big screen, make sure to catch The Odyssey in theaters. After that, you can catch Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Dune: Part Three. Then, get ready for Shrek 5, because if Zendaya immediately said yes to it, you better believe I’ll be seated in the theater the day that movie comes out.

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is one of the biggest releases on the 2026 movie calendar, and I can already tell that the movie is going to get review-bombed once the major review sites like Rotten Tomatoes open up. The movie, which hits IMAX screens this weekend, was immediately controversial for all kinds of reasons once the cast list was revealed and the first trailer dropped earlier this year. Well, I’ve seen the movie, and I think the controversies are way overblown.

People Want To Hate This Movie

A couple of weeks ago, when Universal dropped the final trailer for The Odyssey, it was immediately hit with hostility. Internet denizens immediately “ratioed” the YouTube video–meaning downvoting it with the hopes of burying it in the algorithm. As of this writing, the trailer video is sitting on more than 780,000 downvotes (to just 83,000 thumbs up). Some of that might just be a herd mentality to get in on the fun, but there is plenty of evidence out there in comment sections and editorials that people are not happy with the movie Nolan has made. At least, the movie they think Nolan has made.

If you haven’t read much into it, there are a few different buckets of complaints that have people fired up. The first is historically based. This is a group of people who are critical of the armor worn by Odysseus (Matt Damon) and his men being incorrect for the Bronze Age, and the style of ship they are using to travel home from the Trojan War.

There is another bucket of people who are upset that the casting didn’t include more Greek actors, and, more pointedly, people who are upset that actors like Elliot Page and Lupita Nyong’o are in the movie at all. There is a third bucket of critics who don’t like some of the casual nature of the dialogue Nolan has used in his screenplay (and I actually fall into this category).

Let me tell you, all of these are all overblown.

Some Criticisms Are Just Not Right

Even before I saw the movie, I wasn’t all that concerned that these criticisms would affect how much I would enjoy it. After seeing it, I feel the same, with a small caveat. For starters, I think some of the criticisms are totally fair to discuss, like the armor, boats, and the dialogue, which I’ll get into. The casting “controversies” are not fair. This is a myth told by a modern filmmaker for a modern audience; as far as I'm concerned, anyone can play anyone.

The race and ethnicity of the actors is of zero concern for me. Less than zero. It’s no different than Kenneth Branagh casting Denzel Washington in his 1993 Shakespearean masterpiece Much Ado About Nothing. Is it period-accurate casting for Elizabethan England? Of course not, but Washington is one of the best actors ever, so I’m happy to see him in anything, especially doing Shakespeare. The same goes for all of the actors in the stacked cast of The Odyssey.

Others' Criticisms Are Fair In The Right Context

When it comes to the historical nature of some complaints, I have more sympathy. I’m not a historian or a classicist, but I do really appreciate it when movies based on real history take that responsibility seriously. That said, the inaccuracy of the armor worn by the Greeks and the ships they traveled on really didn’t bother me in the slightest. I knew it wasn’t period-correct for what soldiers wore in Bronze Age Greece, but they looked cool, and a movie should look cool!

It looks great, and it honestly is more what I think of as “ancient” armor. Frankly, just look at an example of Bronze Age armor, the kind that would be period appropriate, and tell me it’s not hilarious looking. The armor looks ridiculous to a modern eye, and using it probably would have been way more distracting for most people in the audience (all due respect to the historians in the audience). In that regard, the ships match the armor.

Now, when it comes to the dialogue, well, honestly, I’m kind of with the complainers here. I didn’t like some of the overly casual nature of some of the lines. One thing that has been particularly focused on by some critics is Telemachus (Tom Holland) calling his parents “mom” and “dad.” I didn’t think that was going to bug me, but it did. It really took me out of the movie at times. Again, this is a modern filmmaker making a movie for a modern audience, so I’m not expecting Ancient Greek or anything, but there is a formality to the society in the story, and using words like “mom” and “dad” just felt out of step with that formality.

Nolan’s use of more casual modern language might not be my favorite creative decision here, but it hardly ruins the movie. It didn’t even factor in when I woke up this morning and wrote down my thoughts about the movie after sleeping on it. The Odyssey isn’t a perfect movie, by any means, but it is still one of the best of the year, and certainly one of my favorites. There are some choices I can nitpick, and a couple of places here or there where Nolan’s ambitious decision to film exclusively in IMAX may have actually hurt the overall product, but it’s so grand in scope and vision that those things are easily dismissed for the greater good.

This Is All Overblown

It's worth noting that the actors who seem to have upset a lot of people, namely Page and Nyong’o, and to a lesser extent Travis Scott and Zendaya, don’t really have huge parts. Their collective screentime is minimal compared to Damon, Holland, and Anne Hathaway. More importantly, though, is that they are all legitimately great in their roles. Travis Scott’s role is an addition to the story that I really loved.

While we don't all have to agree with the artistic choices in this book-to-screen adaptation, like the casting, the language, and the costumes, I do really appreciate that Nolan and company are taking a big swing here. So please, don’t listen to the peanut gallery chirping from the sidelines without having actually seen the movie.

The Odyssey has been one of my most anticipated 2026 movies. That being said, I rolled my eyes at the runtime of two hours and 52 minutes after I got my ticket. Christopher Nolan’s latest film isn’t his longest movie – that would be Best Picture winner Oppenheimer – but objectively, that’s too long to sit in a movie theater. That is, unless the movie earns it. Well, did The Odyssey? I have thoughts.

Is The Odyssey’s Long Runtime A Problem?

Don’t get me wrong, some of the best movies I’ve ever seen are around three hours. But, right before I go out and see one, I get kind of stressed out. I usually like to get concessions for a movie like The Odyssey. Ugh, but when the moment comes when I have to use the restroom, it’s a tough call. I then have to make the decision to sit there in pain or try to figure out the right time when I can step away.

I’ll never forget when I went to see Dune: Part One. I ended up leaving to use the facilities when a certain character dies. It kind of messed up my first viewing. And then on the other hand, buying a premium movie ticket for something that ends up being both bad and long just sucks. Or, what if I end up sitting close to someone smelly or with a severe phone addiction?

There’s an easy fix for this. I think long movies need to have intermissions like they used to in the old days. Since that doesn’t seem to be on the table, I wince at long movie runtimes. In the case of The Odyssey, I’m very happy to report that I took no issue with it. Personally, I didn’t look at my watch until two hours into it, and the last hour was awesome. (Sure, it also helps that in-movie bathroom decision gods smiled on me that evening).

Personally, I wouldn’t have cut a single scene. If anything, I would have even sat through more! I’m thinking about going to see it again, and let me tell you, that’s very much a rarity for me to say these days. Critics have also been kind to The Odyssey, with the movie currently holding a 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

What My CinemaBlend Colleagues Thought About The Runtime

As I mentioned before, a three-hour movie only works for me if it earns it. And, there was definitely enough within the pages of Homer’s The Odyssey for Nolan to adapt. Plus, he had to make tweaks to the source material to fit into one movie as is. I was curious about what my co-workers thought about the runtime. Here’s what a few of them said:

• “I love long movies when they are well constructed like The Odyssey. Because of the nature of the source material, the movie flows really well from scene to scene, and I don't think it drags at all.” - Hugh Scott, Syndication Editor
• “The Odyssey kept my attention for the entire 3 hours with its fast-paced storytelling and stunning visuals. If I had my way, it would have been 5 or 6 hours and split into two movies in order to more fully develop the side characters.” - Mack Rawden, Editor-In-Chief
• “I get why it's not two movies so that Nolan could end on a high note, but I thought the runtime was too long. I would definitely have taken two movies.” - Jessica Rawden, Managing Editor
• “I'm always wary of long movies; however, I didn't check my watch once watching The Odyssey. Those three hours flew by, and I was left wishing there was more time to dive even deeper into the story.” - Riley Utley, Weekend Editor

Of course, there’s a range of opinions here regarding the specifics, but overall I think we have a consensus: The Odyssey’s runtime works! If you, too, found yourself unsure about venturing to see it because of its length, I hope this helps reassure you it’s worth it. I know I would have appreciated knowing this before heading into it.

Zendaya has landed some major roles during her career and, funny enough, many of them just happen to fall on the 2026 movie schedule. What wasn’t a laughing matter, though, was the sheer amount of coordination necessary for the A-lister to be in a whopping four movies that have or will be released this year. Not to mention she also had to shoot a certain TV show. Matt Damon, her co-star on Christopher Nolan’s historical drama, spoke about her schedule with CinemaBlend, and I really like how he describes it.

This year, the former Disney Channel star has or will appear in The Odyssey, The Drama, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Dune Part Three as well as the since-ended HBO drama Euphoria. In Nolan’s movie, she plays the role of the goddess Athena, who guides Matt Damon’s Odysseus amid his journey home to Ithaca. While speaking to CinemaBlend alongside co-star Anne Hathaway, Damon showered praise upon Zendaya and made note of how frequently she had to dip in and out of the set:

“Parachute in” is a funny way for the Oscar winner to put it, but it’s actually quite accurate, given what’s known about his co-star’s wild shooting schedule. Zendaya previously talked about working on Odyssey, Dune 3 and Euphoria simultaneously. As she recalled, she could have a night shoot on a ranch for her TV show and would then have to memorize her Chakobsa dialogue for Denis Villeneuve’s threequel. And, from there, she’d travel to Iceland to shoot her material for Nolan’s film.

The idea of having a schedule like that just seems nerve-wracking to me but, then again, I’m not a seasoned performer like the Challengers alum. And, to top it off, she and her stylist – Law Roach – were already planning out her looks for the respective press tours this year. Their hard work seems to be paying off now, though, as Zendaya has sported some particularly fresh fits while promoting The Odyssey. Most recently, at the film’s New York premiere, she wore a feathered gown that Roach went to great lengths to coordinate.

Of course, the Malcolm & Marie star’s preparation for her acting work also paid off, and that was certainly the case with her work on Christopher Nolan’s set. Matt Damon previously revealed that Nolan gave the Athena actress a major compliment, as she was the only star on set to get a “perfect” from him after finishing a scene. That praise even served as a humorous point of contention for Damon and Tom Holland, the starlet’s husband.

So what’s next for Zendaya you might ask? Well, she’ll soon mark the release of her fourth Spider-Man movie and will promote Dune: Part Three later this year. After this big year of hers concludes, she’s “disappearing for a little bit.” I’d say that after having to “parachute in” and out of projects for a year and then promote them the following year, I’d say she’s more than earned it. For now, check her out in The Odyssey, which opens in theaters on July 17.

Zendaya is one of the biggest movie and TV stars in the entertainment industry, and she's also known as a fashion icon. This is largely thanks to her ongoing collaboration with image architect Law Roach, who has helped start the method dressing trend in Hollywood. Her latest movie is Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, and the Emmy-winning actress went viral for a stunning feathered look she wore to the premiere. And it turns out that Roach went to great lengths to secure that look.

What we know about The Odyssey has been limited, but hype is at an all-time high for the book to screen adaptation. The movie will be released shortly, and Zendaya has been going full goddess while promoting it. Case in point: the stunning feathered gown she wore at the movie's New York premiere. Check it out below,

I mean, how gorgeous is that? She's certainly looking like a goddess, once again stunning on carpet for The Odyssey. Law Roach spoke to ET at the star-studded event, where he revealed that this look was a long-time coming for him and Zendaya. In the Legendary judge's words:

Talk about some good planning. Before The Odyssey had even been filmed, Law Roach was already thinking over ideas for what Zendaya could wear at various premiere events. And when he saw the above gown on the runway years ago, he reached out to Matières Fécales directly and had them put the avant-garde look aside from her. That foresight worked out, as the Euphoria star went viral shortly after she showed up in the gown.

In the same interview, Law Roach repeatedly thanked the folks at Matières Fécales for putting the dress aside from Zendaya, and for not using during the years between it hitting the runway and The Odyssey being released. In his words:

Given how Zendaya regularly goes viral for her high fashion looks, it makes sense that the Fashion House might have put this dress aside for her. She's been going viral on the carpet for years, whether it was her robot-inspired Dune look or her spider-web gown for Spider-Man. And we've got Law Roach to thank for his methodical approach to her styling.

The Odyssey hits theaters on July 17th as part of the 2026 movie release list. After it's out Zendaya will likely keep doing press for the upcoming Marvel movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day which will arrive on July 31st.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is always releasing new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. But a few upcoming Marvel movies are especially anticipated, chief among them being Destin Daniel Cretton's Spider-Man: Brand New Day. We're only a few weeks away from its release, and a video just arrived online of Zendaya hilariously stopping her husband Tom Holland from spoiling its ending. Talk about a power couple.

Zendaya and Tom Holland are basically couples goals, with the pair of A-listers promoting two summer blockbusters this year. The Euphoria star knows about Holland's penchant for revealing spoilers, and a video is circulating on Twitter of her stopping him from revealing too much about their next Spider-Man movie's ending. Check it out below:

Talk about a close call. It looks like Zendaya's Spider-Sense was tingling, and she knew that her husband was about to say something he shouldn't have. Luckily the Emmy-winning actress stepped in, and Brand New Day's ending remains a mystery for the time being. What a relief.

While the trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day showed the inclusion of Hulk and The Punisher, much of the movie's contents are still being kept under wraps. That includes its main villain, and who Sadie Sink is playing. So if Tom holland accidentally spilled the beans on its finale, it would have broken the internet... in a bad way.

Fans are curious about how Zendaya and Tom Holland's characters will interact when Brand New Day hits theaters later this month. No Way Home's twist ending saw Doctor Strange's spell succeed in removing the entire world's memory of Peter Parker. That includes MJ and Ned, who are now safe from his enemies. Spidey has been living a solitary life, and the trailer showed him watching his friends from afar.

Due to how little we know about the new Spider-Man movie's contents, there are countless theories and rumors swirling about Cretton's blockbuster. Fans are curious about which surprise characters might appear, with Kevin Feige recently teasing the inclusion of Florence Pugh's Yelena. And in addition to all the chatter about Brand New Day, folks who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order are also curious about how the movie could open the door for Avengers: Doomsday's arrival this December. The pressure is on, which is likely why the movie's story is being kept under wraps for the time being. And after seeing the above video we might owe Zendaya a big thank you for helping these efforts.

All will be revealed when Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31st as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to wait and see if the movie's secrets are kept for the final weeks until its release.

There’s one very famous and serious quote associated with Spider-Man that always comes up (you know what I’m talking about). However, the Spider-Man movies are packed with very funny lines too that are also worth quoting. In fact, there’s one line from Spider-Man: Homecoming that Zendaya says to Tom Holland “a lot” that’s hilarious.

So, as Tom Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon promote Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s release on the 2026 movie schedule, they were asked about movie quotes they use in their everyday lives during an interview with BBC Radio 1. In response, the Challengers star recalled a funny line Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark says in the trio's first Spider-Man movie:

While The Drama star claimed Holland wouldn’t agree with her, he actually did, confirming that she does “say that a lot.”

I get why it’s stuck with them, too. Not only is it a memorable line in Spider-Man: Homecoming, it’s actually said multiple times by Tony Stark (which you can witness by watching the movie with a Disney+ subscription). He says it once right after the whole debacle with the Staten Island Ferry, telling Peter:

He also says it at the very end of the movie, after Peter defeated The Vulture. Both complimenting the boy’s actions and reprimanding him, Robert Downey Jr.’s character said:

While it’s considered one of Tony Stark’s funniest lines, and it’s easily one of the sillier MCU quotes, it is admittedly an odd statement. That’s something Zendaya, Holland and Jacob Batalon joked about too, as they spoke about how it doesn’t make much sense, but it totally works in the movie:

• Zendaya: I think that was just like—what?
• Jacob Batalon: I think that’s just a bad white guy thing to say.
• Tom Holland: Again, not written. I remember walking down the thing, and he said that. And I was like, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
• Zendaya: [I don’t know] what that means, but it’s great.

I totally see what they’re saying; it is an odd thing to say. However, it’s also not that uncommon, and it’s used often when people mess up big time or embarrass themselves, which Peter did on a few occasions in Homecoming.

Now, if you’ve seen the Marvel movies in order, you know how quotable they are. And personally, Homecoming is one of my favorites to quote. It’s awesome that Zendaya does that too, and I love that the line she references most is this hilarious one that’s said by Robert Downey Jr.

Overall, this whole discussion made me want to rewatch Homecoming. However, it also made me even more excited for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, because I’m sure it will be full of great one-liners, just like the other three Holland-led Spidey films are. So, to see if that’s the case, you can see this trio's fourth Spider-Man movie in theaters on July 31.

Christopher Nolan’s next film, The Odyssey, is still a few days away from hitting the 2026 movie schedule, but for months it's been in the firing line for angry people on the internet. I know it’s best to stay out of the comment section, but sometimes I can’t help myself. It doesn’t take long when I do dip my toes in to see some of the major complaints that people have even before seeing the movie. I have to say, none of these are concerns of mine. I remain highly optimistic about this epic that is about to unfold for all of us seeing the movie next week.

The Casting Seems To Be The Focus Of Many Commenters’ Ire

There is no question that Nolan has assembled one heck of a cast. Matt Damon leads the movie as Odysseus. Anne Hathaway is playing his wife, Penelope. Tom Holland is playing Telemachus, his son. Joining them, we’ve got stars like Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Samantha Morton (who has apparently killed it with her performance), and Jon Bernthal, along with many others. It’s stacked. There are two or three cast members who have some people upset, and it makes no sense.

Lupita Nyong'o (Helen of Troy), John Leguizamo (Eumaeus), and Elliot Page (Sinon) have drawn the most wrath, and Travis Scott (playing a bard) has also taken some shots. Of course, it’s easy to see why these four have been in the firing line, and frankly, I think it’s all silly (and offensive, of course). The Odyssey is a myth. It’s not history. Historical accuracy should take a backseat to storytelling in this case. Helen of Troy wasn’t a real person, so why does it matter if the actress playing the character doesn’t look Greek or Spartan? Nyong'o certainly fits the description of being beautiful, and she is one of the most talented actresses in the world. That’s by far enough for me.

The Accents, Armor, And Ships Are Also Popular Complaints

The second most common whine is that the armor Odysseus and his men wear is not period-accurate. I’m all for historical accuracy in film; in fact, it’s often a deciding factor in whether I like a movie or not (I’m looking at you, Napoleon), but again, this is a myth. I don’t care that Damon and his cohorts are dressed in armor that doesn’t fit the age. That’s not the point of the story here. Let’s be honest, period-accurate armor looks rather ridiculous, and so making it look “cooler” is just fine by me. The same goes for the ships used by our hero and his men. Yeah, they look more like Viking ships than boats from ancient Greece, but again, this story is a myth, so why care?

Another popular refrain seems to be that all of the actors are using American accents in the movie, even the Brits. I have to say, again, why is this something people are mad about? They aren’t speaking ancient Greek in this modern telling of the myth, either. No one is upset about that, because everyone understands why the movie is in English, so what does it matter which accents are being used? Nolan apparently was looking for consistency, and so this decision makes total sense. This is seriously just complaining to complain.

Luckily for me, none of these creative decisions bother me in the slightest, and I can say that this is by far my most anticipated movie of the summer.

Celebrity couples have a habit of fascinating the public and making a ton of headlines in the process. We've seen this with pairs like Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, although recently all eyes have been on Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. The pair got married over the Fourth of July weekend at Madison Square Garden, and fans are eager for any photos of the event. They haven't been released just yet, but the newlyweds have been dealing with the same AI issues as Zendaya and Tom Holland did.

Zendaya and Tom Holland got married in private, and fake AI-generated images from their wedding have been trickling out since. The same thing has been happening to Kelce and Swift, to the dismay of fans who want to see the real thing. Director Joseph Kahn was an actual guest for the big day, and took to Twitter to poke holes in those AI images. In his words:

Kahn also shared an image of himself at the wedding on IG, although he was careful not to reveal too much about what things looked/felt like inside MSG. Security was seemingly tight, which is why no legit photos of Kelce and Swift's nuptials have leaked online. But that hasn't stopped folks from creating phony images using AI.

It's hard not to see the similarities between these fake wedding photos and the ones that hit the internet after Zendaya and Tom Holland got married. Zendaya's image architect Law Roach hilariously responded to those faux photos, saying:

Law Roach and Joseph Kahn's comments do share some similarities; namely, that AI couldn't create anything that actually lives up to the reality of these celebrity weddings. Hopefully the generations of curious fans out there will be treated to some real photos from these events. That is, whenever the two pairs are willing to share with the class.

Fans love to ship their favorite A-list couple, so these fake images from the recent weddings were likely inevitable. Zendaya and Tom Holland have always valued their privacy, and while Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding had a massive guest list, it's clear that it was a phone-free event. Only time will tell if/when we get to see legitimate photos from these two nuptials, but it's clear that interest in seeing these celebrities on their happy day isn't going to die down anytime soon.

Unfortunately, it's unclear when this day might happen. For now, fans can enjoy the two couples' professional work, especially Holland and Zendaya who have two separate movies coming out this July: Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey.

The global press tour for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey movie is in full battle mode, and can we talk about how much Charlize Theron is slaying every appearance so far? Because Zendaya is among the cast, she’s often the center of attention for every red carpet and photo call, but I’m loving the specific flair Theron is also bringing to the scene.

I’m still not even over Theron turning up at the world premiere in London by pairing a black dress with over-the-top gloves, and she’s now there's already another gorgeous moment in Paris to talk about. Check it out:

OK, this is too good. I’m in love with this lace gown from Dior that may not count as method dressing, but is definitely giving "goddess". Theron shared the dress with the caption “Mama’s not dead yet”. Here’s another peek at the stunner of a premiere ensemble:

Charlize Theron is somehow 50 years old, and heading toward 51 in less than a month, but she redefines what being middle-aged can look like. A few of her celebrity colleagues took notice as well in the Instagram comment section. Here’s how they hyped her up:

• Jennifer Lopez: "You are killing it 🤍"
• Ariana DeBose: "Very much alive🙌🏾"
• Misty Copeland: "🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾"

Theron plays the role of Calypso, who is a nymph, which is a type of goddess in Greek folklore. In The Odyssey, the character famously keeps Odysseus captive on the island of Ogygia for seven years while he’s trying to return home to his family after the Trojan War. Odysseus actor, Matt Damon, recently complimented Theron on her attitude on set when he worked with her on the big-budget film, calling her someone who “won’t complain, ever” and “seriously tough”.

Clearly, Theron is embracing the sultry and powerful energy of the famed character for the press tour, and I don’t doubt she’s got even more epic things lined up to wear as she continues to promote the movie with the cast.

Theron deserves some flowers for her press looks, but so does the entire star-studded cast of The Odyssey. Zendaya has also been in goddess mode, between wearing a flowy dress and emulating a marble statue with a white corset at the London premiere. The movie features an extensive leading cast of ladies, also including Anne Hathaway as Odysseus’s wife Penelope, Lupita Nyong’o as both Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra and Mia Goth as Melantho.

Since The Odyssey has been screened by a select group of audiences, the movie has been earning a lot of rave first reactions for its massive scale, performances and adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek work. You can see Theron and the rest of the cast in The Odyssey when it hits theaters next Friday, July 17.

The 2026 movie schedule has already had some bangers, but man, I think I just found my official most-anticipated of the bunch for the second half of the year now that we have a fresh trailer for Dune: Part Three We just got the most epic look at Denis Villeneuve's trilogy finale yet, and it has me thinking about what dark arc is on the horizon for Timothée Chalamet’s Paul Atreides. Thankfully, the actor himself shed some light on what’s coming.

CinemaBlend attended Dune: Part 3’s global fan event at the AMC Burbank in Los Angeles, CA on Wednesday morning. We were among the first to see the movie’s new trailer along with witnessing an exclusive conversation between Villeneuve and Timothée Chalamet. Check out the trailer here:

Y’all, the chills I had seeing this in IMAX with an audience! I’m not going to be OK after this movie… and I cannot wait. The new footage really focuses on the fallout of Dune: Part 2, where Paul broke the heart of Zendaya’s Chani by deciding to marry Florence Pugh’s Princess Irulan. He did so to take the throne as the Padishah Emperor – officially choosing power and war over anything else.

It certainly seems like Paul is going to the dark side here, so I’m happy that the event’s moderator Brittany Broski asked Chalamet if Paul is stepping into his “villain” era now. Here’s how the Oscar-nominated actor responded:

The writing was on the wall in Dune: Part Two that Paul maybe wasn’t going to be the hero of this story anymore, and in Part Three the ramifications of this will all come to a head. The trailer also sets up what’s going on with Robert Pattinson’s role of Scytale, who decides to execute a plot to dethrone Paul and involve the Princess.

I also think the trailer insinuates that Chani may actually be the one to go head-to-head with the Emperor by the end of the movie after things have gone bitter between them. Chalamet also said this about what’s going on with Paul and Chani during the event:

Part Three's main plotline takes place a couple decades after the second movie, and also features Anya Taylor-Joy as Paul’s sister, Alia. The franchise newcomer has called the role “very intense” and I can see why. While the first Dune: Part Three trailer got me excited, this second one has me moving the movie to the top of my list of 2026 movies I’m hyped for. A big part of that is Paul's nuanced arc across the trilogy being concluded. I mean, and this new poster? Check it:

During the event, we were also treated to an exclusive look at the opening of Dune: Part 3, which will be playing in front of IMAX screenings of The Odyssey next weekend. It had Javier Bardem’s Stilgar and some other men being thrust into an intense battle sequence in the rain. I’d imagine he’s operating under the orders of Paul after embracing him as the messianic Lisan al-Gaib at the end of Dune: Part 2. It doesn't show the whole battle sequence, so now I'm left wanting to watch the whole thing.

We'll have to wait for the final Dune film until December 18!

Nobody does method dressing quite like Zendaya, and with two movies hitting the 2026 movie calendar this month — The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day — it’s just an abundance of riches in the celebrity fashion department. Zendaya has already gotten into goddess mode with two flowy dresses for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, and now she’s topped that with a corset top and beaded skirt.

Zendaya is set to portray Athena in the book-to-screen adaptation of Homer’s epic, and she was definitely looking the part in a piece from Daniel Roseberry’s Schiaparelli Fall 2026 Haute Couture collection:

Zendaya’s top actually looks like an ancient marble sculpture, though Daniel Roseberry also gave it a futuristic feel with the angles of the piece. Contrasting the smooth bodice is a floor-length skirt of beaded fringe, as thousands of pearly beads hug the actress’ curves on a fabric that transitions from beige to silver as it cascades to the ground.

Her hair is styled in loose braids that top her head like a crown, with her brown curls falling down her back. Her Chopard diamond collar looks more like an extension of the top than a separate piece of jewelry.

The Schiaparelli number was reportedly unveiled just eight hours earlier at Paris Haute Couture Week, where Zendaya’s stylist Law Roach sat front row, according to Red Carpet Fashion Awards. This begs the question of whether or not Roach secured the item and immediately flew to London for The Odyssey’s Monday premiere at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square. It certainly sounds plausible — and given how ethereal the actress looks, I’d say it was worth it.

The Odyssey is one of two movies Zendaya has premiering this month — both of which also star her new husband Tom Holland. The epic fantasy adaptation hits theaters on July 17, just two weeks before the release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which has seen its own specially created looks from Zendaya and Law Roach.

The actress was an absolute bombshell in a backless spiderweb dress at a photocall for the upcoming Marvel movie just over a week ago in London. She also showed off the cutest red-and-blue two-piece at the Rome premiere, featuring a sleeveless, midriff-baring red top with thick straps paired with a sequined blue-and-red pencil skirt.

These colorful options followed a period of time where Zendaya was wearing a lot of black, leading fans to worry about MJ’s fate in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

This is a busy year for the actress, as we’ve already seen her star opposite Robert Pattinson in The Drama (which featured theme dressing of “Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue”). We’ve also got Dune: Part Three to look forward to in December, and I have no doubt she’ll be blowing our minds again, fashion-wise.

For now, though, be sure to check out Zendaya in all of her Athena glory when The Odyssey hits theaters on Friday, July 17.

Zendaya is sure to dazzle audiences as part of the awesome cast of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. Ahead of the film's premiere, though, the fashionista is bringing heat on the red carpet. Unsurprisingly, she and stylist Law Roach have decided to take some Odyssey-themed outfits to Olympian heights for the epic flick’s press tour. In fact, the fashion dream team is displaying some sweet dresses that are flowy and make Zendaya look like she just came down from Mount Olympus.

Amid the hype for Nolan's adaptation of The Odyssey, Law Roach took to Instagram to show off Zendaya's flowy Trussardi gown, which gives off all the “Goddess vibes.” Check out this latest case of method-dressing:

Straight from the Trussardi Spring 2006 collection, the Challengers star's outfit is a strapless, floor-length gown that further proves the notion that she can sport just about anything. In the context of Zendaya's role in Nolan's film, it's also a fitting ensemble, given she plays the elegant Goddess of Wisdom, Athena, in the 2026 movie release. All in all, she looks completely regal and ethereal, as she poses in the classy vintage dress.

I can’t take my eyes off the metallic beadwork on the garment, which looks like falling droplets, and those Christian Louboutin jeweled sandals perfectly complement the ensemble. The former Disney Channel star always makes sure those Christian Louboutin pumps make an appearance. For instance, she sported those kicks when she rocked two perfect outfits for Dune 2 and when she wore those stiletto heels in a two-piece top and skirt for Challengers.

Zendaya and Roach weren't done giving off the “Goddess” energy, though. Roach revealed the “essence of Athena” in another social media post, which showed Zendaya wearing a custom Jacquemus gown at IET London: Savoy Place, and it makes her look like a Greek sculpture. Take a look at the dress:

The drapery of that piece is incredibly form-fitting, with its thin-strapped halter neck keeping the dress perfectly in place and providing a Grecian elegance to it. What also makes the gown so eye-popping is its low, fluid back that someone might think would lead to a wardrobe malfunction if it exposes too much down low. But, clearly, the designers knew exactly what they were doing to make this element one of the gown’s stand-out features.

The Jacquemus dress is also perfectly accessorized with Barron London 18k yellow gold and diamond disk earrings and Christian Louboutin So Kate pumps making yet another grand entrance to top it off. Talk about a timeless ensemble for the books.

Beyond watching Zendaya effortlessly transform into memorable characters on the big screen, it's also exciting to see how she and Law Roach determine method dressing for each press tour. Whether she's walked the Dune 2 red carpet looking like C-3PO or worn something old, new, borrowed, and blue for The Drama, her and Law Roach’s outfits each perfectly sync with the film being promoted. Needless to say, this is a fashion duo I can't get enough of.

Now, I'm wondering if Zendaya and Roach have anymore stellar outfits in store for The Odyssey's press tour. I'd love to see them present an outfit that gives off even more "Goddess" vibes but, in the meantime, I'll just bask in the glow of these current outfits. For now, know that Christopher Nolan's latest film hits theaters on July 17th.

If you’ve watched the Spider-Man Home trilogy with your Disney+ subscription, you know Peter Parker has been through a lot in the MCU. But few things sting quite like your closest friends forgetting you exist. After Spider-Man: No Way Home, Tom Holland’s web-slinger was left in one of the loneliest places the franchise has ever put him, with Doctor Strange’s spell wiping Peter Parker from the memories of everyone who knew him. As excitement continues building for the 2026 movie release, the Brand New Day cast members Jacob Batalon and Zendaya are out here trolling Peter Parker about everyone forgetting him, with Holland fully committing to the bit by making some of the best faces.

The official Spider-Man movie Instagram account shared a funny video featuring Holland, Zendaya and Jacob Batalon, playing directly into the heartbreaking ending of Spider-Man: No Way Home. In the clip, Batalon and Zendaya appear to act as if they do not know the Spidey actor, while he makes sad little Peter Parker faces at the camera. The post’s caption reads, “Peter, who?” which is rude, but honestly pretty funny.

The text on the video twists the knife perfectly: “when your besties forget that you’re also their bestie.” Brutal, but fair. By the end of No Way Home, Doctor Strange’s spell had erased Peter Parker from everyone’s memory. The world still remembers Spider-Man, but the person beneath the mask has been erased from the lives of the people who loved him most.

Holland has teased exactly one person still knowing who is behind the webbed mask, but Ned seemingly does not remember being his guy in the chair. MJ also does not remember their relationship. So yes, this is a cute Instagram bit, but it’s built on emotional wreckage. Very Spider-Man coded, honestly.

The timing is especially fun because Brand New Day feels like a title loaded with reset energy. Holland is back for his fourth solo movie, and the franchise seems positioned to move Peter into a new era. That is also why he can’t stop, won't stop dropping Miles Morales’ name when it comes to Spider-Man’s future. The Uncharted actor has made it clear he wants to help bring Miles into the MCU someday, and he has talked about paying it forward for the mentorship he received from Robert Downey Jr.

But before Peter can become a mentor to another wallcrawler the guy probably needs a life again. That is what makes the Ned and MJ question so compelling. Does Brand New Day restore those relationships? Does Peter try to stay away because he thinks they are safer without him? Does the movie actually make him sit in the loneliness that No Way Home left him with?

The filmmakers clearly know fans are asking those questions, which is probably why this little trolling video works so well. The post does not give away any plot details, but it taps directly into that emotional thread. It is a wink, a tease and a reminder that Peter’s situation is still pretty brutal, even when it is being played as a social media joke. Stop and think about it for even a minute, and the whole bit suddenly has a pretty melancholy undertone.

It helps that Holland, Zendaya and Batalon have such easy chemistry. Their dynamic has been one of the secret weapons of the modern Spider-Man movies, and fans spent years watching Peter, MJ and Ned grow into one of the MCU’s most charming little friend groups.

Peter Parker may be thinking about a brand new day, and Holland may be dreaming about Miles Morales in the future. But for now, the Spider-Man social team seems perfectly happy trolling fans with the saddest bestie problem in the MCU.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31, so be sure to check your local listings for showtimes.

Marriage rumors swirled around Zendaya and Tom Holland for quite some time, and neither member of the A-list couple was willing to confirm nor deny that they’d tied the knot. However, earlier this month, Holland subtly revealed he and his longtime partner had indeed exchanged vows. Ahead of that, though, AI-generated photos of the couple made the rounds and seemed to provide glimpses into their big day. Zendaya’s stylist, Law Roach, is now weighing in on the pics, and his take only makes me want to see the real dress more.

It was around this past March that insiders made allegations about Holland and Zendaya having gotten secretly married, with further details suggesting they married in Italy. So, when the AI pictures dropped, many were hyped by the supposed sight of the two Spider-Man stars celebrating their nuptials. Law Roach discussed that viral madness when he appeared as a guest on Good Morning America. Roach dropped an A+ response after being asked what he was thinking when he saw the wedding dress depicted in the faux photos:

First and foremost, I’m cracking up over Roach’s take on the fake dress, as the method-dressing master couldn’t have timed that quip any better. The humorous nature of the comments aside, though, they’re also sure to make fans wonder even more about what the real dress looks like. Something fashion devotees likely know about Roach is that he doesn’t play when it comes to his designs, and that’s especially true when it comes to the pieces he curates for longtime friend and colleague Zendaya.

Roach was actually one of the first people to allude to the fact that a wedding had occurred, as he mused back in March that fans had missed it. Despite that, the Project Runaway judge has remained tight-lipped on details regarding the ceremony and the bride’s dress. Even Christian Siriano claimed Roach was keeping dress secrets for the sake of his friend, Z. Whether the public will ever get to see that dress is unknown, but when asked if the real dress looked like the one in the photo, Roach said:

The man said what he said and, as a result, he piqued my curiosity. Check out the funny interview moment for yourself:

Some may scoff at the notion of AI photos fooling some people, but that’s apparently what happened. Zendaya previously revealed that the photos caught some of her loved ones off guard, and they apparently called her out for not scoring invites to the big day. Even when Holland confirmed the wedding had taken place, he only did so due to explaining that his own grandmother was confused by the pics that surfaced online.

What’s very evident, at this point, is that Zendaya and Tom Holland are very protective of their relationship and personal, meaning they want to keep aspects of it for themselves. That’s definitely admirable and respectable, though I know fans still would probably like to see that wedding dress. I’ll just say that we probably shouldn’t expect the couple or Law Roach to share any genuine photos.

Fans can, at the very least, see the aforementioned couple in two 2026 movie schedule entries. One of those is The Odyssey, which opens on July 17, and the other is Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which arrives on July 31.

This year is a big one for Tom Holland and Zendaya. Firstly, after much speculation, it was finally confirmed that they did get married. On top of that, they have not one, but two projects on the 2026 movie schedule: Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey. Now, as we get excited for those releases, it's also time to look toward the future, as Holland revealed the kind of project he'd like to work on next with his partner.

There’s no doubt that Holland and Zendaya have undeniable chemistry playing love interests in the Spider-Man movies. Peter and MJ starting as awkward high school teens with a crush and growing into a lovely couple is one element that’s made the MCU flicks all the more memorable. However, there's no denying how badly I want to see these two actors in a full-blown rom-com. Thankfully, Holland wants to see that too, as he explained to Vanity Fair France at Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s UGC Cine Cité Bercy fan event:

Well, this needs to happen immediately. That's because not only do I want to see these two in a rom-com, but they both have the musical background to pull off what Holland suggested in a magnificent way.

For instance, Zendaya started on Disney Channel, dancing and singing on Shake It Up! while also releasing two albums. Not to mention, she topped the music charts with songs from Euphoria, and she starred in the musical flick The Greatest Showman. So, you know singing and dancing won’t be a problem for the Emmy winner, as Tom Holland said. And because we haven’t seen the actress/singer in a light romance movie before, why not take that genre on with her real-life husband?

As for Tom Holland, he's got some moves of his own! In fact, he joined the cast of Billy Elliot on the West End when he was only 12 years old. Now, Holland is set to play Fred Astaire in the song-and-dance man’s biopic. He's actually started working on the film too, as he explained on Good Hang with Amy Poehler that he had his first dance rehearsal for the flick recently. So, we know he's got the moves; now, we just need to hear his vocal chops.

You have to admit that a Tom Holland-Zendaya rom-com is exactly what we need. While the pair share plenty of cute romance scenes in the Spider-Man movies, their characters still face the constant threat of enemies. So, I'd love to see them tell a story where their characters simply fall in love. Plus, The Drama actress looked very impressed watching her other half dancing ballet in front of her and doing a funny impression of his Billy Elliot singing. So, I can see them having a lot of fun singing and dancing together in a musical.

However, that's a dream for now. So, while we wait for Tom Holland and Zendaya to hopefully star in a musical rom-com together, you can see the loving pair reunite in Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31st. You can also watch the actors in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey in theaters on July 17th.

Celebrity couples have a way of capturing the public's attention. Just look at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce. Another pair that folks are absolutely shipping online is Tom Holland and Zendaya, who are currently on the promotional tour for their upcoming Marvel movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day. And Holland had just three words for his wife/coworker after finding out she had one of her first dates at one of Andrew Garfield's Spider-Man movies.

Fans who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know there have been several actors who have played Spider-Man. That includes Andrew Garfield's movies (streaming with a Disney+ subscription), and it turns out that Zendaya had a big coming-of-age moment when they were in theaters. During a fan event in Germany (via Instagram), the Greatest Showman actress revealed her history with Spidey before becoming MJ, saying:

Sometimes celebrities really are just like us. Because who among us hasn't gone on a movie date as a young person, especially a superhero movie? It's a strangely full-circle moment for the Emmy-winning actress, as Zendaya is about to debut her fourth appearance in a Spider-Man movie as MJ.

Tom Holland happened to be right next to the Dune star as she made this confession, and had an A+ response in just three short words. He said:

Honestly, these two really are couple goals. On top of being able to work together in projects like Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey, they also clearly get a kick out of each other. In this case, it's Holland being jokingly offended after learning Zendaya went to another Spider-Man film while on a date. The disrespect!

This give and take between the two young stars is just the latest example of them being adorable while promoting Brand New Day. Tom Holland recently went viral for calling Zendaya by her middle name, with the two also recently confirming that they did indeed tie the knot. While this pair of A-listers value their privacy, it's small moments like this that result in so many fans shipping them.

In addition to the two actors, fans are also invested in their Spider-Man characters, and are eager to see if they manage to reunite after No Way Home's twist ending. Luckily, the wait for the next movie is nearly up.

All will be revealed when Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31st as part of the 2026 movie release list. Smart money says Zendaya and Tom Holland will give us more viral moments as they continue promoting the blockbuster.

Zendaya has had a number of red carpet stunners recently, but given all the 2026 movies she’s in, apparently, she’s just been warming up. Now that the Spider-Man: Brand New Day global press tour is in full swing, she has started to method dress for the latest upcoming Marvel movie, but I think she just stepped out in her best one yet.

I don’t know how she tops this London fit, but she’s been known to outdo herself. Check out this gorgeous backless spiderweb gown she just wore:

Check out that detailing – the dress straight up has spider-web jewels on it, and my jaw is dropped. I'm sure yours will, too, when you see the close-up of the spiderweb back that Zendaya posted on her Instagram:

Seriously, I will never get over this back. All the charms are so pretty, and the spider-themed open back is equal parts chic and on-theme.

While it looks like something one might make just for Zendaya for this photo call, it’s actually a vintage 1997 gown from John Galliano's “The Circus” Collection. Now, here's the front:

I’m positively in love with this dress on Zendaya. The pattern, the jewels, the fit – everything! And I continue to be obsessed with how chic her chopped-off hair era is. Her stylist, Law Roach, said this on Instagram when talking about the look:

The style only seems to enhance with each getup. This new fashion moment follows Zendaya wearing a sparkly red and blue two-piece when she stopped in Rome a couple of days ago before changing into another spiderwebbed vintage Giorgio Armani gown from 1990.

Before that, she was wearing so much black on this press tour that fans are worried about “WHO IS DYING” in the new Spidey movie. For example, Zendaya turned up this week in Paris in a simple black Spider-Man T-shirt that Law Roach said he purchased on eBay.

But it hasn't just been black before this week. In Spain, Zendaya went all red with a gown from Ernesto Naranjo, and in Amsterdam she looked “Michael Jackson-coded” with a black top and red shorts from Louis Vuitton.

Her co-star and real-life hubby, Tom Holland, has been in attendance with her, but Zendaya’s fashion is always so eye-catching that sometimes I forget to swoon over the newly married couple. This is one of two 2026 summer movies the pair is in, with the other being Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. I cannot wait to see how Zendaya and Law Roach decide to dress for the Greek epic, already. And surely, the pair of fashion masterminds have something fun cooked up for the Dune: Part 3 press tour as well.

Zendaya once again is playing MJ in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but she’s starting over with Peter Parker / Spider-Man after the events of No Way Home. In the last Spider-Man film, she and everyone else forgot all about Peter Parker. However, one thing I'll never forget is this outfit. Anyway, the movie comes out on July 31, a couple of weeks after The Odyssey’s release on July 17.

Tom Holland and Zendaya have spent years being one of those celebrity couples fans cannot stop watching, partly because they are so good at keeping the actual personal stuff personal. They will pose on a red carpet, talk about upcoming Spider-Man projects and laugh through press questions, but the little private details usually stay tucked away. Which is probably why one quick name drop from Holland just sent fans into full swoon mode. Seriously, cue the awws, because Spider-Man just called his partner by her nickname and it's going viral.

During the Rome premiere for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Holland was caught on video calling Zendaya “Maree,” her middle name. The moment occurred while the two were on the red carpet, and you can see it for yourself in CapitalBuzz's Instagram post below. He was not making a big romantic declaration. He was just trying to get her attention, and the name he used gave fans a tiny glimpse of how he talks to her when the cameras are not the point.

It is honestly one of the most adorable things I have seen in some time. The Uncharted star interrupts her red carpet answer, asking:

Zendaya doesn’t look phased and doesn’t miss a beat. She turns and answers:

To most of the world, the actress is just Zendaya. One name, instantly recognizable, no last name required. But to Holland, at least in that moment, she was Maree, and that feels like a much more personal window into their relationship than any glossy answer on a press tour.

There is also a fun bit of history there. The Euphoria breakout was born Zendaya Coleman, but she has long gone by her first name professionally. In a 2016 Allure interview, she explained the decision in very “her” fashion, saying she thought it was cool, “like Cher or Prince.” It was a clean, confident move, and it clearly worked. Nearly a decade later, she is one of the rare performers whose first name alone does all the work.

That makes Holland calling her Maree even sweeter. Honestly, I get why people are melting over it. My grandparents had something very similar. My grandfather would call my grandmother by her middle name, and I always found it endearing. As a kid, it felt like hearing a tiny piece of their marriage that belonged only to them. What could be more adorable than a window into their relationship?

The “Maree” moment feels like one of those details couples collect over time. The timing also gives the clip a little extra charge. The pair are back together on the Spider-Man: Brand New Day press tour, promoting the franchise that first put them in each other’s orbit. Fans have watched them grow from Spider-Man: Homecoming co-stars into one of Hollywood’s most closely followed couples, all while Peter Parker and MJ’s relationship story has gone through its own emotional meat grinder.

After No Way Home, Peter is living in a world where everyone has forgotten him, including MJ. That means the new movie is walking into some pretty heavy emotional territory. So naturally fans are going to grab onto any warm real-life moment between Holland and Zendaya that they can get.

Brand New Day swings onto the 2026 movie calendar on July 31. But, while you wait, you can revisit the couple's adorable Spidey love connection in all three installments of the Home trilogy, streaming with a Disney+ subscription.

While Zendaya is best known as an Emmy-winning actress, she's also a bonafide fashion icon that folks like to emulate. The Greatest Showman star gets a little help from her image architect Law Roach, who has been styling her for years, to huge success. And while Zendaya has been wearing lots of black while promoting Spider-Man: Brand New Day, she recently showed her midriff and rocked some red and blue in honor of the Marvel hero.

Zendaya is known for method dressing for her projects, and some fans have been worried that her black choices for No Way Home means something tragic will happen in the upcoming Marvel movie. Luckily she recently changed it up for the movie's Rome premiere, and wore a killer red and blue outfit for its Rome premiere. You can check out her outfit over on Zendaya's Instagram. Or in the photo below:

I mean, talk about a perfect Spider-Man coded outfit. Zendaya also shared the following adorable photo of her and Tom Holland together, which fans absolutely gushed over on social media. Check it out:

How cute is that? And talk about an appropriate outfit. While MJ doesn't have any super powers in the Spider-Man movies, Zendaya looks ready to kick some butt in this outfit that matches the web slinger's costume.

Law Roach also revealed over on his Instagram that the outfit is actually from the Versace Fall Winter 1997 collection, and he seemingly sourced the look from the designer's archives in order to pull it off. It's a great choice for Brand New Day, and once again shows that nobody being styled quite like the Euphoria star.

From movie premieres to Zendaya's iconic Met Gala looks, it's clear she and Law Roach have a great working relationship. She's always wearing something fresh and exciting... even if it's actually a vintage piece. I'm curious to see if we'll get more looks of her in Spider-Man's signature colors, or if she'll be going back to black. Fans seem to think that the latter has been hinting at the contents of Brand New Day, either character deaths or the long-awaited debut of Venom. Luckily, the wait for that blockbuster is nearly over, so answers are on their way.

Fans are curious about what's going to go down with Zendaya's MJ in the new Spider-Man movie, especially after No Way Home's heartbreaking ending. In it Doctor Strange's spell erased the entire world's memories of Peter Parker, including MJ and Ned. While they're safe from Spider-Man's enemies, Tom Holland's hero is now living in isolation.

Our answers will come when Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31st as part of the 2026 movie release list. Fingers crossed that MJ ends up both alive, and able to remember Peter by the end of its runtime.

Tom Holland’s reputation as Marvel’s most dangerous keeper of secrets has become almost as famous as his superhero role itself. The Spider-Man: Brand New Day star has accidentally let enough things slip over the years that Marvel fans basically treat every interview like a live-wire spoiler event. So, naturally, when Robert Downey Jr. privately told him he was returning to the MCU, he did what any noted spoiler might do: he told someone special right away.

In a recent Cinemania interview with Holland and Zendaya while the two were promoting their upcoming 2026 movie, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the couple talked about the moment Zendaya learned that Downey was returning to Marvel as Doctor Doom. The in-demand actor admitted the news reached her almost immediately after the phone call with his Marvel mentor. He recalled:

Honestly, as far as Tom Holland spoilers go, this one barely counts as a crime. Zendaya is part of the Spider-Man franchise, and the couple is obviously much more than co-stars, as they've been in a long-term relationship with marriage rumors. If Robert Downey Jr. calls to tell you personally he’s returning for a new Marvel movie, telling your fiancée feels less like leaking classified Avengers intel and more like normal human behavior.

Still, I do enjoy imagining Kevin Feige somewhere suddenly looking up from a stack of storyboards and whispering, “Tom knows.” The funny part is the Uncharted actor seems very aware that Marvel has learned to keep him at arm’s length when it comes to the biggest plot details. He continued:

That is probably the safest possible setup for everyone involved. Holland can still be excited about the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday release and whatever comes after, while Marvel keeps the really dangerous story beats locked in a vault somewhere.

It also makes sense that Downey would call the young MCU star himself. Their connection goes back to Captain America: Civil War, where Tony Stark introduced this version of Peter Parker to the larger Marvel universe. That mentor relationship became one of the emotional pillars of Holland’s run, especially through Spider-Man: Homecoming, Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame.

Off-screen, Holland has often credited Downey with helping him navigate the madness of joining Marvel at such a young age. So hearing that Downey gave him an early heads-up about his return feels genuinely sweet.

The twist, of course, is that the Oppenheimer star is not returning as Tony Stark. He is coming back as Doctor Doom, which raises approximately 9,000 questions about what that means for Peter Parker. And the young actor behind the hero sounds just as curious as everyone else, especially considering Peter’s history with Tony and the emotional crater Tony left behind after Endgame.

For now, Holland and Zendaya are busy promoting Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But somewhere out there, the next chapter of the Avengers is waiting, and the In the Heart of the Sea actor knows just enough to be excited, and thankfully, not enough to spoil everything.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31, 2026, and Avengers: Doomsday will follow suit on December 18th.

It’s been seven years since Lip Sync Battle last pitted two celebrities against each other for performances that were guaranteed to live rent-free in our heads. Jenna Dewan doing the Magic Mike dance for Channing Tatum was simply epic, and who can forget watching The Rock sing Taylor Swift? However, I’m surprised at how much Tom Holland’s performance of Rihanna’s “Umbrella” has been coming up — and especially how the latest mention relates to his wife Zendaya.

It’s been nine years since Tom Holland donned the black wig, shorts and fishnet stockings on Lip Sync Battle, but he is still talking about what he’s called the “most stressful thing I’ve ever done in my life.” It sounds like something great came out of it, though, as a source allegedly close to Zendaya said the “Umbrella” moment was when she “fell hard” for Holland and “sealed the deal” for her in their relationship. The insider told the Daily Mail:

While the Spider-Man: Far From Home stars didn’t officially confirm their relationship until 2021, rumors about the two date back to 2017 — the same year of their Lip Sync Battle — so the timing actually works out. Who knows? If Tom Holland hadn’t dressed like Rihanna, would they even be married today? (Of course, that wasn’t the only time he tried to impress Zendaya with his dance skills.)

It’s easy to see why this performance has stuck with fans through the years — and Zendaya was clearly LOVING it. Still, its impact being this strong after so much time is wild.

This is a big year for Tom Holland — with two huge projects (The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day) hitting the 2026 movie calendar this summer and a likely appearance in Avengers: Doomsday in December — and still, it always comes back to “Umbrella.” Last fall on Gordon Ramsay’s Scrambled, Holland said:

Tom Holland has consistently said he gets recognized for his Lip Sync Battle performance more than his Spider-Man movies or any other role. Then he spoke about it at length on Amy Poehler’s Good Hang podcast just this month, he said:

It’s evident by just how many times the “Umbrella” dance still comes up how significant a pop culture moment it was, but I had no idea how impactful that moment may have been for Tom Holland and Zendaya’s romance.

Be sure to catch the couple in Spider-Man: Brand New Day when it hits theaters July 31. The husband-and-wife duo will also both appear in The Odyssey, coming July 17.

We're still a little over a month away from the much-hyped Spider-Man: Brand New Day swinging onto the 2026 movie schedule, but the promotional tour is already giving MCU fans plenty to obsess over. Between the newest trailer, the mysterious plot details and Tom Holland and Zendaya making the rounds, every little detail is being picked apart. Apparently, that now includes Zendaya's wardrobe, which features a ton of black. Now, one fan theory about this color choice has me seriously nervous.

Over the last several appearances promoting Brand New Day, fans have noticed that the Euphoria actress has repeatedly worn black. Normally, I would write this off as someone simply having excellent taste. Still, one viral fan reaction on X made me pause and wonder if Marvel fans are accidentally manifesting something terrible:

The now-viral post has over 3 million views. One comment from user @lovelltrin, despite it being more than likely a joke, has me freaking out:

Suddenly, my anxiety level shot up approximately 300%. And, I’m not the only one.

Fans Have Plenty Of Theories About Zendaya's Black Wardrobe

As expected, Marvel fans immediately turned detective. Some viewers think the darker looks are teasing a death, which obviously worries me, but others also think it could be a tease for Spider-Man's black symbiote suit. Could Zendaya be quietly hinting at Venom's eventual arrival in the franchise? Maybe!

A few people have even suggested that the colors symbolize MJ's emotional state after the events of Spider-Man: No Way Home, in which Peter Parker was erased from her memory. Some of the best responses included:

• @QueennOfHades: "It's probably for the Symbiote."
• @KodyDotson: "She's teasing Venom."
• @King_DavidV: "Ok but like what if she gets the symbiote idk ig we all delusional."
• @IAmStephParker: "I think it's more so the black suit she's teasing."
• @missclara_x0: "LMAOOO y'all see one black outfit and start planning a funeral."
• @Jackson_hammers: "No one is dying black just looks awesome on her mehn."
• @aka_parkernova: "I choose to believe it represents the void MJ feels losing her memories of Peter."

That last theory hurts my Spidey-loving heart the most. Despite not remembering who Peter is, the first Brand New Day trailer hints that, deep down, MJ’s connection to him might be bubbling under the surface. So she might be mourning their breakup, even if she’s not consciously aware of what she lost.

Could A Major Character Die In Brand New Day?

Here's the thing. The original post made me laugh, but the more I thought about it, the more nervous I became. Marvel loves visual storytelling, even in promotional tours. Actor interviews and promos have become extensions of marketing campaigns, even down to wardrobes. Stars frequently coordinate colors and themes with the projects they're promoting. We've already seen both Zendaya (a known method dresser) and Holland appear in combinations of black, white, blue and red during various events. But, beyond the fashion, there is a legitimate reason for fans to be worried.

Brand New Day picks up after the devastating ending of No Way Home, which left Peter Parker completely alone. MJ, Ned and the rest of the world no longer remember him. The trailer has already hinted at a darker, more isolated Peter, and rumors about villains like Sadie Sink’s mysterious character and the possible arrival of the symbiote have only fueled speculation.

Spider-Man stories are also notoriously painful. Uncle Ben died. Gwen Stacy died. Aunt May died. Peter Parker practically has tragedy written into his DNA. So, when fans joke, "Who is dying?" forgive me if my brain immediately starts creating worst-case scenarios.

To be clear, I have absolutely no evidence that Zendaya's wardrobe is secretly foreshadowing a funeral. For all I know, black simply looks fantastic on her, which, admittedly, it does. Still, comic books and the studios have trained me to look for clues everywhere when it comes to new upcoming Marvel movies.

Thanks to one fan's comment, I probably won't be able to see another all-black press look without wondering who needs to be protected before Spider-Man: Brand New Day arrives in theaters on July 31, 2026.

It’s common knowledge that Marvel keeps details about upcoming MCU projects under lock and key (and I'd imagine inside a maximum-security vault). However, despite the efforts made to keep this information under wraps until a movie premieres, Tom Holland is notorious for spoiling MCU secrets, so much so that they stopped giving him full scripts. Now, as Spider-Man: Brand New Day approaches on the 2026 movie schedule, the Odyssey actor is working overtime to not spoil the highly anticipated summer blockbuster, and fans can’t get enough of how adorably nervous he is.

Thunderbolts* actor Wyatt Russell jokingly compared Marvel media training to that of being held at knife point; one wrong move and you’re done. If that’s the case, Tom Holland must have 9 lives, but he’s on his last legs. Check out how nervous he got when his Spider-Man co-stars seemingly came dangerously close to spoiling details about the Hulk in an interview with Fandango:

You can tell it’s not his first rodeo when it comes to avoiding spoilers, but it actually took the Uncharted actor quite a while to learn his lesson. Marvel found out early that Holland, then a fresh, excitable 20-year-old actor, didn’t know when to stop talking in interviews, so they sent Dr. Strange, veteran actor Benedict Cumberbatch, to act as a chaperone to Holland during the Avengers: Infinity War press tour. Of course, the Cherry actor still managed to spoil the cliffhanger of Infinity War during a live screening, revealing to audiences that he wasn’t really dead in the film.

The list goes on, and if you don’t believe me, there's a 13-minute compilation on YouTube of Tom Holland slipping up or narrowly dodging spoilers. I can’t imagine how much media training the poor guy has gone through, and he’s probably gotten countless lectures from Marvel and his agents. It looks like some of it has finally gotten through to him, and many fans, like @spideysbrie on X, were quick to pick up on it:

Kevin Feige, don’t take it out on our dear Peter Parker! Blame any spoilers on his besties Zendaya and Jacob Batalon, who, as @naboonat on X points out, are up to no good:

I would assume that most Marvel fans can agree that, besides the actual movies, the best part of this Spider-Man franchise is the real-life bestie dynamic between the three leads. Holland, Batalon, and Zendaya have all been on this journey together since Homecoming came out in 2017. It launched their careers, and of course, is how the couple Zendaya and Holland first met.

They’re bonded for life, and by now, these interviews together are second nature. Which means Batalon and The Drama actress are completely comfortable hilariously trying to bait Holland into revealing spoilers, and fans like @urganciosmile on X eat it up every time:

Another fan on X noted just how nervous Holland appeared to be during this whole interaction, writing:

Once again, I find myself feeling bad that the Devil All The Time actor is so paranoid about getting in trouble with Marvel, but it really is so entertaining to watch him dodge questions in interviews like he’s playing verbal minesweeper. Spider-Man: Brand New Day has been especially challenging, given the enormous cliffhanger Spider-Man: No Way Home left us with.

After the death of Aunt May and his mere presence ripping a hole in time and space, Peter Parker makes the difficult decision to save his friends and his timeline by having Dr. Strange erase his existence from everyone’s memory. There are a lot of unknowns heading into this fourth installment, and the trailers have only brought more questions, like ones regarding the Hulk and The Punisher’s involvement in this movie. The biggest question among fans has been Sadie Sink’s character, which has yet to be revealed in any context besides the fact that she has an important role.

I’m dying to know how the Stranger Things actress fits into all this, but unfortunately, Holland has been vigilant in keeping his mouth zipped. The Onward actor is almost out of the woods, and (almost) all will finally be revealed when Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31.

If you’re like me, a lifelong Spider-Man fan, you’re probably more than pumped because not only did we get a brand-new trailer for the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day, but we are also inching closer to its release on the 2026 movie schedule. As someone raised on Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man trilogy, I sometimes forget just how much “weight” comes with carrying the mantle of such a beloved character. Well, Tom Holland’s co-star and real-life partner Zendaya just reminded me by pointing out her favorite thing about him playing Spidey, and it has nothing to do with his onscreen persona.

In a chat with Fandango for the upcoming Spider-Man film, Zendaya explained that her favorite part of watching Holland be Spider-Man is not a stunt, a scene or even the way he plays Peter Parker. For her, it has everything to do with how he handles being Spidey off-screen. She explained:

What could have been a pretty standard answer to an interview question turned into one of the cutest possible images of the Uncharted star: dressed in his new head-to-toe red-and-blue spandex, meeting kids who do not see a movie star doing press but the real Spider-Man.

That is the part that really stands out to me. When I was growing up, I was always so excited about the new superhero movies, and I never thought much about whether the actors in those suits felt any responsibility beyond showing up and doing the job. You hoped they respected the character, sure, but you did not always imagine them carrying that responsibility into real life. According to Zendaya, Holland absolutely does.

That makes sense given how long the British actor has been tied to the role. Holland first appeared as Peter Parker in Captain America: Civil War before leading his own trilogy and becoming one of the emotional centers of the MCU’s post-Endgame era. He has grown up with this character in public, and fans have watched his Peter go from wide-eyed teenager to a young adult carrying a very lonely kind of grief after the ending of No Way Home.

Zendaya’s comments also add another layer to Brand New Day. After the spell that erased Peter from everyone’s memory, this next movie seems poised to follow the Wall-Crawler as he starts over without the safety net of the people who loved him. That is heavy material for a character who still means so much to kids.

Her answer quietly explains why Holland’s version has connected so strongly with fans, too. His Peter Parker has always felt sincere, sometimes painfully so. He is funny, awkward and brave, but he also feels like someone who understands that being a superhero means showing up for people even when no one knows your name.

In that way, Tom Holland feels like the living embodiment of the character, from Ben Parker’s “with great power comes great responsibility” to May’s “when you help someone, you help everyone.” You love to see it. And though he might have an idea who he wants to embody the character after he hangs it up, I hope that, given how much he cares about Spider-Man, it's not for some time.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters on July 31.

Celebrity couples have a way of making headlines, from Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively to Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift. Another pair of A-listers folks are invested in are Tom Holland and Zendaya, and there have been rumors for months that the Spider-Man stars secretly tied the knot. The Uncharted actor has finally confirmed that they did in fact get married, although faux photos of their marriage threw one member of his family for a loop.

Despite being wildly popular actors, Zendaya and Tom Holland largely keep their relationship private. Their engagement was kept under wraps, and during a recent conversation with Esquire, Holland confirmed they did actually get married. Although those AI photos of their wedding confused his grandmother, who thought thought she hadn't been invited. When asked if he had to have that conversation with other members of the family, he said:

So Holland and Zendaya have gotten married, something that fans have been wondering about for a while. While he kept tight-lipped about the actual wedding day, saying "That’s all you’ll get on that", he gushed about his relationship with the Emmy-winning Euphoria star later in the same interview. In his words:

The news of this famous couple's nuptials is sure to go viral, especially among fans who suspected they have privately walked down the aisle. It shouldn't be all that surprising; Zendaya has always wanted to get married, and the pair of actors have been together since 2016. They've spent years together, navigated fame, and also managed to maintain some privacy despite their celebrity. No wonder so many people out there ship these two stars of The Odyssey.

In the interview, Tom Holland spoke more about the challenges that can often come with being a public couple in the film industry. In his words:

He's not wrong. Both Holland and Zendaya grew up as young actors, and have obtained A-list status as some of the biggest movie stars in their generation. This allows a deeper understanding of each other that seemingly has been a boon for their relationship. That, and not oversharing with the public.

Zendaya and Tom Holland will return to the big screen together in The Odyssey on July 27th, and then again with Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31st as part of the 2026 movie release list. Not only do they understand each other's career, but they literally work together. Talk about couple goals.

Spoilers ahead for the series finale of Euphoria.

Shortly after it premiered, Euphoria became a HBO show that got the world talking. Sam Levinson's drama has been super popular, although the Euphoria series finale has been controversial for those who watched it (or streamed with a HBO Max subscription). While the reception has been mixed, actor Colman Domingo offered his perspective on how the Emmy-winning drama ended.

The third season of Euphoria picked up years after the characters graduated High School, and the stakes were much higher. Theres been a ton of discourse about Sydney Sweeney's Cassie being an OnlyFans model, as well as Zendaya's protagonist Rue dying in the finale. In a video from ET's Instagram, Domingo offered his take on how the series ended, saying:

There you go. While there are rumors Zendaya didn't like Rue's ending, Colman Domingo seems to appreciate Sam Levinson's vision for the final episode of Euphoria. And he's glad that his character Ali got to avenge Rue's death, and save Maddy from being under Alamo's influence after she attempted to save Nate. Still, I wonder if fans will agree with his perspective.

For all three seasons of Euphoria fans watched as Rue struggles with her drug addiction, and she got through almost all of Season 3 while maintaining her sobriety. That's what made her death so tragic; Alamo knew she was an addict and laced some drugs with fentanyl to kill her.

Plenty of fans wanted to see Rue survive the end of the series, and were shocked and disappointed when she overdosed before our eyes early into the series finale. But Colman Domingo seems to think that Zendaya's signature character "served her purpose" in this world, despite dying so young and never getting closure with characters like Jules. Although she certainly gave Ali purpose, including his revenge mission that resulted in a shoot out at the Silver Slipper.

Euphoria is streaming in its entirety on HBO Max as part of the 2026 TV schedule. We'll have to wait and see if Zendaya ever weighs in on the show's ending with her own official statement. Fingers crossed.

It’s quite a year for Zendaya and Tom Holland, both on- and off-screen. As the longtime lovebirds are set to appear in two blockbusters hitting the 2026 movie calendar next month, speculation continues over whether or not they’ve already tied the knot. We can’t say for sure if they’re already officially calling each other “husband and wife,” but they certainly were couples goals at a recent Spider-Man: Brand New Day event.

Fans have been swooning over Tom Holland and Zendaya’s relationship for years now — from their comfortable interactions at a tennis tournament to the MCU actor saving his partner from a wardrobe malfunction. So it’s no surprise that as we swoon over how beautiful they looked together at Monday’s press event for the upcoming Spider-Man movie, what we’re really wondering about is that gold band on Zendaya’s ring finger.

The couple — who will both appear in The Odyssey on July 14 before Spider-Man: Brand New Day premieres two weeks later — got engaged in late 2024, with Holland’s dad spilling the details of his son’s proposal preparations. It was hard to miss that 5-carat rock Zendaya toted around on her left hand in the months that followed, but then all of a sudden, a new piece of jewelry had taken the sparker’s place.

A simple gold band replaced the diamond. That definitely got people talking, but not nearly as much as when Law Roach, Zendaya’s stylist and close friend, said during an interview at the Actor Awards in March that “the wedding already happened.” Oops?

No confirmation followed from Zendaya or Tom Holland, but that gold band was still on the actress’ finger days later at Paris Fashion Week, along with a silver ring that matched her hoop earrings. Indeed, it appears to be the same one she’s wearing at the Spider-Man: Brand New Day photocall, where she appears to be reaching toward Holland as everyone looks toward the sky.

We may not know if they really did have a secret wedding in Italy, as other anonymous sources have suggested, but this has to be a wedding ring, right? Zendaya may be appearing in four movies this year, but even if she wore a prop wedding ring for The Drama, there’s no reason we’d see her at events — especially with Tom Holland — wearing a wedding band that wasn’t her own jewelry.

Not that it really matters. Tom Holland joked that studios love getting him and Zendaya as a “package deal,” but that’s not exclusive to studios. We love the cute (if rare) comments the Challengers star makes about Holland, we love their matching tattoos, we love that they got to bring their dogs to the Spider-Man set, and we love how he is Zendaya’s biggest fan. Hell, I even love that their relationship is so sacred and worth protecting that they don’t share every detail of it with us.

Whether or not they’re legally married isn’t what actually matters, but that’s not going to keep me or anybody else from clocking Zendaya’s ring finger at every press appearance this summer. Hopefully that will be a lot, because I can’t get enough of these two.

Euphoria is a wildly popular show, one that has made household names of its young cast. The third season recently wrapped for those with HBO (and streaming with an HBO Max subscription), and it should be interesting to see where the Euphoria cast goes next. While folks are betting on whether or not Sydney Sweeney might be a Bond Girl, there are also odds about Zendaya going around online.

While The Housemaid's director thinks Sweeney would be great as a Bond Girl, only time will tell how Denis Villeneuve actually casts in the mysterious 26th Bond movie. Bets are being placed about that potential casting, and the LA Times is reporting about the odds of Zendaya winning her third Emmy for Euphoria.

The outlet finds it likely that Zendaya will at least get nominated, although she'll have to beat out competition if she wants to snatch that trophy. Namely, Keri Russell from The Diplomat and Rhea Seehorn's acclaimed work in Pluribus (streaming with an Apple TV+ subscription). And although Euphoria's third season wasn't as universally acclaimed, you can't deny that she offered another killer performance.

The internet blew up when Zendaya won her first Emmy for Euphoria Season 1, and fans were similarly thrilled when she got another for Season 2. And while Euphoria's series finale was controversial, the 29-year-old actress's performance has once again been universally acclaimed. And with the final season in the rearview, folks are invested in whether or not the Dune actress gets yet another Emmy for her portrayal of Rue.

In my opinion, I definitely think that Zendaya deserves another Emmy for the third season of Euphoria. Despite some complaints about the season, she expertly slipped back into character and balanced both humor and the high-stakes drama of Rue's role in organized crime. Her performance in the controversial finale was particularly strong, and I think that might be the episode that's submitted for Emmy consideration. Either way, it's clear that the internet is paying attention and invested in her possibly scoring a third trophy.

While there were rumors about Zendaya having beef with Sydney Sweeney, the real truth is that both actresses' careers are thriving. And there's been no actual evidence of bad blood; it's mostly fans reading into their interactions (or lack thereof) on the red carpet.

Euphoria is streaming in its entirety now on HBO Max as part of the 2026 TV schedule. We'll just have to wait and see if Zendaya wins that Emmy, and if Sweeney actually becomes a Bond Girl.

Zendaya’s got two upcoming book-to-screen adaptations that have been drumming up some serious buzz amongst fans. She’ll be reprising her role as the Fremen warrior Chani in Dune: Part Three and will play the goddess Athena in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. Recently, the Euphoria star showed her love for the stories that inspired her new roles by posing with copies of the respective texts at an independent bookstore. With that, literature lovers quickly locked in on a key detail.

The Emmy winner paid a visit to Rakestraw Books, where she chatted with the staff and received great reading recommendations. In the Danville-based bookstore’s post below, you can see Zendaya posing with some the reads that just so happen to be the basis for her upcoming 2026 movie schedule titles. Take a look at the bibliophile’s fun photo below:

How perfect was it that Zendaya was able to find Dune and The Odyssey at the independent bookstore just as her movie adaptations are soon to be released? What's more is that I love the funny (and knowing) pose she gives in the photo. Not to speak for the A-lister, but I could imagine such a moment feeling quite gratifying for her. That's especially due to her having filmed Dune: Part Three and The Odyssey simultaneously and put in a lot of serious work.

As much as fans loved seeing the Drama actress holding copies of those beloved stories, they noticed one key detail regarding the version of Homer's epic poem that she picked up. Take a look at the comments and see if you noticed the same thing:

• "And the Wilson translation 👏🔥 She knows ball." - @ hayleysgilmore
• "She knows best to pick up the Emily Wilson translation of The Odyssey🔥👏 " - @nicolectomaz
• "& she's holding the best translation 🤭💕" - @radheka
• "It’s the Wilson translation for me!!!! 📚🧚🏼‍♀️🧜🏾‍♀️" - @my_beasty
• "Not for nothing but that Emily Wilson Odyssey translation is 🔥🔥" - @phantom_in_the_stacks
• "The Emily Wilson translation right right" - @friendlizard

Yes, the former Disney Channel star is holding the Emily Wilson translation of The Odyssey, which just happens to be considered one of the best translations for beginners of Homer’s classic poem. Compared to previous romanticized versions, Wilson’s iteration of the ancient Greek epic is widely lauded for its clarity and directness. No wonder literary fans are going gaga over it in the comments!

Interestingly, a fun fact to know about Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is that the British filmmaker used Emily Wilson’s translation as one of his film’s major sources. With that, Nolan’s tweaks for his upcoming fantasy-action film may help make the story a bit more accessible to general audiences.

Not only do the trailers for Nolan's latest historical epic show the characters speaking contemporary English, but it also features a heightened, reimagined version of the ancient world. I'm hopeful that that'll bring a fresh perspective to the story though, of course, I'm confident that Nolan will also stay true to its core themes and events.

I can imagine book devotees will have a lot to say about The Odyssey after it hits theaters, and the same may be true after the Dune threequel opens as well. Personally, my excitement for these films is already quite high and, after seeing Zendaya's photo (complete with the Watson-translated book), I'm getting even more psyched.

Make sure to see Zendaya take on the Goddess of Wisdom when The Odyssey opens in theaters and IMAX on July 17th. Also, see the starlet reprise Chani in Dune: Part Three, which hits cinemas on December 18th.

There have been a lot of marriage rumors swirling around Zendaya and Tom Holland lately, with fans trying to spot a ring, a clue or any tiny sign that the two may have tied the knot. Now, both stars are making the magazine-cover rounds, and naturally, the internet is feasting. So, as Zendaya absolutely smolders in her new cover shoot, Holland’s matching tattoo is the thing that really has my attention.

GQ shared several images from Holland’s latest shoot, including a close-up of him wearing a sheer sleeveless top. If you look just beneath his armpit, you can spot what appears to be his “Z” tattoo. Yes, that is “Z” as in Zendaya. As in the apparent matching counterpart to the “T” ink Zendaya has previously shown on red carpets. Check it out for yourself below:

Zendaya’s new ELLE UK cover spread, which you can see below, is stunning enough to hijack the whole conversation on its own. The photos have a sun-baked, mythic energy, and the outlet also pulled a quote about her nearing 30 while still feeling like a kid inside. Paired with Holland’s reflective GQ interview about turning 30, the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day and his next chapter in Hollywood, the two shoots feel oddly in conversation with each other. Great photos all around. No notes from the beautiful-people department.

But we do need to go back to that tattoo in Holland's shoot. That is the detail my brain latched onto. The couple has an incredibly busy 2026 movie calendar, but it's probably these covers that will remain on my mind come 2027.

Holland and Zendaya have never been the kind of couple to turn their relationship into a full-time public performance, which is part of why fans lose their minds over small details. A tiny bit of ink hidden in the crook of Holland’s arm, while he is styled like a handsome medieval sad boy in a GQ spread, is gonna create some online chatter.

The matching-tattoo situation has been floating around for a while, but Zendaya’s “T” has been easier to spot. She has given fans enough visual evidence to start connecting dots (as you can see below). Holland’s “Z,” on the other hand, has been more elusive. But finally, we have a glimpse of the thing tucked into the photo, casual enough to feel accidental and obvious enough for fans of the duo to put on their detective goggles immediately.

The timing also makes this feel extra sweet. Holland is turning 30, he's having a big year with his return as Spider-Man and The Odyssey. Zendaya is in a similar chapter, as her final Dune film hits theaters this December, Euphoria just wrapped, and she's set to appear in The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Seeing these two, who became global fixtures through the MCU’s Spider-Man movies, quietly carry matching tattoos as they move into their next decade is weirdly touching.

So yes, Zendaya’s ELLE UK cover is stunning. Holland’s GQ spread is moody and handsome and very “actor entering his serious-thoughts era.” But that little “Z” tattoo in the crook of his arm? That’s the detail I’ll be thinking about. Peter Parker may be heading into a Brand New Day, but Tomdaya fans just got their own little multiverse event.

The two will reunite on screen when Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters July 31, 2026.

There have been a lot of marriage rumors swirling around Zendaya and Tom Holland lately, with fans trying to spot a ring, a clue or any tiny sign that the two may have tied the knot. Now, both stars are making the magazine-cover rounds, and naturally, the internet is feasting. So, as Zendaya absolutely smolders in her new cover shoot, Holland’s matching tattoo is the thing that really has my attention.

GQ shared several images from Holland’s latest shoot, including a close-up of him wearing a sheer sleeveless top. If you look just beneath his armpit, you can spot what appears to be his “Z” tattoo. Yes, that is “Z” as in Zendaya. As in the apparent matching counterpart to the “T” ink Zendaya has previously shown on red carpets. Check it out for yourself below:

Zendaya’s new ELLE UK cover spread, which you can see below, is stunning enough to hijack the whole conversation on its own. The photos have a sun-baked, mythic energy, and the outlet also pulled a quote about her nearing 30 while still feeling like a kid inside. Paired with Holland’s reflective GQ interview about turning 30, the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day and his next chapter in Hollywood, the two shoots feel oddly in conversation with each other. Great photos all around. No notes from the beautiful-people department.

But we do need to go back to that tattoo in Holland's shoot. That is the detail my brain latched onto. The couple has an incredibly busy 2026 movie calendar, but it's probably these covers that will remain on my mind come 2027.

Holland and Zendaya have never been the kind of couple to turn their relationship into a full-time public performance, which is part of why fans lose their minds over small details. A tiny bit of ink hidden in the crook of Holland’s arm, while he is styled like a handsome medieval sad boy in a GQ spread, is gonna create some online chatter.

The matching-tattoo situation has been floating around for a while, but Zendaya’s “T” has been easier to spot. She has given fans enough visual evidence to start connecting dots (as you can see below). Holland’s “Z,” on the other hand, has been more elusive. But finally, we have a glimpse of the thing tucked into the photo, casual enough to feel accidental and obvious enough for fans of the duo to put on their detective goggles immediately.

The timing also makes this feel extra sweet. Holland is turning 30, and GQ even cited his earlier quote about not wanting to keep playing Spider-Man after 30 unless something went wrong. Now, of course, he has filmed Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the next Marvel entry for Peter Parker, and he seems to be thinking about legacy, transition and what comes next.

Zendaya is in a similar grown-up career chapter, balancing major franchises -- her final Dune film hits theaters this December, Euphoria just wrapped, and she's set to appear in The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Seeing these two, who became global fixtures through the MCU’s Spider-Man movies, quietly carry matching tattoos as they move into their next decade is weirdly touching.

So yes, Zendaya’s ELLE UK cover is stunning. Holland’s GQ spread is moody and handsome and very “actor entering his serious-thoughts era.” But that little “Z” tattoo in the crook of his arm? That’s the detail I’ll be thinking about. Peter Parker may be heading into a Brand New Day, but Tomdaya fans just got their own little multiverse event.

The two will reunite on screen when Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters July 31, 2026.

Sam Levinson's Euphoria has officially come to the end of its run on HBO (and streaming with a HBO Max subscription). While fans can't agree with the Euphoria series finale, there's also ongoing chatter about a possible feud between its stars. And some fans think that they've spotted more clues in the posts that Sydney Sweeney made when the show ended.

Euphoria is definitely a HBO show that got the world talking, thanks to drama both on and off screen. Since the start of Season 3, fans have been questioning if Sweeney and Zendaya have a beef, since they weren't seen together at the premiere. Following the final episode, the Madame Web actress posted some pictures, none of which included Zendaya. For instance, she put up the following cute picture of her dog on set:

How cute is that? While this image looks innocent enough, some fans noticed that Sydney Sweeney's post-finale posts were noticeably missing the Spider-Man actress. This isn't hard evidence of a feud between the two Euphoria stars, but folks are still chattering online about whether or not there's beef between the pair of A-listers.

While it's still unclear if there's actual bad blood between these two, there's been discourse that Zendaya might be distancing herself from Sydney Sweeney. Namely because of controversies surrounding the latter actress such as that infamous American Eagle jeans commercial.

Sweeney has been saying goodbye to Euphoria with a variety of posts... which happen to not include Zendaya. Another post can be seen below, and is a set photo of her in costume as Cassie Howard.

Of course, it's worth noting that these posts don't feature any of Sweeney's co-stars. Still, some corners of the internet are taking this as proof that there's a beef between her and Zendaya. We'll jut have to wait and see if one of the actors actually comments on this ongoing discourse.

This chatter comes as rumors swirl Zendaya was unhappy with how Euphoria ended. She notably wasn't an EP on the third and final season, despite being one on the first two. Sweeney posted yet another IG Story that didn't feature any of her co-stars, check it out below:

Once again, Sweeney didn't' share any photos with he castmates. So I'm not sure this is evidence that she's got a beef with Zendaya. Because by this standard, you could say the same for any of the other actors like Maude Apatow or Alexa Demie.

Euphoria's third and final season is streaming in its entirety over on HBO Max as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Only time will tell if the cast eventually comments about the rumored feuds.

When Spider-Man: Brand New Day comes out on the 2026 movie schedule, it will mark nine years since Tom Holland and Zendaya collaborated for the first time on Spider-Man: Homecoming. Since then, they’ve become quite the power couple, and they’ve continued working together. Now, the Peter Parker actor has revealed a conversation he had with his partner while making this new movie that he would not have had with an actress he wasn’t in a relationship with.

As we get closer to the release of this upcoming Marvel movie, Holland is sharing some BTS stories about filming his fourth Spider-Man film. When he appeared on Good Hang, he told Amy Poehler all about a conversation he had with Zendaya that led to a dramatic change in a scene for the movie. Recalling the tough conversation they had, he said:

Yeah, I’d imagine asking your scene partner if what they’re filming is working isn’t something that’s super welcome. However, because Tom Holland and Zendaya have been a couple for so long (they got engaged at the end of 2024), I’d assume there’s a level of trust and understanding between them that makes critical conversations like this significantly easier.

This turned out to be a vital conversation, too, because it led to a really great change. Explaining what happened after he asked Zendaya if the scene was working, Holland said:

While that had to have been a hard conversation to have, the Spider-Man: Brand New Day director was totally accepting and open to the note. After that, they worked together to rework the scene and make it better. Explaining the process that began because he asked Zendaya that question, Holland said:

He went on to say that if he had asked another actor if the scene was working, it probably wouldn’t have gone over well. And that likely would have meant that this big and important change didn’t happen.

Since he’s in a relationship with Zendaya, they know each other so well that they’re able to communicate in a way that people who are only colleagues might not be able to. So, thank goodness they’re actually a couple, because now we’ll get this scene in Spider-Man: Brand New Day that “sings.”

In the past, Zendaya has spoken about Holland being her “favorite” person to work with, and in 2026 alone, they’ll be in two movies together, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey. So, it’s clear they have a rapport, both in a personal and professional sense, that benefits them and the projects they work on.

Now, to see these two back together on screen, you can watch The Odyssey in theaters on July 17. And then to see them return as Peter and MJ, you can catch Spider-Man: Brand New Day (and this scene that was changed because of their relationship) in theaters on July 31.

Spoilers ahead for the series finale of Euphoria.

While plenty of TV shows had series finales that were actually good, it's often difficult to stick the landing... especially for beloved shows. For years folks watched Sam Levinson's Emmy-winning drama Euphoria on HBO (and streaming with a HBO Max subscription), although the final episode was a bit controversial. And after rumors that Zendaya didn't like the ending, now her mother has commented about that heartbreaking Rue twist.

Shortly after its premiere, Euphoria joined the ranked of HBO shows that got the world talking, thanks to its amazing performances, unique visual language, and dramatic story. Fans are split on Euphoria's ending, which saw Rue overdose early into its runtime. Zendaya's mother Claire Stoermer took to her Instagram Stories to share her response to the episode, posting:

Well, it sounds like Stoermer might not have loved how Euphoria ended. But since she had to watch her daughter pretend to OD in the final episode, can you really blame her? Of course, fans are going to be curious about the comments she's chosen to keep close to the chest.

This cryptic post might encourage online chatter about Zendaya possibly being unhappy with Euphoria's series finale. There's been plenty of rumors swirling around online, especially after the actress didn't do press for Season 3 and wasn't credited as an Executive Producer as she had been in the first two seasons. Some folks theorize that she had a falling out over Rue's ending, but it remains to be seen if there is any validity to the discourse.

It's more than possible that Claire Stoermer's IG Story is just about her own feelings, and not a reflection of what her A-list daughter thinks about how Euphoria ended for Rue. After all, the original Israeli show that the HBO series was based on also saw its protagonist die of an overdose. Regardless, there are clearly tons of fans who aren't happy with this tragic ending.

While the series finale had some great moments like its tribute to late actor Angus Cloud, it's also gotten criticism for its handling of various characters. That includes Hunter Schafer's Jules, who had just one scene (and no dialogue).

Euphoria is streaming in its entirety on HBO Max as part of the 2026 TV schedule. We'll just have to wait and see if Zendaya weighs in on how the series ended.

Peter Parker and MJ’s ending in Spider-Man: No Way Home remains one of the more emotionally rude things the MCU has done to me personally. After everything those two went through, Peter choosing to let MJ and Ned forget him felt heroic, sure, but also like watching someone gently shut a door on my little Spider-heart. Apparently, Zendaya is right there with us as she opens up about being in her “feels” about Peter and MJ’s split in the upcoming Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Speaking with Empire for its July issue about her 2026 movie calendar release, the actress opened up about where Peter and MJ stand after Doctor Strange’s spell erased Peter Parker from everyone’s memory. And yes, she knows exactly how painful that split feels for fans who just wanted these two kids to catch one single break. She explained:

That is the part that hurts, right? It is not that Peter and MJ stopped caring about each other. It is not that they had some messy breakup over college, distance or the kinds of things that normal young relationships go through. Their relationship was torn apart by a spell Peter agreed to, believing it would keep the people he loved safe. That is peak Peter Parker tragedy.

No Way Home ended with Tom Holland’s Peter visiting MJ at the coffee shop where she worked, only to realize she and Ned were better off without him re-entering their lives. It was a quiet, painful little scene after a movie full of MCU multiverse chaos, leaving Peter fully alone as Spider-Man.

What makes Brand New Day especially interesting is that MJ’s side of the relationship has been reset, at least from her perspective. She does not share the same emotional history as Peter, which creates a strange acting challenge for Zendaya. She continued:

That is fascinating and also deeply upsetting. For MJ, Peter is not her boyfriend who sacrificed their future. He is, presumably, just some guy. But for Peter, she is still MJ. She is still the person who knew him, loved him and was there for the most impossible parts of his life.

Reportedly, MJ has another romantic interest in Brand New Day, played by Ahsoka actor Eman Esfandi. Which, emotionally speaking, feels like somebody kicked Peter Parker in the ribs while he was already down.

That said, it also sounds like MJ and Spider-Man will still cross paths in the upcoming superhero movie. It seems the pair will somehow pair up, while Spidey does his neighborhood Spidey heroics, which could give the movie a very different dynamic from the earlier trilogy. MJ may not know Peter, but she knows Spider-Man exists. That opens the door to all kinds of painful dramatic irony, with Peter trying to protect someone who does not remember why he would do so.

The best thing about Zendaya’s comments is that she clearly cares about the emotional continuity, even when the character technically does not remember it. That gives me hope Brand New Day will not treat Peter and MJ’s separation like a simple plot reset. It sounds like the heartbreak is the point.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day swings into theaters July 29. Check your local listings for showtimes closer to release. Or if you want to revisit the Home trilogy of Spider-Man flicks, all the Spider-Man movies for that matter, they are streaming with a Disney+ subscription.

Major spoilers ahead for the series finale of Euphoria.

Shortly after its premiere, Sam Levinson's Euphoria joined the list of HBO shows that got the world talking. Fans have been watching its long-awaited third season on the network (and streaming with a HBO Max subscription), and it's been a doozy. The series finale saw Zendaya's protagonist Rue surprisingly die, and fans can't seem to agree on whether or not this was the right choice for the Emmy-winning series.

Euphoria Season 3 in many ways felt like a new show, with new music, visuals, and a much more adult story. Rue's death was a twist that I was dreading, and the fact that Alamo caused her relapsed and poisoned her with fentanyl was especially heartbreaking. And the discourse from the fans has been very real since the episode aired.

Some Fans Agree With Sam Levinson About The Finale.

Sam Levinson's work on Euphoria was inspired by his own history with drug abuse. And in the inside-the-episode segement he shared that Rue's death was unfortunately very realistic and "honest" given how pervasive fentanyl has become in the drug world. There are some fans who I appreciated the unapologetic way that he killed of Zendaya's character, and they're sounding off online. One such tweet reads:

Another defense of Rue's death is that it's exactly how the original Israeli series ended. Indeed, Sam Levinson's show is a new adaptation of a pre-existing show. As a twitter account pointed out:

Additionally, some fans are pointed out that Rue's ending mirrors the real-life death of actor Angus Cloud. Season 3 has been honoring Cloud in many ways, and the finale featured a beautiful shot of him and Zendaya. As another fan posted:

The official Instagram account of Euphoria posted a goodbye message to Rue, and there are plenty of folks sounding off in the comments, sharing how emotionally effective they thought the ending was. Some responses include:

• Thank you euphoria😭😭😭
• I knew the promised land was her getting to be with her dad again😭❤️‍🩹 I’m sobbing
• This entire Series has been quite a ride. Reflective of society. Incredible, beautiful chaos.
• knew Rue would OD once Alamo gave her them pills but Ali getting his revenge for her was EPIC!!! Also Bishop riding for Maddie woooo

Clearly there are some folks who thought that the Euphoria series finale was effective, including Rue's death. On the other side of the coin, there are some fans who are seriously unhappy.

A Lot Of Them Seem Really Unhappy

Twitter exploded after the Euphoria finale aired, with a lot of the discourse being about Levinson's decision to kill off Rue. There are a ton of angry tweets and comments online, some of which read:

• after today i never wanna see sam levinson touch a story about addiction ever again matter of fact never let him write or direct ever again - @manonfilms
• euphoria now joins the boys, stranger things and game of thrones as one of the worst final seasons ever in a show - @meltborne
• so zendaya doesn’t promote season 3 at all, she’s no longer a producer, shows up to the premiere so late and only does solo photos, and you want me to think she was happy with rue’s ending? - @mr_tashiduncan
• sam levinson is actually useless because how did we miss out on a funeral scene where all the characters could’ve been together but somehow had time for 10 scenes about kitty’s botched bbl - @rubentothewild
• I know three people THREE who’ve died of fentanyl overdose. I think the Euphoria season 3 plot was cheap, gratuitous, sloppy, lazy and offensive and I think Sam Levinson needs to be in director’s jail for his crimes against his characters. Wow! Samuel please enter the pits! - @NINETIESWITCH

Well, they certainly aren't holding back their opinions. Euphoria fans clearly have a ton of love for Rue, and there are lots of folks who were disappointed with her ending. Zendaya's character overdosed fairly early into the episode itself, and it was a bleak final chapter of the acclaimed series. Some people wanted a happy ending, or at least more screen time for the starring cast. Instead it was Colman Domingo's Ali who ended up being the focus of the latter half of the Season 3 finale.

It should be interesting to see how the discourse continues for Euphoria's final episode, and if opinions change as time passes. After all, it's almost impossible to please everyone when wrapping up a beloved show.

Euphoria is streaming in its entirety on HBO Max as part of the 2026 TV schedule. We'll just have to wait and see if Zendaya ends up weighing in on her character's final chapter.

Sam Levinson's Euphoria is a bona fide sensation, joining the ranks of HBO shows that got the world talking back in Season 1. The long-awaited third season is airing now on the network (and with an HBO Max subscription), and it's been a doozy so far. There is one last episode coming down the line, and I'm worried that one of the main characters is going to get killed off. Namely, Zendaya's protagonist Rue.

Euphoria Season 3 picked up years after the characters graduated from high school, and the stakes couldn't get much higher. This is especially true for Rue, who is in the middle of an organized crime battle... while also secretly working for the DEA. And I'm getting nervous that the show's lead character is going to end up like Adriana in The Sopranos. Hear me out.

I Really Hope Rue Doesn't Get The Adriana Sopranos Treatment

It's been hinted that Season 3 might be Euphoria's final chapter, including by Emmy-winning Zendaya herself. And as such, Rue's situation feels especially precarious ahead of the season finale. She's got two different crime lords who seemingly want her dead, and that's without her even being outed as an informant for the DEA. And if both Laurie and Alamo find out the truth, smart money says she'll be in even more danger.

I had Sopranos flashbacks as soon as Rue ended up being questioned by the DEA, and not-so-subtly strong-armed into giving them information about Laurie and Alamo's drug deals. Adriana was my favorite character on David Chase's acclaimed HBO series, and the fact that Euphoria is on the same network made the connection even stronger. And with one episode left, I'm seriously worried that Euphoria's lead character is about to meet her maker.

While they have very different stories and backgrounds, I can't help but see the similarities between Rue and Adriana. Both were unwillingly roped into being informants, putting them in even more danger than they already were. Rue was forced into her life as a drug mule because of the money she owed Laurie, while Adriana was systematically targeted by the FBI due to Christopher's involvement in the mob. We all know what happened to Drea de Matteo's character in The Sopranos, and I'm really hoping that Rue is spared in Euphoria's Season 3 finale.

Unfortunately, it's not looking great for Zendaya's signature character. The penultimate episode of Season 3 saw Faye betraying her, which will seemingly put her in even more danger with Laurie's crew. Then there's Alamo, who was informed of her DEA connection thanks to Maddie's desperation to save Cassie. Both criminal bosses seemingly want her dead, and things are going to go from bad to worse if her identity as a mole comes out.

All will be revealed when Euphoria's finale airs this Sunday as part of the 2026 TV schedule. Fingers crossed Rue survives all the drama. Folks who want to re-watch Adriana's time on The Sopranos can stream it over on HBO Max.

Ever since Zendaya turned up with a massive engagement ring on her finger at the beginning of last year, the actress has been the subject of a lot of chatter around weddings and marriage. Plus one of her many 2026 movies is The Drama, where she stars as a bride-to-be, as well. While she hasn’t said much about her own alleged nuptials with Tom Holland, she did disclose a cute story about her longtime connection with wedding gowns.

Earlier this year, Zendaya and her stylist did what they do best: method dressing to promote one of her movies. The theme was weddings for The Drama press tour and she wore “something new, something old, something borrowed, and something blue”. While talking about getting to wear a wedding dress for the movie as well, Zendaya had this to say:

Oh, now we need to see these Halloween photos. I bet she was adorable! I personally don’t think this is odd at all. I was every Disney Princess for Halloween I could be as a kid, and a lot of that probably had to do with wanting to wear pretty dresses, too. Brides are so gorgeous and beautiful, too – what five to six year old wouldn’t want to be one?

For The Drama, Zendaya wore a lovely simple wedding dress for the film before wearing a couple of other white gowns at premieres. I know my favorite has to be at the Los Angeles premiere when exemplified “something old” by rewearing what she donned at her very first Oscars – which happened to be a white gown. After knowing this background about Zendaya’s past with wedding gowns, I’m happy she got to go all out on wedding dresses for The Drama recently.

Zendaya also reportedly recently wore her own wedding dress when she allegedly got married to Tom Holland, but we may never see what it looked like. The pair are couples goals but are notoriously private about their personal lives. Amidst rumors of the two getting married, Zendaya spoke recently about understanding the “parasocial investment” fans have with them while also sharing how important it is for her to “have things for [herself]” outside of the public eye.

You can rent The Drama at home right now and get ready to see Zendaya in The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day this July.

The Drama is one of those movies that’s instantly polarizing. Its topic and style will produce mixed reactions. I knew this going into the film, because I saw a TMZ article that spoiled the main topic before the movie even hit theaters. This instantly made me hesitant to watch The Drama.

Then I saw some of the critics’ reactions. This made me even more cautious about watching The Drama. It’s a serious subject matter that I don’t think should ever be played for laughs. When I actually watched the movie, the conversations around it became a lot more nuanced than expected.

Warning: The Drama spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution. Trigger warning about topics of gun violence and murder.

The Drama Was More About Factors That Lead To School Shootings Than The Act Of Them

TMZ’s article talked about a parent being upset about The Drama covering the topic of a school shooting. I was immediately disgusted by the idea. In the film, Emma (Zendaya) reveals to her fiancé and friends that the worst thing she ever did was plan a school shooting. She didn’t execute it, but came close. A24 marketed the movie as a romantic comedy. Therefore, I automatically expected the film to try to make light of the situation and focus on the love story between Emma and Charlie (Robert Pattinson).

Because of Zendaya and Pattinson, The Drama was one of the upcoming A24 movies that I looked forward to seeing the most. Learning about the twist made me lose some interest. However, I still planned to watch it in theaters or when it became available to stream. Once I watched the movie, I found myself less outraged and more understanding of what writer and director Kristoffer Borgli tries to convey with The Drama.

Emma tells Charlie about how she became fascinated by the idea of a mass murder and guns. Then she tells him why she didn’t go through with it, and then she became radicalized in the opposite direction. She became an advocate against guns and violence. Young Emma (Jordyn Curet) is portrayed as highly impressionable.

She doesn’t know how to deal with her emotions, so she glamorizes something dark and disturbing. However, through these school-mandated programs, she starts to see the humanity behind the people she almost killed. One of The Drama’s most powerful scenes is just Emma looking at one of her potential victims. She cries because she seemingly finally grasps the severity of the situation

Not everyone who does a mass shooting is just a lost child. I think that’s why some people have problems with the movie. It humanizes and reduces something so devastating to a simple concept. A lot of these people who end up committing these acts have mental health issues, or lack empathy, or suffer from other behavioral problems. However, Emma isn’t the poster child for all mass shooters. She represents a group of them who are impressionable children who find comfort in the wrong things. She is not the archetype for school shooters.

I Found Myself Sympathizing With Emma More Than Expected

The Drama kind of portrays Emma as someone who just grew out of this phase because of finding friends, a cause, and these programs. That’s not necessarily the best way to treat this situation, but Emma represents a certain type of child. The film is critical of modern times. We live in an age where there is so much information to absorb and consume. Therefore, children can, unfortunately, be influenced by what and how much information they watch or read a day. They can be radicalized in the wrong ways by group chats, social media, television, music, etc.

Many children who are bullied don’t automatically decide to kill people. Nonetheless, there are children who find themselves easily influenced by things around them, especially if they spend too much time by themselves searching the internet. Many parents are too busy and drained to regulate everything their child consumes, especially during key development stages. Emma should be judged and persecuted (in a way) for her almost actions.

However, we must remember that she’s a young child who was influenced because she had easy access to too many things and not enough restrictions, guidance, and the development of social norms. Emma isn’t portrayed like every teen, but some may relate to her feeling of isolation and the desire to hurt others, but never acting on those desires. This is a scary reality that we unfortunately face in today’s society.

I Felt Conflicted About Charlie’s Behavior

The Drama has a very harsh twist that makes the movie work. Charlie is put in a nearly impossible situation. He learns that his future wife almost committed a heinous crime. No one would know how to handle the situation. You instantly relate to him. I think many would leave their fiancé, but some may try to work past it. Charlie cannot make a decision.

That’s where the problems with this character start. He continues to be indecisive on whether to protect her from the discussions and judgment, or to leave her because she’s not who he thought she was, and now can’t understand who she is and almost was. Charlie then starts to engage in his own bad behavior, including almost having sex with a coworker.

He starts to morph into a bit of a villain. That’s where the comedy of The Drama resides. It’s in Charlie’s extreme behavior. I found myself annoyed with him at times, but then I remind myself that I don’t know how I would handle the situation.

However, Charlie is frustrating because he just didn’t communicate with Emma. Instead of being fully honest, he continued to try to pretend everything was okay. This led to things continuing to escalate and go downhill.

The School Shooting Aspects Were Still Hard To Deal With, But I Didn’t Ever Feel Like The Movie Was Desensitized To The Victims

I am still conflicted by The Drama. This type of film can be very triggering for families of victims of mass shootings. People need to be warned before seeing it. It also humanizes Emma, and some may not want to see people who did or could do this humanized, when this type of thing causes so much devastation.

Rachel (Alana Haim)’s cousin is a victim of a school shooting. It has left her paralyzed. The character only briefly appears in The Drama, but I never felt like the movie was making fun of her or what happened to her. It just needed someone to represent a victim of these hideous acts. I can only speak from my perspective, so others may have viewed and reacted to the movie differently because of their lived experiences.

They are right for whatever they felt about The Drama. I never saw the movie as desensitized to the victims and their families. I saw it as a movie that showcases a couple handling a nearly impossible situation. And a movie trying to show and criticize how too much access to a developing mind can lead down dark roads.

I Still Can’t Believe Emma And Charlie Got Married

I think The Drama will join the list of movies with controversial endings. Emma and Charlie have the wedding from hell because Charlie never communicates his thoughts and fears about her. He lets them get married when they shouldn’t have. The Drama is not going to be on any best rom-com of all-time lists because it almost feels like an anti-rom-com.

The movie ends with them starting over, but I think they should have moved on.

2026 might as well be called “The Year of Zendaya,” as she has a lot on her plate. Already, she's intrigued audiences by helping to show the wild side of pre-marital conflicts in The Drama. The long-awaited third season of Euphoria has also been airing. And, later this year, she'll star in 2026 movie releases like Dune: Part Three and The Odyssey (which also stars her The Drama co-star, Robert Pattinson). That sounds like a lot, and I had second-hand anxiety for Zendaya when she discussed working on Euphoria, Dune, and The Odyssey simultaneously.

Zendaya got her start on the Disney Channel, so it's impressive to think that she's now one of Hollywood's most-sought-after talents. Still, the sheer volume of projects she had to work on over the last year is just wild. The star opened up about that working experience with Elle, and I dare you not to get stressed out while reading the comments:

Considering what a prolific filmmaker Christopher Nolan is, I would have anxiety as well if I messed up in the Oscar winner's presence as well. The whole situation just sounds so incredibly stressful on its own let alone having to get into character for Rue in Euphoria, learn lines in a different language for Dune's Chani and then travel to Iceland for The Odyssey.

How does she do it, you may ask? The Challengers actress previously said she credited good scheduling and her team for her ability to film all of her projects at once. Learning how to juggle is a real balancing act that the Emmy winner has clearly mastered. Unsurprisingly, she can also hit her lines, and Nolan had some grace for her when speaking to the aforementioned outlet:

Aww, I love that! Such comments shouldn't be surprising either, as Nolan is a filmmaker who's proven he knows how to work with actors. He had quite a few to work with in his upcoming historical epic, for which he cast Zendaya as Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom. Nolan spoke more about the Greatest Showman taking on such a significant character in his adaptation of Homer's epic poem:

The ability to simultaneously juggle a lot of roles at once is definitely an outstanding skill for an actor to have Even Zendaya's Odyssey co-star, Matt Damon, said he was impressed with her doing work on their epic fantasy flick together and then having to go film Euphoria right after. I love that Damon even joked about his envy of only getting a “good” from Nolan after completing a scene, only for Zendaya to receive a “perfect” from their director.

As stressful as it may be to know Zendaya was flipping back and forth between Euphoria, Dune and The Odyssey, I also applaud her for getting it all done. But, after her high-profile run, the A-lister is planning take a page from Jennifer Lawrence’s playbook and just be low-key for a while. She told Elle she’ll still stay busy with family and launching the running shoe and apparel brand, On, with longtime stylist Law Roach. I'd say she's more than earned a rest.

See Zendaya in The Odyssey, which opens in theaters on July 17 and, just two weeks later, she'll appear alongside Tom Holland in Spider-Man: Brand New Day on July 31. Also, be sure to check her out in Dune: Part Three, which hits cinemas on December 18.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a well-oiled machine at this point, one that constantly releases new content in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. The next highly anticipated upcoming Marvel movie is Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which will finally catch up with Tom Holland's hero after No Way Home's twist ending. And Zendaya describing working with her romantic partner on the movie is truly couples goals.

The Spider-Man: Brand New Day trailer showed how strange things are between Peter and MJ, thanks to Doctor Strange's spell erasing her memories. Fans are eager to see if they're able to reunite, and in a conversation with Elle, Zendaya gushed about working with Holland on the blockbuster. In her words:

How sweet is that? Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order will remember that this pair of A-listers met and fell in love while working on Spider-Man: Homecoming together, and Brand New Day marks their fourth movie within the MCU. The pair are also both in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, although it's currently unclear how many scenes they'll actually have together on the epic drama.

While both actors' profiles have continuously grown in the years since their first Spider-Man movie, it's heartening to hear how filming Brand New Day was like "coming home" for them. Although Zendaya's comments are likely only going to increase discourse about whether or not the pair secretly tied the knot.

In early March, there were reports that Zendaya and Tom Holland actually got married, but the actors haven't confirmed or denied this claim. They were engaged back in January of 2025, to the delight of fans out there. We'll just have to wait and see how they collaborate in Brand New Day, and if they are actually married or not.

The limited footage from the new Spider-Man movie showed Tom Holland's Peter Parker living a solitary life, helping a world where no one remembers who he is. But he's continuing to monitor MJ and Ned through social media, and also seemingly moving into their building. Will their love overcome Doctor Strange's spell? Only time will tell.

All will be revealed when Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31st as part of the 2026 movie release list. Since it'll be here soon, hopefully, we're treated to some footage to help hold us over.

As we head closer to the middle of the summer season, we’re getting more excited for Christopher Nolan’s take on The Odyssey joining other highly anticipated 2026 movie releases. While seeing what the director does with the classic epic unquestionably excited, so does the massive cast. And, apparently working with Zendaya particularly impressed Nolan – somewhat to Damon and Tom Holland’s chagrin.

Matt Damon gave Zendaya her flowers for playing the role of Athena in The Odyssey. As he shared, when it comes to working with Christopher Nolan, the director doesn’t give out compliments left and right to actors on set, but for Zendaya that was a different story. In his words, per Elle:

According to Damon, who has worked with the filmmaker on two other movies previous to The Odyssey Nolan will often react to a take with “Yep, good. Okay” if he thinks an actor nailed it, but with Zendaya she got a rare “perfect.” The Odyssey also said this about the actress:

Zendaya had the chance to play the Greek goddess while in the middle of shooting the third season of Euphoria and also prepping lines for Dune: Part Three. In the new profile, Nolan also gushed about Zendaya, saying she balanced her multiple roles with “this sense of true grace and poise”. He called the 29-year-old a “true movie star” and “an incredible actor” as well.

Aside from The Odyssey starring Damon as Odysseus, Holland as his son Telemachus and Zendaya as Athena, the movie also stars Anne Hathaway as Odysseus’s wife Penelope and Robert Pattinson plays Antinous. Lupita Nyong’o plays the dual role of Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra, Charlize Theron is Calypso, Jon Bernthal is Menelaus, Benny Safdie is Agamemnon, John Leguizamo as Eumaeus, among other big names.

Given Nolan’s last movie Oppenheimer won Best Picture and was a big box office hit, expectations are high for The Odyssey and Nolan said he’s been feeling a “massive amount of pressure” over adapting the beloved epic. It’s certainly no wonder why Nolan would choose Zendaya to star in the movie after her incredible track record as of late in movies like the Spider-Man, Dune films, or smaller hits like Challengers and The Drama. This year alone, the actress is in a total of four movies, along with starring in Euphoria.

You can see Zendaya slay in The Odyssey when the movie comes to theaters this July 17.