Sure, it’s been a couple of months now since Zendaya traded slaying red carpet looks for a hard-earned break from the spotlight. But, we’re still thinking about all the method dressing she did with Law Roach so far while promoting her numerous 2026 movies. They really brought it for The Odyssey press tour, and one look actually has an especially touching story behind it.

Remember when Zendaya wore those Sophia Webster gladiator sandals? She rocked them with a white and gold mini dress just before the New York premiere of The Odyssey. Check this already memorable look out:

These are perfect, aren’t they? Well, since the shoes are vintage Sophia Webster from about twelve years ago the designer was having trouble finding them. Here’s what happened according to the woman who ended up loaning them to Zendaya (via NBC Washington):

Her name is Yvette Harrison, who is a Maryland resident who saw Sophie Webster’s post on her Instagram stories and answered the call. Webster needed them in a size 40 and Harrison had them in size 39.5. In return, Webster promised her a complimentary pair of heels in exchange for the ask. Webster recalled what happened next (via Instagram):

Yvette’s dream shoes are a Sophia Webster Pink Chiara Embellished Sandals priced at $1225 on her website. They were initially out of stock, but once they were packaging up Yvette’s shoes after Zendaya had used them, they were back in stock. So Webster added in a pair alongside a butterfly necklace from her jewelry line to go with the heels that have butterflies on the back of them. Harrison’s reaction to the shoes is so emotional, too:

How lovely is that? Rather than having an entirely new piece go into production for an event, Law Roach often goes for vintage pieces. And that practice made room for this lovely exchange to happen between Harrison, Webster and Zendaya. Now, Harrison not only has shoes worn by Zendaya, she got to connect with a favorite designer of hers, who gifted her two pairs of shoes and a piece of jewelry.

Aside from Zendaya killing it in those gladiator sandals, that same day she wore an ethereal winged dress that was held by the designer for her to wear for two years. She also wore a gorgeous curve-hugging corset and flowy dresses in London. We will look forward to Zendaya’s next press tour this holiday season for Dune: Part 3 coming to theaters on December 18.

What a year it’s been for Zendaya and Tom Holland. Not only did the couple star in two of this summer’s billion-dollar box office bangers, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey, they also found the time to get married. That fact was evident during a recent interview, where they were giving peak old married couple when Holland called out his wife for the wild number of beverages she was carrying around.

Tom Holland and Zendaya have been couples goals for literally years, with fans melting over the way the Spider-Man actor is always “Z’s best hype man.” He’s apparently even supportive of her drinking habit (nonalcoholic, of course), which was revealed during a conversation with KISS UK. When asked why she was carrying around a fully loaded four-drink carrier, Zendaya happily responded:

The interviewer continued to needle her good-naturedly over her full four-cup holder, and she defended herself a bit, saying:

That’s when Tom Holland, who had until this point just been bemusedly watching the interaction play out, jumped to call out Zendaya:

It very much reminds me of David Beckham’s viral “Be honest!” moment with wife Victoria, with Tom Holland laughing at Zendaya’s drink quirk. It was such a “married” thing to say, and still so loving that everyone in the room was laughing along with them.

I mean, if anybody knows about Zendaya’s penchant for multiple drinks, it would definitely be Tom Holland, who Anne Hathaway joked was his wife’s “hot beverage” boy during filming of The Odyssey. I always thought it was cute that Holland would casually swing by the Euphoria set, and now I’m wondering if he was just bringing her refills!

Fans have always loved Zendaya and Tom Holland’s relationship, from the way he will quickly and quietly fix a wardrobe malfunction to how he played tennis with her to help her prep for Challengers. It’s also because they are so funny together. We’ll never forget his drag performance on their episode of Lip Sync Battle, for one thing, She’s apparently not afraid to troll him about his height, either.

Hopefully Zendaya and Tom Holland will continue to grace us with these cute moments for many, many years, and if you want to see them in a more professional setting, you can still catch Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey in theaters. And don’t forget to grab a beverage or four!

Hollywood has some iconic friendships, so it’s never surprising when I find out two stars are friends. However, Halle Berry recently gushed about one of her pals being none other than Zendaya, and it’s honestly the sweetest thing I’ve heard this week. In fact, I’m still smiling after hearing her wholesome take on this particular Hollywood friendship.

This isn’t the first time Berry has spoken fondly of the Dune star. She’s previously made a big prediction regarding Zendaya’s career, calling her “wildly talented.” The actress came up again during the Create & Cultivate Festival in Los Angeles. Berry closed out the festival by delivering the keynote conversation, entitled On Her Own Terms: Halle Berry on Menopause, Aging, & Women’s Health. While there, she sat down with People, which is where her admiration for the younger star came up.

Berry has an excellent resume herself, and both stars have proven they can do any genre. It would be amazing to see the two work together. I'm thinking a mother-daughter action film might be pretty cool to see. But Berry thinks the younger generation is able to make strides when she faced glass ceilings. This isn't the first time the X-Men actor has said something similar in the past:, noting “She’s going to write, direct and go further than I did in less time.”

... It's worth noting Zendaya has five movies releasing this year, plus Shrek 5 set for next year. Plus, she rounded out that schedule with the final season of Euphoria.

The admiration goes both ways as Zendaya has channeled the Catwoman actress' celebrity fashion in the past when she's pulled out some carpet looks. We all know she credited Berry’s Die Another Day premiere look as her 78th Emmy Awards inspiration. Who could blame her? Have you seen Berry’s red carpet styles, such as the look she gave for Crime 101’s London screening?

We’re not the only ones who love Zendaya's tribute. Halle Berry did, in fact, see the look, and she loved everything about it.

What goes around comes around. Just like Zendaya channeled Berry, Practical Magic 2 star Joey King channeled Zendaya for her method Dressing inspiration.

For now, you can check Berry (along with MCU actors Chris Hemsworth and Mark Ruffalo) in the heist thriller Crime 101, which is killing it on Prime Video. You just need an Amazon Prime subscription to check out the Bart Layton movie. Meanwhile, I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for a Zendaya-Halle collaboration. Until then I’m loving all the sweet things that Berry has to say about their friendship.

Watching the Emmy Awards, hosted by Mariska Hargitay, it might have felt like it was all about the nominees and winners. After all, there's the moment their names were announced, as well as their heartfelt speeches tearjerking tributes. But some of the best moments at the September 14^th ceremony happened off-camera and behind the scenes.

Of course, when Zendaya is at an event, all eyes are on her. She got plenty of screen time sitting in the front row as a nominee for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. She also turned the night out into a rare shared public appearance with Tom Holland, who was there to support while he sat by her side in the Peacock Theater. According to USA Today, the actress, who looked flawless in her custom Prada gown, even got a smooch from the Spider-Man star during the night while actors like Gary Oldman, Ayo Edibiri, and Chase Infiniti stopped by their table to chat.

Dreams also came true on Emmy night for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms star Dexter Sol Ansell, who went to the event with the goal of meeting Zendaya. When he learned his TV series had received nominations, it was hard to decide whether he was more excited about that fact or about the opportunity it would give him to meet the Euphoria star. Per the post above from HBO's Instagram, the big smile on his face says it all.

Harrison Ford Was So Very Harrison Ford On The Emmys Blue Carpet

There were also memorable moments that happened outside before the event even started. The humid Los Angeles evening made portable fans and water bottles a must as the attendees posed their way down the Emmys blue carpet and chatted with various media outlets before making their way into the air-conditioned theater.

However, the heat didn’t stop Hacks breakout star Meg Stalter’s strutting in her Emmy trophy outfit that turned her gold from head to toe. While her look, giant wings and all, instantly became viral, Harrison Ford was not willing to get caught up in the gag, as he politely declined becoming part of the moment for a photographer. I’m not at all surprised that the Shrinking actor passed and it was probably a wise decision because who knows whether some of that gold could have rubbed off on his tuxedo.

For every special moment on the air – from Matthew Rhys’ two Emmys in one night, for Widow’s Bay and The Beast in Me, to the emotional tribute to the late and gone-too-soon Catherine O’Hara, to Tom Pelphrey’s heartfelt praise of his family, including partner Kaley Cuoco – there were human moments like Dancing With the Stars judge Derek Hough and Bait actor Riz Ahmed picking up movie theater snacks to help them make it through the three-hour long event. I just hope next year they find a way to show some of these moments during the broadcast.

2026 has been a rough one for celebrity deaths, with fans mourning the loss of Tim Curry and the death of Dolly Parton. The fashion world was hit with a huge loss when the legendary fashion and costume designer Bob Mackie died this week at age 87. And acclaimed image architect Law Roach recently spoke about meeting the late icon, and how he and Zendaya reminded the late icon of his collaborative relationship with Cher.

Law Roach goes to great length to style Zendaya, and they've been working together on her image since back in 2011. During a conversation with E! Online at the Emmys, the Legendary judge revealed a story about meeting Bob Mackie, and the kind words that the Emmy and Tony winner had for him when they got to meet. As Roach put it:

Oh, to be a fly on the wall of this legendary kiki. Law Roach didn't drop any names regarding who Bob Mackie gossiped with him about, but I've got to assume that the tea was absolutely scalding. And that's a moment that clearly meant a great deal to the iconic stylist.

Given just how iconic the late designer was, the fact that Law Roach was named his "favorite" stylist means a great deal. He and Zendaya actually paid tribute to both Cher and Bob Mackie back in 2024. When Cher was being inducted in the Rock and Roll hall of fame, Zendaya presented, wearing a Mackie-inspired gown (and long, straight Cher hair). As a reminder, you can check out that moment below:

Cher loved Zendaya's look so much that she actually thought it was one of her old Mackie gowns. That's a testament to Law Roach's expert styling, and the respect he has got Bob Mackie's contribution to the fashion world. One can only imagine how thrilled he was to hear from the late icon, and have his gossip session with the Oscar-nominated man responsible for so many truly iconic looks.

Bob Mackie's comparison of himself and Cher to Law Roach and Zendaya makes a ton of sense. Both pairs consistently worked together for years, and became synonymous with each other. While not a designer, Roach is arguably the most famous stylist of all time.

Zendaya has had a very busy year, with Law Roach being the architect behind her looks for The Odyssey, The Drama, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. She's got one more major movie on 2026 movie release list: Dune: Part Three.

There are many reasons to watch Christopher Nolan’s latest film, The Odyssey, namely its A-list cast, which includes a Hollywood it-couple taking over the 2026 movie schedule. Tom Holland and Zendaya had not one, but two films come out this year. While Spider-Man: Brand New Day saw Holland’s Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Zendaya’s MJ share a lot of screen time together, there was not one interaction between their Odyssey characters. The lovebirds spent most of their time filming apart on Nolan's epic, but the Spider-Man actor says he got to witness Zendaya’s most important moment as Athena because he was her ‘hot beverage’ boy.

The classic Greek epic deals in two narratives: Odysseus’ journey home from the Trojan War, and what’s happening with his family while he’s away for 20 years. Holland plays a role in the latter as Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, whereas Zendaya plays the goddess of wisdom and war, Athena, appearing by Odysseus’ side during pivotal moments in his story. Their plot lines don’t overlap, so neither did their filming schedules. Ever the supportive partner, though, Holland told ETalk he visited set on his off-day because there was one scene of Zendaya’s he couldn’t miss:

Always Z’s hype man. This is giving supportive mom, like Amy Poehler’s character in Mean Girls, when she’s filming the Plastics performing “Jingle Bell Rock.” However, instead of a camcorder, Anne Hathaway said Holland was probably holding a hot beverage for Zendaya, which the Uncharted actor jokingly confirmed:

Holland has called The Odyssey the “job of a lifetime,” and I don't doubt it. There’s a reason huge stars like Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, and Robert Pattinson keep coming back to work with the Oppenheimer director, and it’s because his process is so immersive and collaborative. Holland’s comments seemingly confirm there’s no set like a Nolan set, and I love hearing about this mentorship dynamic between the Nolan vets and the Nolan newbies.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the newlyweds pop up in a future Nolan film, especially Zendaya, who apparently received the only “perfect” awarded by the Inception director after a take. Perhaps one of them will even lead a Nolan picture one day, but as we learned from Matt Damon and Cillian Murphy, you’ve got to pay your dues first before that lead role.

Whether or not they do another Nolan film together, all I know is I have an appetite for Tomdaya, both on and off-screen. They’re always couple goals on red carpets and in interviews, but with two films out this year, fans have been absolutely spoiled with cute moments and BTS stories like this one, and I don’t want it to end. I can’t wait years for another Spider-Man movie to come out, so someone cast them in a rom-com that involves them drinking hot beverages together ASAP.

Iconic actors like Sandra Bullock seem to be so at ease at premieres that it never occurs to me that they get nervous. However, the actress is returning to the red carpet after four years away to promote Practical Magic 2's release on the 2026 movie schedule, and she's been open about how hard it can be to pose for pictures at these events--particularly when one does not have the poise, height or method dressing some newbies like Zendaya have had.

In an effort to be more comfortable on the red carpet, though, the actress is joking about how she's taking inspiration from Zendaya.

I totally see where she’s coming from. The process is overwhelming, and Bullock's last movie, The Lost City, came out in 2022. It's been a while since she's done a press tour, and she opened up about doing them with her long-time margarita friend, Jennifer Aniston, during a conversation with Interview Magazine. To that point, the Friends star said, “The hard part is going on carpets and doing interviews.”

However, for Bullock, talking isn’t the problem; the posing is:

I mean, we all know Zendaya is the queen of the carpet and method dressing in general. I can't stop thinking about her Dune or Challengers serves years later. She's also been on a generational run of movies and premiere looks, as she's released The Drama, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey. So, I get why Bullock is taking inspiration from her.

I also can't help but laugh at her joke, partly because Zendaya is that iconic and also because the Gravity actress can totally rock a red carpet too. I can’t blame her for still being nervous, though. I mean, look at this Practical Magic 2 look!

However, once she's there, she has a "blast" with it and the butterflies go away. If you’ve ever watched Bullock on a red carpet, you know just what she means. (I loved seeing her promote Lost City with Channing Tatum.) Still, it's refreshing to see her talk about it.

Given that Practical Magic 2 has more emotional weight to it, and it's been a while since she had to walk a carpet, I can understand why Bullock is feeling some butterflies. What brought her back to acting was a desire to honor generations of women, specifically those in her own family. Plus, the original movie is so beloved. So, there is a pressure involved; however, it looks like she's having a blast!

Overall, I think Bullock has looked pretty magical while promoting the film, alongside her co-stars, Maisie Williams, Joey King, and Nicole Kidman. And, to prove how iconic her red carpet looks are, Williams has been dressing like Bullock on this press tour. Honestly, I think Zendaya would approve.

Be sure to check out Practical Magic 2 on September 11. I’m anxiously waiting to see the bewitching sequel and what the Owens sisters have been up to. Maybe we’ll even catch a moment where Bullock channels Zendaya.

The romance between Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet has often been compared to Zendaya and Tom Holland’s relationship, and there’s probably several reasons for that. They’re all around the same age, and both couples have gone to lengths to keep that part of their lives private — even after being together for years. Sources say there’s another similarity between the two, as Chalamet allegedly wants to take a cue from his Dune: Part Three co-star and marry The Kardashians star in a top-secret ceremony.

Zendaya’s stylist Law Roach let it slip earlier this year that Tom Holland and Zendaya tied the knot, which the Spider-Man: Brand New Day star confirmed in June. Sources for RadarOnline say Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet are now aspiring to follow in their footsteps, as a supposed insider said:

While Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet haven’t hidden their relationship, they have mostly refused to speak publicly about each other in the nearly four years since they were first connected. There’s been plenty of PDA, though, from making out at a Beyoncé concert to getting touchy-feely at Coachella.

In fact, after footage caught them kissing at a tennis tournament a couple of years ago, many fans compared them negatively to Tom Holland and Zendaya, who seemed to exhibit a more comfortable and secure dynamic as they also took in a tennis tournament.

When it comes to a wedding, however, Kylie Jenner allegedly wants to keep prying eyes away, the insider said:

Just as fans were on ring watch amid the rumors of Zendaya and Tom Holland’s wedding, there have been theories that Kylie Jenner and the Marty Supreme star might already be engaged. I can definitely see these two keeping a proposal secret, because they’ve never made a point of announcing any other stage of their relationship publicly.

Of course, keeping things out of the public eye kind of goes against the whole Kardashian-Jenner family brand, and there’s allegedly one person who’s not on board with a secret wedding: Kylie's mom and manager, Kris Jenner. The source said:

While Kylie Jenner has been on reality TV since she was 10 years old, she and sister Kendall have not featured their romantic partners on the shows like their older Kardashian sisters have.

We have to take these rumors with a grain of salt, though it does seem pretty on brand that if and when Kylie Jenner and Timothée Chalamet tie the knot, they’ll take a page from Tom Holland and Zendaya’s playbook.

While we wait for more hints about what lies ahead, you’ll be able to see Chalamet and Zendaya on the big screen when Dune: Part Three hits the 2026 movie calendar in December. Kylie Jenner, meanwhile, will be back on The Kardashians when Season 8 premieres on Hulu in October.

This has been a big year for Zendaya, and that’s not just because of the four high-profile titles she has on the 2026 movie schedule. Aside from being booked and busy, the beloved actress also just turned 30. That’s a major milestone to say the least, and it’s one that’s certainly worth celebrating. With that, the A-lister took to social media to commemorate the sweet moment in a nostalgic way. Not only that, but her post was followed by a wave of well wishes from stars like Dune co-star Jason Momoa and Natasha Lyonne.

Zendaya’s birthday is on September 1 and, on Tuesday, she took to social media to ring in another year of life. On Instagram, the Challengers star posted an adorable throwback photo of herself, which she’s known to do whenever she celebrates a birthday. She also included a sweet message as her caption, with which she thanked everyone “for making the last year of my twenties so beautiful”. She also talked about having “so much to be grateful for and so much to look forward to”. Check out the post:

I don’t know what I love more: Zendaya’s message or that cute photo of her as a child. She certainly does have a lot to be thankful for, and it’s lovely that she recognizes that she realizes that, as she enters a new chapter in her life. I also love that others are joining in the celebration as well, including both fans and celebrities. In addition to the aforementioned stars, see what some famous faces had to say about the Drama star’s big day:

• Jason Momoa: ❤️❤️❤️happy birthday Z
• Natasha Lyonne: 🎂✨🥳❤️
• Mia Goth: You are wonderful and deserve all the amazing things in life, happy birthday! 🙌
• Chloe Bailey: Happy birthday queen!! Love you sooo much!!!
• Ryan Destiny: Happy 30th beautiful girl!♥️
• Willow Smith: Goddess
• Octavia Spencer: Happy birthday!

The love is definitely palpable, and I’m so glad to see Zendaya get her flowers from her peers. And they – along with the fans – weren’t the only ones to send a tribute. The former Disney Channel star’s mother, Claire Stoermer, also shared a lovely post on Instagram, which included a vintage pic. Take a look:

Zendaya’s own post may poke a hole in her mom’s assertion that she’s left social media. However, she definitely doesn’t get on that often, and I’m not surprised, considering how busy she tends to be. The actress previously spoke about her 2025 work schedule, which involved simultaneously working on Euphoria, Dune: Part Three and The Odyssey. Her description of that is enough to make me feel exhausted, but I can’t argue with her hustle, especially when she’s picking such great roles.

Aside from her career, Zendaya also took a major step in her relationship with Tom Holland this year. It was reported months ago that she and Holland secretly married, though neither would confirm or deny that for months. However, Holland finally confirmed the news while explaining that his own grandmother was fooled by A.I.-generated photos of the event.

Between a fresh marriage, loving friends and family and a host of acting roles, I’d say that Zendaya is entering her 30s on a high note. I hope this new era is fruitful for her though, more immediately, I hope she’s had some time to kick back and celebrate her bday with those she loves.

Susan Egan has been spending a bit of her 2026 movie calendar continuing her campaign for Zendaya to play Megara in Disney’s live-action Hercules. Apparently, nobody from Zendaya’s household has asked her to stop yet, so the original voice of Meg is keeping the campaign alive. She can’t stop, won’t stop, and honestly I’m here for it.

Egan doubled down while speaking with People at the 2026 Disney Legends Awards Ceremony in Anaheim. The Broadway veteran previously pitched Zendaya and Tom Holland as Meg and Hercules, and she knows she may be reaching the point where Hollywood’s favorite married couple starts screening her calls. Egan joked:

I still support the enthusiasm. I was already completely sold when Egan floated Zendaya for Meg earlier this month. Holland as Hercules? I need a little more convincing there. Zendaya walking into the Russos' live-action take with Meg’s purple dress and general refusal to be impressed by anyone or anything–especially Hercules? I can see that immediately.

Egan’s latest comments also make clear that this goes beyond picking one of the biggest actresses in Hollywood because she happens to be available for fantasy casting. She added:

Egan knows the character better than almost anyone. She voiced Meg in Disney’s 1997 animated movie and has continued performing music from Hercules at Disney events decades later. She told the outlet that Meg was particularly fun because the character let her move away from the “good girl” parts she was accustomed to playing and embrace someone sarcastic enough to manipulate both Hercules and Hades.

That edge is exactly why Zendaya makes sense to me. Meg needs someone who can make “I’m a damsel, I’m in distress, I can handle this” sound like a genuine warning. Zendaya has spent years playing characters who can communicate annoyance with approximately half an eyebrow. She can sing, too, which becomes rather important when “I Won’t Say (I’m in Love)” is sitting there waiting for somebody to perform it.

Disney first announced its live-action Hercules remake in 2020, with Avengers: Endgame filmmakers Joe and Anthony Russo producing. Joe Russo later said the filmmakers wanted something “more experimental” than a straightforward recreation of the animated movie. Six years later, though, Disney still has not announced a cast or release date.

That prolonged silence has given Egan plenty of time to keep campaigning. At some point Disney will actually have to cast Meg, and I’m not sure what else Egan can do here. She has publicly endorsed Zendaya multiple times. She has explained why she loves her. She has now acknowledged the possibility that she is approaching restraining-order-level enthusiasm. Frankly, I respect the commitment.

While we wait for more info about the upcoming live-action remake, and all new Disney films, for that matter, we can revisit the original animated feature, as it’s streaming with a Disney+ subscription.

Zendaya is in her “30, Flirty, and Thriving” era and, all the while, she's continuing to take Hollywood by storm. It may be fair to say that, at this point, the Emmy and Golden Globe winner looks to be at the height of her Hollywood career. One of the people who seemingly saw this wave of success coming was the actress' The Greatest Showman co-star, Hugh Jackman. Just recently, Jackman recalled realizing his co-star's prowess early on, and it involved a humbling moment for him.

As members of The Greatest Showman's cast, Jackman and Zendaya portrayed P.T. Barnum and Anne Wheeler, respectively, two of the original players of the Barnum & Bailey Circus. During a recent conversation with Bilt founder Ankur Jain (via People), Jackman spoke about what he first thought about the former child star, and I’m loving this:

Coming from the award-winning Australian actor, who’s been in the business for over three decades, that’s heavy praise. Even more impressively, Zendaya took on the role of Wheeler in the ambitious musical just shortly after after moving beyond her Disney Channel stint. So it said a lot that the the X-Men star was able to recognize Zendaya’s talent so early on in her Hollywood.

The Australia actor continued to talk about how impressed he was with Zendaya on set. Something that really stood out to him was her ability to deliver a solid first take on her first day of The Greatest Showman. Interestingly, Jackman revealed that the film's director, Michael Gracey, wanted him, co-star Zac Efron and the K.C. Undercover actress to do a second take. Jackman questioned that and got a response he may not have been expecting:

Jackman seems to be far from a conceited actor, but that exchange with his director certainly represents a piece of humble pie. If anything, though, I'm just glad Gracey agreed with Jackman on how great Zendaya was in the take.

Funny enough, the Challengers actress accomplished perfect first takes while filming The Odyssey as well. She actually did so well that Tom Holland and Matt Damon humorously admitted to getting a little jealous about the compliment she subsequently got from director Christopher Nolan. But, if the former child star can flawlessly nail a scene so quickly, then she truly deserves her flowers.

Zendaya previously shared that getting to work on The Greatest Showman was a “special” experience for her. As she explained, it allowed her to do trapeze training and see what her body could do. In fact, the film’s leading man actually helped her through those trapeze stunts by hyping her up. Seriously, just imagine having an actor of Jackman's caliber hyping you up on set.

Clearly, Hugh Jackman can see when a young star has "it," and I'm so happy that's proving to be the case for Zendaya. And, to her credit, she has four releases on the 2026 movie schedule along with more projects lined up for the future. Needless to say, the sky's the limit for this talented young woman.

Tom Holland and Zendaya are just married. Despite the rumor mill and the coincidence that was Zendaya method dressing for her hit 2026 movie release The Drama, Law Roach and finally the couple themselves confirmed the nuptials happened. It was about time, too, as the game of talking around it was starting to get a little stale.

What’s not stale? Holland his partner (nicknamed Maree by the Spidey star)’s full romance timeline. It’s amazing they’ve been spending time together for over a decade, now, and managed to maintain a lovely, private, but fully blossoming romance while still spending a ton of time in the public eye. This is how they did it.

Mid-Late 2016: Remember When Both Stars Were Very Active On Instagram?

Tom Holland and Zendaya made their big screen debut together in Spider-Man: Homecoming. That one came out in 2017, but as often happens with big movie releases, it actually started filming quite a bit earlier. Zendaya and Tom Holland actually had a lot of heartwarming moments on the press, starting in the summer of 2016 when the movie filmed and continuing ahead of release.

At the time, they couldn’t have known what was ahead from both career and relationship standpoints.

July, 2017 – Rumors Start To Spread About Them Dating (Plus, Lip Sync Battle)

Tom Holland and Zendaya filmed Spider-Man: Homecoming together a year prior to the release of the actual Marvel movie, but from early on after Z was confirmed to play MJ, there were plenty of rumors flying around about their relationship. At the time of the flick’s release, an insider seemingly confirmed (via People) they’d been seeing one another for a while.

That month, Holland and Zendaya also famously appeared on the popular series Lip Sync Battle, otherwise known as the episode where Tom Holland dressed in drag and performed Rihanna’s "Umbrella." People still ask the actor about his Lip Sync Battle to this day, and it’s clear from the appearance the two were spending time together.

August, 2017: Zendaya Says That They're Just Friends

Per usual, Zendaya liked to throw a little water on the fire. A month after rumors ran around they might very well be seeing one another, she dissented saying in a famous interview with interview with Variety they were “just friends.”

Listen, Zendaya, I’ve seen that Ryan Reynolds movie and I know how it ends.

May, 2018: Met Gala Momentum

In May of 2018, Zendaya was seen in armor for “Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination.” She’s been in wilder outfits at this point, including her Dune C3P0 armor, but out the time this was pretty outlandish for the star, and a very memorable celebrity fashion moment. Tom Holland didn’t attend with her, but he did say the following on social media:

They were leaving breadcrumbs at this point, but very much in the pal "mate" phase on social media.

June, 2019: Peter and MJ Shared Their First On-Screen Kiss In Spider-Man: Far From Home

Tom Holland and Zendaya were not officially confirmed to be together when they filmed Spider-Man: Far From Home. In fact, we were more than a year away from a confirmation at this point, but MJ and Peter Parker taking things a step forward certainly did nothing to dissuade the rumor mill.

Jul-Sept, 2021: Tom Holland And Zendaya In A Car, K-I-S-S-I-N-G (+ Instagram Official)

By 2021, the rumors Zendaya and Tom Holland had gone on date nights seemed pretty substantial, and were seemingly confirmed when Page Six caught them kissing in a car in July of that year. Would Tom Holland and Zendaya have confirmed they were dating otherwise? We'll probably never know, because they were caught.

With the cat out of the bag, just a couple of months later, Tom Holland celebrated Zendaya's birthday with this cool post:

In 2021, a lot of famous a-listers were still frequent posters and Holland was no exception. He's said several times over the past few years he'll delete Instagram on his phone for his mental health. There are some exceptions, like specifically popping on for a Bero campaign, etc, but he was much more online still around this time.

October, 2021: Zendaya Shared What She Likes About Tom Holland

If this were a Zendaya article, I'd be talking about her awesome In Style cover. It's bomb.com, but what she said inside about her new beau Tom Holland was the real page-turner.

I have seen separate footage of Tom Holland offering Zendaya a Jaffa Cake, and in no way, shape or form, does she sound British.

January, 2022: The One Where We Thought Tom Holland Would Cameo In Euphoria

By 2022, the two were posting about one another on social media on the regular for releases like Spider-Man: No Way Home or other events when Zendaya looked stunning on the red carpet. In January of that year, Zendaya also spilled the beans about Tom Holland popping by the Euphoria set during Season 2. At the time, she even teased a cameo in an interview with Access Hollywood, noting, "Maybe we can get him in the background of a shot eventually."

Chloe Cherry later confirmed to CinemaBlend he would just pop by, telling us:

There was a long period of time when I hoped this cameo would happen, but given the way Euphoria Season 3 ended, that feels unlikely now.

Feb, 2022-Early 2023: The Two Glowed On The Red Carpet (And At Other Events)

As often happens with a-lister celebrity couples, Tom Holland and Zendaya were mostly noted for their work and their red carpet appearances in 2022 and 2023. They were firmly together in the public eye at this point and were photographed together for all of the Spider-Man promotional stuff at the end of 2021. In 2022, Holland's blockbuster Uncharted debuted, and Zendaya was seen holding hands with him in New York around the time he was doing press. They visited the Louvre and also reportedly took a trip to see Usher in Mumbai.

Closer to home, they were photographed together during a Los Angeles Lakers vs. the Golden State Warriors game in May of 2023. The two got around. During this period, Tom Holland also famously got sober.

June, 2023: Tom Holland Opened Up About Keeping Their Relationship Private

In 2023, Tom Holland first got candid about taking initiative to keep his relationship with Zendaya private. He said at the time:

This was the first time he really got candid about their philosophy. However, In the time since, this has become a common theme for both stars. Zendaya spoke about this again a few years later when she confirmed she likes to keep things under lock and key so the Internet doesn't catch wind of it.

February, 2024: Tom Holland And Zendaya Perfected Privacy In The Moment With Dune 2

We know Tom Holland and Zendaya like privacy, and while they often have to do red carpets together when they star in the same movie, when it is their time to shine, they have a system. This was reported on in a big way with Dune 2 when Zendaya walked the red carpet alone, and Tom Holland joined her at the afterparty following the event in Leicester Square in which she donned her now-infamous armored look. Way to have your cake and eat it too.

January, 2025: Tom Holland And Zendaya Got Engaged!

While rumors began spreading at the 2025 Golden Globes thanks to the rock on Zendaya's finger, and independent outlets seemingly confirmed it, Tom Holland’s father actually confirmed the couple got engaged a short time later. He said it happened over the holidays, and that his son had done the traditional thing and asked for permission from Zendaya's dad in advance. So, it didn't take long for this cat to be out of the bag.

March, 2026: A Real Wedding Or Just The Drama?

In March of 2026, an insider said Tom Holland and Zendaya had gotten married. She was seen out in public for weeks with a ring on her finger, but the story was muddied a bit due to Zendaya wearing a slew of wedding-themed clothing for her movie The Drama with Robert Pattinson. Was it method dressing at its finest or a hint she was already married? You can definitely say she brought the drama to the press tour.

Her famous stylist eventually confirmed we weren't going to get to see Zendaya's dress because they were already married. That put the rumor mill to rest, mostly, but thankfully Holland also admitted AI photos running around didn't phase (most of) his family because they'd all been at his real wedding. He also joked about his wedding on The Odyssey press tour, taking some pressure off the question.

August, 2026: The Summer Of Tom Holland And Zendaya Continues With A Second Wedidng

We'd been talking about it being a big summer for Tom Holland and Zendaya well before all of the marriage rumors came down the pipeline. With all of the press tour work the two did for The Odyssey and then Spider-Man: Brand New Day the couple had been together a lot over the summer months. There were interviews. There were photocalls. There were red carpets. There was a lot of press work, but after it was all over, the couple also opted for a second wedding.

This one people found out about the weekend it happened at the Beaverbrook Hotel near their home in London. I'm not sure if the leak was intentional or an accident, but fans were happy to hear some of the details this time. It certainly put the wedding rumors to rest for good.

Tom Holland and Zendaya both turn 30 this year, and still have a lot of life ahead of them. For now, we're sending our congrats to the happy couple and a hope for many felicitous returns.

Tom Holland and Zendaya are in the public eye a lot, and oftentimes they are at carpets and events together. This year, they had a whopping two press tours to complete together, with both starring in the two biggest movies of the year so far: Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey. Because of this, we sometimes do get tidbits of information about Tom and Zendaya's relationship, but it’s not because they are often openly talking about one another.

A short time before the cat was officially out of the bag regarding Zendaya’s nuptials to the Spider-man star, she was asked to comment on whether or not she was married. She was wearing a gold band on her ring finger, so Elle’s question didn’t feel too pushy. Still, her answer was a polished “no” coupled with a second comment that helps us to understand why she doesn’t talk about Tom so often, at least not publicly.

"They're" in this context is likely the Internet as a collective. In fact, Zendaya’s spoken in the past about people online having a “parasocial” investment in her and Tom Holland as a couple. They grew up together on the big screen, and found love on Spider-Man, which makes their attraction an obvious source of public fascination. She’s said she is not trying to “hide from the world,” but she wants things close that can still be private for herself and her partner.

Holland, too, has confirmed he tries hard to keep things “private” when it comes to Zendaya. However, he’s also a frequent spoiler in Hollywood, and sometimes slips up. This happened recently when he revealed what he really calls Zendaya on the red carpet. Catching her attention, he called out the name “Maree,” which is one of Zendaya Coleman’s middle names: Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman (and maybe now Holland at the end). It was a sweet, organic moment, and an exchange we wouldn't typically get to see.

They do let loose home information periodically. In the same interview as above, Zendaya talked about the puppy she and her partner adopted recently. For his part, Tom Holland's talked about finding it hard to plan holidays given their busy schedules. Yet as the Peter Parker actor has also mentioned, they both hold the relationship sacred and don't share too many details.

Of course, secrets don’t usually stay secrets forever. After a friend copped to an under-the-radar wedding back in March (and Law Roach seemingly confirmed this), Tom Holland casually mentioned his family wasn’t fooled by AI photos of his wedding since “they were all there” in June. Then, Tom Holland started wearing his wedding band out early this month. Following that, there was reportedly a second set of nuptials at the Beaverbrook Hotel. So, the spring and summer has really been all about the couple.

She just doesn’t want to talk about it much, and that’s OK.

Warning! The following will get into the big spoiler from The Drama. If you don't want to know, stream the movie with an HBO Max subscription and then return here after watching!

The Drama is out on HBO Max, meaning subscribers can now watch the Robert Pattinson and Zendaya film that has everyone talking. I actually knew the twist going into my watch, and while that didn't impact my enjoyment, I do have a question about Charlie's motivation during the movie.

For those who watched and need a reminder, or those who don't care about spoilers, The Drama follows Charlie as he's torn on how to proceed weeks before his wedding when he learns his fiancée Emma planned a school shooting in high school. It's a dark movie that, surprisingly, has a few laughs as well. That being said, I kept thinking about what Charlie was wrestling with during the movie, and if it was more that he was appalled by what he learned, or if he was more appalled at the idea of others finding out.

Did Charlie Fixate On Emma's Confession More Because Of How Rachel Reacted?

Charlie hyperfixates on Emma's confession, and it's completely valid given the context, but I also wondered if the way it all initially went down played into that. Everyone was shocked by Emma's confession, to the point they believed at first that it wasn't true. Once she confirmed it was, however, Rachel got aggressive, and it seemed things changed in Charlie's brain after.

Emma pointed out that Charlie was apt to fixate on things, but what was it he struggled with? I think there's certainly a part of him that had serious questions around her past, but I think Rachel's reaction made him think about the public perception if others found out. How would the world react if they knew Emma's secret, and what would they think of him?

Then, when Rachel pulled out of the wedding as Emma's maid of honor, Charlie was in a rush to get her back in the fold. Why? Well, people might ask questions why she pulled out. I think it's also evident Charlie cared when he asked his coworker Misha about it, trying to get a read on how another person might respond.

Charlie Questioned His Love For Emma, But His Actions In The Drama Show He Always Loved Her The Entire Time

Charlie seems to struggle with whether he should proceed with the marriage in The Drama, but his actions, to me at least, suggest he made up his mind very early on in the movie. I've struggled to talk about this, mainly because, as our review points out, it's weird to talk about this movie with others.

I think Charlie's actions from the start show that he's always loved Emma, even if he isn't aware of it. Everything we see is him coming to grips with accepting the fact that someone he loves was tied to something as controversial as a school shooting.

Getting Rachel to try and forgive Emma, asking a co-worker what they'd do if they found out a loved one was involved in planning something like this- these are the actions of someone who is concerned with the societal reaction tied to someone she loves. Some people will say his brief moment of trying to cheat with his coworker disputes this, but remember, he had the opportunity and didn't go through with it.

Ultimately, The Drama ending was not a shock to me. Emma was always going to love Charlie, and he was going to accept her. I think this is less clouded once the viewer gets out of their head about thinking how they'd wrestle with the situation, which I might've been doing since the trailer first dropped.

I am just one man with an opinion, however, so I would encourage all people to talk about The Drama and maybe rewatch it. With the twist out of the way, maybe I'll get a few people who see that it was never Emma who was the issue when it came to Charlie's love.

Zendaya has a secret weapon for all her jaw-dropping fashion moments, and it’s her stylist Law Roach. The pair have helped popularize method dressing on press tours with their collaboration over the years. But did you know they have done so without “The Big Five” fashion houses? There’s a reason for this, and now, one reason it could change.

Why Zendaya Historically Hasn’t Worn ‘The Big Five’

So, a couple of years ago, Law Roach revealed that Zendaya had never worn The Big Five for a press tour appearance ever. Here’s why, per The Cutting Room Floor podcast:

According to Zendaya’s stylist, it wasn’t too long ago that a number of big fashion brands were not willing to work with him and the actress. And mind you, he’s talking about someone who must have had Disney Channel and Dancing With The Stars on her resume. As he added:

Zendaya has since become the fashion icon of the moment. On her back-to-back press tours this year, where she’s been promoting her multiple 2026 movies, she wore a flowy The Odyssey dress from Trussardi, a Spider-Man-themed red-and-blue two-piece from Versace and a backless spiderweb gown from John Galliano, to name a few. Why do they need to work with The Big Five when just about everyone else will work with them?

Law Roach’s New Update That Could Change Things

Roach was just on Ziwe’s show, which should be noted as a late-night satire. When the host mentioned the “unofficial boycott” on The Big Five fashion houses due to them not working with him at the beginning, Roach was asked to school the people on the “importance of being petty”. Instead, he said this:

You gotta love growth. I should note that directly after this, Ziwe asked Law Roach if Zendaya would wear the brands on the carpet. He firmly said, “No,” with a smile. It served as a perfect comedic moment of juxtaposition for Roach’s comments.

But, with his comments in mind, there's something there around Roach’s statement about releasing his pettiness. It does feel like there’s room here for forgiveness from the stylist's end, and an openness to release the "pettiness" around these brands. Perhaps there is a future where Zendaya does wear them after all?

At the same time, Law Roach and Zendaya have proven that they don’t need to wear these brands in order to stun on red carpets, and that’s such a great flex for them whether they end up working with The Big Five someday or not.

Disney’s live-action Hercules remake has spent years somewhere on Mount Olympus, waiting for Zeus to hurl his lightning bolt at it to bring it to life. There have been a lot of wild rumors around the project, but we still do not have an official cast or release date, which means there remains plenty of time to argue over who should play Hercules and Megara. Now, the woman who knows Meg better than just about anyone has given her two cents on the remake by throwing two very familiar names into the ring: power couple and newly married partners Tom Holland and Zendaya.

Susan Egan, who voiced Meg in Disney’s 1997 animated movie, was asked about her dream casting while speaking with Deadline at D23. She has apparently been campaigning for Zendaya for a while, but this time she went all-in and suggested pairing her with Tom Holland as Hercules. And, yes, Egan knows the couple may eventually ask her to stop doing this. She explained:

I’m completely with her on half of this. The Euphoria star as Meg feels perfect to me. She can sing and give the dry delivery needed for Meg’s constant eye-rolling. Not only that, but she can sell both the character’s toughness and the hurt underneath it.

Egan sees many of those same qualities and made it clear she is not simply casting Z because putting her opposite Holland would make the internet explode. She continued:

Absolutely. Zendaya also has plenty of musical experience between her Disney Channel years and The Greatest Showman, so I have no trouble imagining her tackling “I Won’t Say (I’m in Love).” The Uncharted star as Hercules is where I need a little more convincing.

These Are The Guys I’d Send To Mount Olympus

Tom Holland certainly has the athleticism, charm and Disney résumé. He has also had one heck of a 2026 movie schedule, as he played Telemachus in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, so apparently ancient Greece is already becoming part of his personal cinematic universe. He is also still tearing up the box office as Spidey in the fourth entry in the franchise. But Disney’s Hercules is a huge, wonderfully earnest golden retriever of a demigod, and he has spent much of his career thriving as characters who feel smaller, scrappier and slightly overwhelmed by whatever disaster they have wandered into.

I’m not totally sold on Holland as Hercules, but I’m hardly short on alternatives. If Disney ever gets serious about casting this thing, there are a handful of actors I think could bring the right mix of sincerity and lovable doofus energy to the role. Here are my picks for who could fill Herc’s leather cuirass:

• Kit Connor: Connor may have the best natural combination of physicality and puppy-dog sincerity on this list. Put him opposite a more guarded Meg, and I can already see the chemistry working.
• Taron Egerton: Probably the safest all-around choice. Egerton proved in Rocketman that he can carry a musical, and the Kingsman movies covered the action side. More importantly, he can play vulnerable and slightly uncool without losing his leading-man appeal.
• Mike Faist: This is the more interesting left-field pick. Faist already has serious musical credentials from West Side Story, but what really sells me is how well he plays insecurity. Hercules spends a surprising amount of the animated movie wondering whether he belongs anywhere, and Faist could make that side of him land.
• Mason Gooding: Gooding has the size and charisma, but there is also a warmth to him that keeps him from feeling untouchable.
• Joshua Bassett: Bassett would probably require the biggest physical transformation but, emotionally, he makes a lot of sense. He can sing, has plenty of musical experience and wears his heart directly on his face.

Maybe Holland could still surprise me. I just do not see him in the role as immediately as I see the Dune franchise actress walking into frame in Meg’s purple dress and telling Hercules to keep his tunic on.

For now, all of this remains fantasy casting. Disney announced the live-action Hercules remake years ago, with Joe and Anthony Russo producing through AGBO and Guy Ritchie attached to direct. Development has moved slowly, and Disney still has not announced its Hercules, Meg, Hades or, most importantly, those Muses. So Egan still has time to keep campaigning and, restraining order jokes aside, I hope Zendaya is listening.

Until more information is released about the project, I'll just have to revisit the original animated classic, as it's streaming on with my Disney+ subscription.

Spoilers below for the handful of people who maybe haven’t seen Spider-Man: Brand New Day yet, so be warned!

There’s no question Spider-Man: Brand New Day is one of the most successful movies of all time, with over a billion box-office dollars earned thus far, and many millions more to come. There’s also no question we’re going to see Peter Parker’s Spider-Man again in an Avengers sequel, thanks to that confusing post-credits scene. But the movie did leave me with several questions that I really hope get answers or clarification without before either Secret Wars or Tom Holland’s fifth Spider-Man solo movie hits theaters in 2027 and beyond. My Spidey-Patience is not so powerful.

And I’m not specifically talking about the biggest-picture questions here, like what Peter and Ned’s handshake really meant, and whether or not Doctor Strange’s spell was broken by the power of friendship. They are related, though. Since first watching Brand New Day, my brain has been preoccupied with speculation about the limits of such magical spells, and how it all works within the characters’ own brains.

Where Does MJ Think Her Necklace Came From?

Taken completely at face value, MJ still wearing her black dahlia necklace throughout the entirety of Spider-Man: Brand New Day is an oh-so-sweet sign that her love for Peter is pure enough that not even sorcery can eliminate all signs of it. In that way, it's also possibly the biggest clue early on that Doctor Strange's spell left room for certain loophole-esque situations where Peter's friends still have totems from the years they spent together. But I'm baffled by what their brains are doing to fill in the memory gaps.

Peter gives MJ the necklace in Far From Home, inspired by learning the black dahlia is her favorite flower. The pendant doesn't make it out fully intact, but MJ chooses to continue wearing it for all the adorable thematic reasons, and it's as much a symbol of their bond as Peter and Ned's signature hand-smacks is of theirs. So from a creative perspective, of course she's still wearing it in BND.

But from a more logistical real-world angle, I think it's lowkey terrifying to consider MJ compulsively wearing this necklace on a daily basis without any front-of-mind reasoning for it. Like, if I made a point of wearing the same watch for years on end, only to realize one day that I had zero clue where it came from or when I got it, I miiiight be too freaked out to put it back on. Sure, I can't tell you exactly when and where I bought every T-shirt or pair of pants that I own, but I still have the general blueprint of events up there. But if my favorite accessory only inspired blank spots, I might need a therapist.

When MJ sees her necklace in a mirror, or moves it with her hands, does her brain attempt to flash back to where it came from, only to short-circuit before real memories can appear? Or does Doctor Strange's spell intentionally dull the part of her brain that attempt to make such connections? I really hope there's a slide-show presentation explaining it before any other MCU movies come out.

Is Jean Grey's Telepathy Powerful Enough To Reverse Magic?

One of the ongoing fan theories about Spider-Man: Brand New Day is that Sadie Sink's Jean Grey knocks a few mental dominos loose in MJ and Ned when her telepathic powers bubble out and force zillions of New Yorkers to stay locked in place. I don't really buy into that idea, though, since everyone is affected by the "forget about Peter" spell, and it'd be amazingly convenient for two of his friends to be the only ones to have such adverse affects to Jean's actions. A little too amazingly convenient.

That said, I do think it's entirely possible that the vengeful mutant has (or will have) the ability to perform more distinctive tasks within people's brains. Such as making someone think they're a different person, that they can only eat brown foods, or any other kind of behavioral change that a state hypnotist might also use in an act. But is telepathy (hers or anyone's) powerful enough to reverse a spell crafted by such a magically dominant entity as Doctor Strange?

I almost have to think so at this point, because part of me doesn't want to just buy into the feel-good notion that MJ and Ned's love for Peter alone is enough to shatter such an ironclad enchantment. That's a little too pat and smooth for my tastes.

I guess now I can start pondering whether Doctor Strange's spell will continue to work if he gets killed off in Avengers: Doomsday or Secret Wars. Might as well brew some coffee now, because this could take a while.

If I'm honest, I didn’t have high expectations when I went to watch Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is still tearing up the 2026 movie schedule. I have seen all the Marvel Cinematic Universe Spider-Man movies. I have enjoyed all of them, except one. One of my most controversial movie takes is that I didn’t think Spider-Man: No Way Home was good. Lots of fan service, but the product left a lot to be desired, leaving me questioning the future of Tom Holland's series.

That I've seen it, I would now probably rank Brand New Day high among the best Spider-Man movies. It really made me excited to see where Marvel goes with the franchise now, and I think I know why this movie worked so well.

Warning: Spider-Man: Brand New Day spoilers are ahead. Proceed with caution.

This Spider-Man Film Feels Equally Hopeful And Bleak

Spider-Man: Brand New Day feels a lot darker than many of the other Marvel and Spider-Man movies. It feels even darker than a lot of the MCU films, but it doesn’t feel gritty. It doesn’t become something the Holland Spider-Man movies never were, but evolves to something a little bleaker.

The storyline of the unseeable entity already has a dark tone to it because the idea of someone taking over your body has sinister connotations. We later learn that Jean Grey (Sadie Sink) is behind it all, and we have seen Jean do plenty of dark things throughout her history in films. We didn’t know how dangerous and murderous she could become. It almost seemed like she would become a foe that Peter (Tom Holland) couldn’t stop.

However, despite how dark things get, Peter manages to save the day. Then he’s greeted with a hero’s applause for all his hard work. It shows that no matter how bleak things get, keep fighting, and maybe you will win in the end.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Feels More Mature Than Previous Movies, Which Works With The Growing Up Theme

Sometimes as we age and grow up, life feels harder and darker. We lose people we love, or our jobs become increasingly more stressful, and we battle outer and inner demons. It’s hard growing up. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is also a coming-of-age movie. Peter goes from a teen with a complicated life to an adult with an even more complicated life.

It shows him maturing but also growing lonelier and more driven, at the cost of existing outside his Spider-Man persona. I thought the film showcases the complexities of adulthood in a sad but fascinating and accurate way, especially for a superhero movie. It felt the closest to the cancelled-too-soon Wonder-Man than any of the other Marvel projects so far. It did this by grounding the superhero story in a more relatable way without compromising the concept of a superhero.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Doesn’t Completely Leave You Feeling Satisfied

Peter essentially saves the day, but his life still has a lot of holes in it. MJ (Zendaya) possibly still doesn’t remember him, and Ned (Jacob Batalon) might remember him. He stopped Jean, but there will always be more bad guys, so he can’t fully be satisfied with everything, and Jean was a complicated villain. Her actions are justified at times.

You leave the movie slightly happy for him, because Ned may remember now, but you leave with so many more questions. I think this is a good reflection of life in general. You may win in the moment, but the fight never ends, and things are never perfectly resolved.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day deserves its box-office success because it succeeds where other superhero movies fail. It makes the human parts just as important as the superhero elements.

Spider-Man has and will always be my favorite superhero. I’ll never forget seeing the first Spidey movie when I was a kid, and I’ve been devotedly following each installment since. While the Sam Raimi trilogy may always be my No. 1 (faults and all), I think the Tom Holland movies have been fantastic. With Brand New Day here, I decided to binge the “Home” trilogy for the first time in one day, and I have some takeaways to talk through.

First off, I still think 2017’s Homecoming is one of the best MCU movies that’s been made. The script is so sharp, and it feels like you’re watching a John Hughes film that also happens to include superheroes. It really nails the awkwardness of being a high schooler in a way no other Spider-Man movie has done before. But, my big problem with rewatching the trilogy happens in its sequel, Far From Home.

The Thing That Doesn’t Hold Up In Tom Holland’s Spider-Man Trilogy

Now, I had totally forgotten until I turned it on, but 2019’s Far From Home was the first MCU movie to come out after Avengers: Endgame and the final installment of The Infinity Saga. It opens with a hilarious high school news video of Betty Brant and Jason Ionelle explaining The Blip – which is when everyone came back five years after The Snap wiped out half the universe.

I proceeded to spend half of Far From Home feeling very confused about what was going on with the students of Midtown High in the fallout of the major universe event. I found it weird that Peter, Ned, MJ along with most of the students from Homecoming just happened to all be part of the Snapped so the plot could move along without a hitch. And yet, there’s this weird thing going on with Remy Hii’s Brad Davis, who aged up five years from a middle-schooler to a high school junior.

I think Far From Home did a decent job of explaining it, and they had a clever way of lore dumping at the top of the movie, but it also had me considering all these existential questions around The Snap and The Blip that I sort of wish the Spider-Man sequel didn’t have. In the moment when we were watching all the MCU movies one-by-one it made sense, but if you decide to skip the movies in between like I did, I think it kind of stunts an otherwise great set of movies.

If you’re thinking “just watch Infinity War and Endgame” before Far From Home, you’re right. I probably should have, but that would have added over five hours to my binge.

The Other Thoughts I Had Watching Them

Now, to put aside my gripes, and share some quick reasons why I liked the “Home” trilogy on my recent rewatch.

• I didn’t totally realize how many suits Tom Holland gets as Spider-Man until now. Like, it’s actually wild how many.
• Happy Hogan is an underrated character in this trilogy. I'm delighted he was part of it.
• Uncle Ben isn’t mentioned once in this Peter Parker’s story. Does he even exist in this version?
• While it feels forced at times, I think it’s really fun to see Tom Holland’s Spider-Man interact with a couple of other MCU characters in each movie. My favorite instance of this is the “suit” moment with Tony Stark in Homecoming.
• It’s still weird to me that they go on a class trip to Italy.
• Peter and MJ are so, so adorable to watch fall in love.
• The “Night Monkey” bit in Far From Home is actually so hilarious to me.
• I hate the Skrull twist during the end credits of Far From Home.
• I wish there was a time jump between Far From Home and No Way Home because they look visibly older, but conceptually I get it. Fine.

And now, we have Brand New Day! I hope it’s the start of another Spider-Man trilogy. You can check out what CinemaBlend thought of the movie as it plays in theaters.

I’ve been watching Spider-Man movies my whole life, and one thing I’ve always loved about them is how they’ve never been without romance. What can I say, Peter Parker is a lover boy, and I eat it up every time. But, Brand New Day took things in a completely new direction with the MJ storyline this time around, and I’m still not over it.

Peter Parker And MJ’s Story In Brand New Day Is Rough

After what happened in No Way Home, I knew going into it that Peter Parker was going to be without his best bud Ned and girlfriend MJ, but it really went a few steps further than I thought it would. For one, in the movie we follow Peter as he goes years without anyone from his past. (Oof, the way I thought it was going to reverse somehow before their second semester).

When Peter finally collides with MJ and Ned again, they truly have no idea who he is. Sure, there’s a brief note between the two of them that there’s something they are missing, but they are completely clueless. When MJ reads the letter and finds out what’s been going on, my heart broke for Spidey when he told her he loved her, and there was not only no reciprocation behind those eyes, but she straight up rejected him. As sad as it is, I also need to praise it.

But, I Think It Deserves Its Flowers

Peter Parker’s decision not to tell Ned and MJ completely made sense to me. While I feel like the actions of some past Peter Parkers have felt not only flawed, but just unnecessary, Brand New Day feels different.

After the death of Aunt May in No Way Home, I really understood why he would isolate himself and lean into becoming the best Spider-Man he could be. Of course, he wanted to have them back, but “with great power comes great responsibility.” In the scene where MJ reads the letter and you feel her sadness about a piece of her life being kept from her, I see why she’s frustrated, but I’m actually happy the movie didn’t bring their romance back right away.

Peter has had messy relationships before, and sure, it would have brought a huge smile to my face to see these two together again. But, I’m living for the slow burn the franchise is going for instead. Instead, the hopeful gratification we got was between Peter and Ned, and it was perfect.

Peter and Ned have known each other much longer than Peter and MJ have, and have seemingly been doing that best friend handshake most of their lives. It was the perfect way to hint at a new chapter where Peter will reestablish his relationships, but without rushing the Peter and MJ romance.

We know that Spider-Man will return among upcoming Marvel movies, so why not give these two some time to fall in love again? I’m personally even hoping that Spider-Man meets one of his other famous love interests like Gwen Stacy or Black Cat before MJ is his endgame. Yearning is like the No. 1 rule of a good romance, and I’m so happy Brand New Day got it.

I can’t believe what’s been going on with Tom Holland and Zendaya this year. Not only did they share two 2026 movies (that have both passed $1 billion at the worldwide box office), they also reportedly managed to sneak in two secret weddings. After we heard back in March that the couple already got married, another one allegedly took place earlier this month. And we just learned more about it.

Holland and Zendaya wrapped two back-to-back press tours for The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. And the word is they had a second wedding at the Beaverbrook Hotel right after. It’s a luxury destination not too far from their southwest London home. Per new details from Vanity Fair, here’s the alleged vibe of their reported wedding suite:

The Beaverbrook Hotel is named after Lord Beaverbrook, who was a Canadian-British billionaire, politician and media baron. He hosted distinguished guests such as Winston Churchill and Elizabeth Taylor. Now there’s an entire suite named after Elizabeth Taylor, which Holland and Zendaya reportedly stayed in for the wedding celebration. Here’s another location on the grounds:

The Spider-Man stars allegedly booked out the entire Beaverbrook estate for their August 4 wedding. The grounds also include exciting amenities like a private golf course club (perfect for Holland’s love of the sport), a private cinema and pickleball. There’s also a host of fancy treatments to book at the spa. Take a look:

The Hollywood couple don’t give off a fussy vibe, but these details about Beaverbrook’s accommodations absolutely suggest they went for an extravagant wedding vibe. While I’m a bit surprised about how fancy it all is, I’m completely happy for these two as they managed to make it feel lowkey and private. The pair of A-listers are hard workers who’ve been traveling all around the world lately to promote two massive films. They absolutely deserved to treat themselves to all the elegance and pampering the Beaverbrook could provide them with.

If you’re as curious as I am about how much it costs to stay at the Beaverbrook Hotel, I looked it up. I’m seeing prices ranging from $688 to $1714 a night. I’m not even going to think about how much it cost to potentially rent out the whole place for their wedding reception. But given their recent successes, I’m not worried if they can afford it.

Following the alleged wedding on August 4, Tom Holland has been spotted wearing a wedding band. This was after fans were wondering why he wasn’t wearing one after news of their first wedding got out. I expect the couple will continue to keep the details private (and Law Roach definitely isn’t telling the press). But, this detail definitely leads me to believe the reported second wedding really happened.

Between these details and their hit movies, congrats to Tom Holland and Zendaya for having the most iconic summer of 2026 all around!

Spoilers ahead for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

It's an exciting time for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, thanks to Spider-Man: Brand New Day's record-breaking release and the upcoming Marvel movie Avengers: Doomsday on the way. Fan are still reeling from Brand New Day's ending, and remain invested in the characters played by Tom Holland and Zendaya. Although the latter revealed one big way she would have changed the blockbuster.

Folks who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know that the Spider-Man movies are fan favorites. I mean, just look at how much money Brand New Day continues to make at the box office. Over on Capital's TikTok, the Euphoria icon got real about how she would have handled Peter's predicament with MJ and the letter. In her words:

Same, though. As we learned in Destin Daniel Cretton's blockbuster, Peter had been living a lonely and solitary life in the four years since Doctor Strange's spell deleted the world's memories of him during No Way Home's ending. For all that time he's kept the letter he wrote to MJ, explaining their history and her memory loss. But he kept stopping himself from delivering it, with Zendaya's character instead discovering it while being kept under Punisher's protection.

Clearly the Emmy-winning actress wouldn't have done the same if she was in Spider-Man's position. Instead she would have cut to the chase and delivered the letter. And after seeing what a bad place Peter was in without his loved ones, I can't say I blame her.

While I loved MJ's memory storyline more than Gamora's resurrection in Guardians of the Galaxy, I definitely understand Zendaya's perspective. And while MJ eventually read the letter, Brand New Day ended with her still not having any feelings or memories of Peter. But the same might not be true for Ned, as the movie's final moments saw muscle memory kick in when he and Peter did their signature hand shake. Does this mean Doctor Strange's spell isn't permanent after all? Only time will tell.

There are countless questions about the future of the Spider-Man franchise, as well as Tom Holland's title character. Brand New Day's credits scene seemed to tease Spidey in Secret Wars, although it's unclear if that's going to be Holland or the Tobey Maguire or Andrew Garfield version of the character.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. Avengers: Doomsday will follow suit on December 18th, so we'll have to see if there are any connections to Peter Parker this winter.

Spoilers ahead for The Drama.

Zendaya has had a big year in movies in 2026, including the recent release of both The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But she had another big movie earlier this year with Kristoffer Borgli's The Drama. I finally was able to stream the project with my HBO Max subscription, and while the movie's big twist packed an emotional punch, I was shocked by how much I laughed throughout its 105-minute runtime.

The Drama got a big reaction from critics, largely thanks to its subject matter. The movie's titular drama comes just days before the wedding of Charlie and Emma, played by Robert Pattinson and Zendaya, respectively. At the final tasting of the menu, Emma reveals that she planned a failed school shooting as a young person, to the horror of her fiancé and the maid and man of honor. Gun violence is a sensitive subject, so I didn't expect so many comedic beats to crack me up.

Despite The Subject Matter, The Drama Brings The Laughs

The trailers for The Drama guarded the movie's twist, and I was lucky enough to stream it without the reveal of Emma's secret getting spoiled. I was truly shocked when she revealed the worst thing she'd ever done: planning a school shooting that (thankfully) never happened. There was plenty of disturbing content about her fascination with guns as a young person, but this revelation also served as fodder for a number of hilarious moments as Charlie struggled with the truth just days before their wedding.

Case in point: the scene where the couple meets with their wedding photographer Frances, played by Succession star Zoë Winters. The couple is struggling with Emma's revelation, and are (understandably) triggered when she keeps talking about how she'll "shoot" various members of their families during the nuptials. Zendaya is shown hilariously chugging water, followed by the most delightfully cringeworthy photo shoot ever committed to film.

Some other funny scenes include a montage of Zendaya's laugh, as well as the passive-aggressive speech that maid of honor Rachel (Alan Haim) makes during the wedding, where she not-so-subtly criticizes the bride and groom's character. I also got a kick out of how young Emma kept appearing to Charlie, changing the way he saw their entire relationship.

Gun violence is a terrifying subject for so many of us, and while The Drama was billed as a dark comedy, I didn't expect to laugh so much after learning the big twist. In some ways, it's what makes the movie so remarkable; this serious subject brings both high-stakes drama and comedy. And that's why the film is ultimately one of my favorites of the year.

The Drama is streaming now on HBO Max as part of the 2026 movie release list. We'll just have to see if folks agree with me, and if it manages to get any attention during Awards Season.

Spider-Man: Homecoming brought Tom Holland and Zendaya together. Then, after rumors surfaced that the two co-stars were dating in 2017, everything came full circle in 2021 when the pair were caught kissing in a car. Now that it’s been confirmed Holland and Zendaya are married, Spider-Man producer Amy Pascal revealed how “MJ and Peter just always fall in love” in real life, and I can’t unsee it.

When Tom Holland and Zendaya were first cast as Peter Parker and MJ, former Chairwoman of the Motion Pictures Group of Sony Pictures Entertainment Amy Pascal tried to warn the co-stars off dating in fear it would make things complicated. As we know, of course, that advice was ignored. Now, in a recent interview with the BBC, Pascal got real about that warning again before making a point about all the actors who have played Spider-Man and his love interest:

Wow, the producer makes a great point! It’s true, there’s no denying that actors who portray Peter Parker and MJ do have a habit of falling in love when the cameras are on and off. (Or in Andrew Garfield's case, he fell for Emma Stone, who played Gwen Stacy.)

With such chemistry between Spider-Man and the woman he loves, it’s very understandable why the co-stars portraying these characters would feel the love in real life too. Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst, as well as Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, were co-stars who dated in real life after playing their respective Spidey couples. However, Amy Pascal felt that Tom Holland and Zendaya shouldn’t fall under that familiar spell, seeing as the aforementioned Spider-Man pairings did eventually break up.

Fortunately, Holland and Zendaya are breaking the Spider-Man couple curse by still going strong. And while they're a fairly private couple, the British actor previously said he finds his relationship with his MJ “sacred” and that the only way to be a truly healthy couple is to keep their romance to themselves.

The former Disney Channel star also said she’s a big believer in “protecting things that are special.” By not allowing the press to interfere in their relationship, it’s no wonder they're still going so strong.

Now that I’m aware that “Peter and MJ just always fall in love,” I can’t look at these Spider-Man couples the same way again. While things didn’t work out between the previous Spidey pairings, Tom Holland and Zendaya continue to be couples’ goals with each movie they co-star in and every public appearance they make. Now, we just need the husband and wife to be in a rom-com together to make our dreams come true.

Well, while Holland and Zendaya are doing great in real life, their Peter and MJ are going through it in the 2026 movie release, Spider-Man: Brand New Day. However, the love is still very much there, and the couple's chemistry both in real life and on screen is palpable.

Zendaya has been killing it latly. With four films on the 2026 movie schedule, wrapping up Euphoria (which you can watch with an HBO Max subscription) on the 2026 TV schedule, and impeccable red carpet looks, it’s been a big year for her. So it’s funny to hear how nervous she got about the start of filming on The Odyssey and that, no matter how successful you are and how much you prepare, there are still some things totally out of your control.

During an interview with the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the typically very prepared Zendaya was asked about whether she’d really forgotten a line on her first day. To which she explained that while she was ready to go, the weather had other plans. The Spider-Man: Brand New Day star recalled:

Sounds like a case of Zendaya probably being harder on herself than anyone else on set would have been. It also seems like director Christopher Nolan really put the cast through it during the production of The Odyssey. For instance, Corey Hawkins climbed a mountain on his first day of filming as Polybus.

A lot of actors have had to work through wild weather, whether in the extreme heat or the extreme cold, to pull off a cool on-screen moment. Glen Powell knows what it’s like to strip down to nearly nothing in frigid temperatures, since he had to do so for The Running Man. And Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford had to keep from freezing in below zero conditions for 1923.

All of that being said, Zendaya didn’t shy away from the challenging conditions on The Odyssey, working through the cold in a way that you’d never know affected her when watching the film. She showed up on set, pushed through, and turned in a stand-out performance as Athene the Greek goddess of wisdom, who serves as protector and guide to Odysseus (Matt Damon). And she was happy just to be a part of the experience. The Dune: Part Three star added:

You can watch the full clip of Zendaya here:

The Challengers star has been going non-stop, between filming projects and then promoting them. While Zendaya has explained her plans to disappear for a bit after such a high-profile 2026, a big part of why audiences love her is that she’s just so charming. Yes, she’s a boss when it comes to juggling all of her projects and ventures, but she’s also fun and funny, and not afraid to say it like it is in interviews.

Whether she actually ends up taking some time off or she gets drawn into any number of interesting projects that probably come her way, you can still see her reprise her role as Chani in the next installment of Dune when Part Three of the sci-fi epic hits theaters on December 18^th.

Law Roach has been asked about Zendaya and Tom Holland’s secret wedding (and the actress’s wedding dress) over and over again. Now, even after it's been confirmed that the celebrity couple is married, the stylist is still getting questions. Specifically, he was asked if they had plans for a second ceremony. Well, it’s now widely reported that they did indeed celebrate their nuptials again, so was Roach fibbing when he shot down the claim?

Law Roach Said The Rumors About Tom Holland And Zendaya’s Second Wedding Were Not True

Before word about this second wedding got out, and even before Spider-Man: Brand New Day premiered on the 2026 movie schedule and broke Avengers: Endgame’s box office record, Law Roach attended the LA premiere alongside Tom Holland and Zendaya. While there, Complex brought up the rumors about a “second wedding” or “more public celebration.” Here’s how the stylist reacted to those claims:

The reporter then said the rumors were fairly recent, which led Roach to double down on debunking them, saying:

Well, these comments are certainly interesting in hindsight. It would seem like Holland and Zendaya very much had a second wedding celebration (which we’ll talk about more in a second).

Although I can’t help but focus on the semantics here. Roach was specifically asked if there were plans for a “second wedding” or “more public celebration.” Based on what we’ve heard about the event held at the Beaverbrook Hotel, it seems like Holland and Zendaya still kept the celebration quite private. So, maybe Law Roach found a loophole when it came to talking about the Spider-Man stars’ plans.

He also could have just lied; people do that sometimes to protect spoilers or personal information. So, no matter what actually happened, his response did help keep the couple’s reported plans close to the vest.

Tom Holland And Zendaya Reportedly Had A Second Wedding Celebration

Alright, let me give you the lowdown on this reported second ceremony. While Holland and Zendaya reportedly got married earlier this year, they had another celebration on August 4, per People. Right on the heels of two whirlwind press tours for two wildly successful movies, The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the couple reportedly celebrated for a more personal reason at the Beaverbrook Hotel in Surrey, U.K.

Apparently, the wedding event held at the country house hotel was “very natural,” one source said, and Holland’s brothers wore black tuxedos that had wildflowers tucked into the buttonholes of their jackets.

So, if the power couple did indeed have a second wedding this summer, why did Law Roach say they weren’t?

Well, no matter the answer to that question, I hope Zendaya and Tom Holland are celebrating. The news of the second wedding celebration is wonderful, plus it’s coming just days after they finished massive press tours for two films they should be proud of. So, with that said, if you’re looking to celebrate the happy couple, you can catch both The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day in theaters now.

Much of the past year has seen the public at large speculate on Tom Holland and Zendaya’s relationship status, as the two played coy on whether they were married. However, back in June, Holland finally confirmed their nuptials while explaining that even his own grandmother was fooled by A.I. photos depicting their wedding. While that matrimonial mystery has been solved, it would appear that we now have another involving a different celebrity couple. There’s now reason to wonder whether Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid have tied the knot.

Bradley Cooper (51) and Gigi Hadid (31) mostly keep the details of their relationship private, so there’s a firm chance they wouldn’t make an official announcement in the event they got married. Interestingly enough, though, Page Six snapped photos of the pair walking in Paris, France this week and, at the time, they were sporting matching rings. The news outlet has since reached out to the stars’ representatives for comments on those bands and, as of right now, there’s been no answer on that front.

There may be some who are tempted to pump the brakes on any kind of marriage-based theory. However, one need only look to the saga involving Zendaya (29) and Holland (30) to understand why this development involving Hadid and Cooper would be a big deal. In February, Zendaya was spotted wearing a gold band and sent fans into a frenzy. Obviously, it turned out that she and Holland had indeed exchanged. We may not be able to say the same for Cooper and Hadid just yet but, per this precedent, it’s worth considering.

Hadid and Cooper have reportedly been dating since 2023, with that news coinciding with claims that they were involved in a love triangle with Leonardo DiCaprio. There have since been various reports about how firm Cooper and Hadid’s relationship is. As a result of that, engagement rumors have swirled around the pair and, in 2025, it was alleged that Cooper was considering proposing and wanted kids with Hadid.

Both stars already have kids of their own, as Cooper shares 9-year-old daughter Lea with former partner Irina Shayk. As for Hadid, she shares 5-year-old daughter Khai with ex-boyfriend Zayn Malik.

While the Hangover star and his fashion model girlfriend seem to have a strong bond, marriage is a big step, and that’s especially true when it comes to public figures. Celebrities also have the responsibility of choosing what to share and what to keep to themselves. Holland and Zendaya have long protected aspects of their relationship, and that still seems to be the case now. However, Holland recently joked about their marriage when he was promoting The Odyssey, one of their shared 2026 movie releases.

Only time will tell whether Gigi Hadid and Bradley Cooper really have become man and wife. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least curious as to whether they did decide to have a secret wedding like Tom Holland and Zendaya. Of course, like the Spider-Man stars, Cooper and Hadid are entitled to their privacy so, if they are actually married and want to be open about it, they have the right to do so when it works best for them.

Spoilers ahead for Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Fans who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order were recently treated to a long-awaited upcoming Marvel movie in Daniel Destin Cretton's Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The blockbuster picked up after No Way Home's ending, which saw Doctor Strange's spell erase the world's memories of Peter Parker... including Ned and MJ. Much of the new movie is about this disconnect between the characters played by Tom Holland and Zendaya, and I have to say I much prefer the MJ storyline to how Gamora was handled in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (which is streaming with a Disney+ subscription).

Gamora's death in Avengers: Infinity War set shockwaves through the MCU. And while she was resurrected in Endgame by having a past version of her arrive via time travel, that Gamora had never met Peter Quill and the rest of the Guardians. We watched as Star-Lord tried to reconnect with her in Vol. 3, but I think that the Peter Parker/MJ version of this dynamic was more successful.

I Loved The Way MJ Rejected Peter In Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Both Guardians 3 and Spider-Man: Brand New Day saw their movie's respective Peter trying to reconnect with a girlfriend who has no memories of their time together. But I felt way more moved and emotionally moved by the latter, and I think there are a few reasons why.

To start, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 is ultimately a story centered around Rocket. While we see new Gamora and Star-Lord's relationship (or lack thereof), it's not given quite as much time and focus as Peter and MJ in the new Spider-Man movie. Additionally, Gamora makes it clear that she has absolutely no interest in trying to get to know Peter Quill. And as a result, their lack of a true reconciliation came and went without me shedding a tear.

Meanwhile, Peter Parker's longing for MJ (and Ned) is at the heart of Brand New Day. While he's trying to keep a healthy boundary since she no longer knows who he is, that changes when Jean Grey drops her name early on in the movie. Spidey immediately swings into action, and the two are forced to meet and work together as a result. The fake-out of Zendaya's character "remembering" was a true gut punch, one inflicted by an angry Jean who was controlling her mind. Things only got more emotional from there.

Eventually MJ discovers Peter's letter, learning the truth about their former relationship, and the spell that removed her memories. She unfortunately doesn't have any feelings for him, despite knowing their history. She lets him down plainly but kindly, in a way that feels surprisingly like a regular breakup. Afterward, she still invites him into her apartment to hang with Ned. What's more, we see the drawing she made of them in Peter's hospital room after the final conflict.

While Star-Lord and Spider-Man didn't get the romantic reunion they were hoping for, I thought that the way No Way Home handled this unrequited love story was far more powerful. Although after Ned's muscle memory seemingly snapped him out of Strange's spell in the movie's final scene, maybe there's still hope.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is in theaters now as part of the 2026 movie release list. Folks who want to re-watch Gamora and Star-Lord's love story can stream the Guardians and Avengers movies on Disney+.

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love when a film can generate a big question for audiences to discuss amongst themselves. It’s one of the things Christopher Nolan is notorious for, and the filmmaker does again in The Odyssey. Ever since I saw the epic that is already one of the biggest 2026 movie releases, I’ve been thinking about what’s going on with Zendaya’s Athena. And, someone just asked Nolan about it.

SPOILERS AHEAD.

Even though Athena doesn’t have much screen time in The Odyssey, she has a centerpiece moment. Especially when Odysseus is reflecting on the Trojan War to Penelope once they finally reunite. There are many ways someone can interpret Zendaya's character. Is Odysseus really conversing with a god or is she a symbol of his guilt? When he was asked him to clear it up, Nolan provided a diplomatic response:

Leave it to Nolan to leave one of his movies open-ended. (Don't even get me started on the spinning top.) I guess I’m not at all surprised he deflected this question from Time. I definitely think that it was an intentional decision from the writer/director. I have a feeling he likes when there are a few different ways to process his work. Nolan also said this in the same interview:

What’s fun about Zendaya’s Athena character is that she alone makes me want to rewatch The Odyssey. I’d be curious how I might interpret her character upon a second viewing. The fact that she resembles a Trojan priestess who was beheaded in front of Odysseus during the war can lead one to make a number of conclusions. And, since Nolan's adaptation plays around with both realism and the mystical, it’s not clear whether she's real or not.

No matter how you see Athena in The Odyssey, I think the Drama actress' performance is indisputably a huge highlight of the film. Sure, the film perhaps struggles with its amount of side characters, but it does nail down the message Nolan sought out to convey via Athena.

And, wildly enough, Zendaya shot the role at the same time as two other projects. She was also making Dune: Part Three and the final season of Euphoria simultaneously. And lately for the press tour, she’s been absolutely stunning us with red carpet fit after fit. All of that aside, though, I’ll definitely be thinking about Nolan’s comments on Athena and taking them into my next screening of The Odyssey, which is still playing in theaters nationwide.

Spoiler alert! Major spoilers ahead for Spider-Man: Brand New Day, so proceed with caution if you haven’t made it to the theater yet!

As with any upcoming Marvel movie, the lead-up to Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s release on the 2026 movie calendar was full of rumors, theories and big questions. Now we finally have some answers about what happened to Tom Holland’s Peter Parker after Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) cast a spell to make everyone forget he’d ever existed. Brand New Day balanced the emotional story of Peter’s isolation with his battles against a new threat (props if you avoided the Sadie Sink spoilers), and the ending hinted at a possible crack in Strange’s spell.

Doctor Strange’s Spell Remained Intact For Most Of Spider-Man: Brand New Day

Spider-Man: No Way Home ended with Doctor Strange being forced to erase Peter Parker from everyone’s memory after a previous spell went haywire and ripped open the multiverse. Spider-Man: Brand New Day didn’t backtrack on that plot point at all, and it was heartbreaking to see Peter keeping tabs on MJ (Zendaya) and Ned (Jacob Batalon) from afar. It wasn’t until the final scene of the movie that we were given hope that Peter wouldn’t have to continue living in such isolation.

Did Ned’s Memories Of Peter Return In The End?

While MJ ended up finding the note that Peter decided not to give her at the end of No Way Home, she still didn’t remember Peter, telling him she didn’t love him because she didn’t share the same memories as the girl he wrote the letter to.

In the end, that didn’t discourage Peter from making further efforts, though. After he helped Jean Grey come to terms with her sister's death — and she, in turn, kept him alive after The Punisher accidentally shot him — Peter chose to introduce himself to Ned when he ran into him again. Ned didn’t recognize his old friend until Peter started leading him in their secret handshake from high school. Ned's muscle memory ultimately kicked in, and his face lit up with recognition, as he shouted, “Peter!”

This would indicate that either Peter and Ned’s bond is so strong that no spell was powerful enough to make one forget the other completely, or it could mean that Doctor Strange’s spell weakens over time or was damaged by something that happened in Brand New Day.

If Doctor Strange’s Spell Can Be Broken, Who Else Will Remember Peter?

We only get one fleeting moment of Ned with his Peter Parker memories presumably returned, so we can only theorize what that means for when and where we’ll see Spider-Man next.

If it was the friends' close bond that broke Doctor Strange’s spell, does that mean MJ’s memories of Peter Parker can also be salvaged? What about the villains Spider-Man has fought? What about Happy or even Doctor Strange himself?

Did the spell got weaker over time, or was it damaged or altered when Jean Grey was keeping Spider-Man alive? Had enough time passed that if Peter had run into MJ that day in the bodega instead of Ned, he might have been able to awaken her memories?

Those are questions that may not be answered for a while (unless Tom Holland drops a new spoiler in the meantime), but I’m certain there will be no shortage of theories as we await Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars. Until then you can try to gain some new clues about the spell by rewatching Spider-Man: No Way Home with your Disney+ subscription or catching another viewing of Brand New Day in theaters now.

Folks love celebrity couples, from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce to Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Another pair that folks won't stop shipping is Tom Holland and Zendaya, especially because they released two movies together in July. And the Spider-Man actor's reaction to his wife arriving at the premiere of Brand New Day is thoroughly adorable. Seriously, I can't get enough.

Tom Holland and Zendaya had a private wedding earlier this year, and have spent the honeymoon period promoting both The Odyssey and the upcoming Marvel movie Spider-Man: Brand New Day. In a video from VT's TikTok, the Uncharted actor was mid-interview at the latter's premiere when he suddenly heard the crowd go wild. He looked at the cause of the commotion and then said simply:

Clearly, Holland knows that he married a baddie, and that fans absolutely adore Zendaya and her method dressing looks at premieres. Case in point: her stunning Spider-themed Versace dress that she rocked at Brand New Day's Chinese premiere. And the fan-favorite Marvel actor seems delighted by how well-loved his Emmy-winning wife is.

Despite how Holland and Zendaya try to keep their relationship private, the public is definitely invested in this young power couple. On top of their celebrity, a big reason why is because of adorable moments like this. You can see the moment the Euphoria actress arrived mid-interview below:

As previously mentioned, Tom Holland and Zendaya had major roles in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey earlier in July, before celebrating the release of the new Spider-Man movie just weeks later. They were already a power couple, but the fact that they can work together so closely and also promote their projects together shows how strong the recently married pair ultimately is. I mean, working with your partner isn't something that all of us could handle.

Tom Holland and Zendaya met filming Spider-Man: Homecoming, so folks who spent years watching the Marvel movies in order have been watching their romantic connection blossom for years. Just as MJ and Peter got closer, so did the two A-list actors. That is at least part of the reason why fans are so invested in their character's journey, especially after No Way Home's twist ending.

Brand New Day picks up years after the last movie, where the entire world has forgotten who Peter Parker is thanks to Doctor Strange's spell. That includes both MJ and Ned, with Tom Holland's hero living a lonely life as he focuses on crime fighting. And fans are hoping that he and Zendaya's characters end up back together.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits theaters on July 31st as part of the 2026 movie release list. Only time will tell what other movies this pair ends up collaborating on next.

Zendaya was in swift competition with Anne Hathaway for most movies of the year. While Hathaway had five, and Zendaya is behind by only one, with four hitting the 2026 movie release schedule: The Drama, The Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Dune: Part Three. Not to mention she had the (divisive) final season of Euphoria also hit HBO this year. Up to this point, I was under the impression that Zendaya might take some time to rest for a while but, apparently, she's already been busy with something else.

It’s not another film or TV role that Zendaya's been working on as of late. The megastar has been announced as “the new Prada Beauty Global Ambassador, fronting Paradoxe.” News of her high-profile position was shared on the Prada Beauty Instagram page with a tease that featured fashion, beauty and even a nod to her film career. But no one seems more excited than Zendaya about her new role:

In 2025, the former Disney Channel star was announced as an ambassador for Prada Beauty’s male fragrance line, Paradigme. That's a major distinction on its own, but this latest accomplishment is also sweet. Check out the promotional video below:

As great as that looks, I can't help but think Zendaya needs a break after promoting Odyssey and Spider-Man back-to-back. Before that, she also had an insane Odyssey filming schedule, which coincided with her shoot for Euphoria. Still, she doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon. More recently, we’ve seen the star alongside husband Tom Holland dishing about the aforementioned Christopher Nolan epic and the new and highly praised Spider-Man movie. In fact, fans in the comments of the post above were quick to point out another exciting prospect of her newest venture: more time with Holland.

More specifically, fans want to see commercials featuring Zendaya and Holland as part of the former's new position. 5ive5ifty5ive says, “Omg not the husband and wife ambassador duo.” Another, rosangelaraposo, asks, “Is there anything that her or her husband can't do?? Couple goals.”

Fans can’t wait to see the Challengers star in her new role, and I can’t blame them. daya.by.zendaya19 says, “Zendaya the global Prada Beauty ambassador has a nice ring.” But it’s fangirl18611 who says what we’re all thinking, “Zendaya is really winning this year.” Truer words have never been spoken.

It's honestly been quite amazing to see how Zendaya's year has played out, and it's wild to think that she still has one more massive movie in Dune that's still going to hit cinemas this year. On top of that, she even has a fifth film in production in the form of Shrek 5, though that isn’t hitting theaters until 2027. Despite the A-lister's busy schedule, it didn’t take much to convince her to join the next Shrek movie. As a fan of the franchise, the star had a “very quick yes” when asked to play the role of the titular character's daughter.

Hopefully, in between releases and the new ambassador position, Zendaya finds time to rest and recharge, though. Everyone needs a break, including one of the brightest stars in Hollywood.

We’re mere days away from Spider-Man: Brand New Day hitting the 2026 movie schedule, where we’ll see the web-slinger taking on a new destructive force in NYC, even as Peter Parker adjusts to a world that has forgotten he ever existed. Reviews have dropped, and several CinemaBlend staffers were amongst the critics to partake in early screenings. How did we enjoy the newest Marvel flick?

Collectively, we at CinemaBlend had a blast at Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which offered emotional stakes that assistant managing editor Nick Venable says sometimes deservedly outweighed the superhero narrative. It’s a true evolution for Tom Holland’s Peter Parker, he says, giving Spider-Man: Brand New Day 4 out of 5 3D-printed stars in his spoiler-free review. Venable says:

A lot of the movie — particularly the aspects involving Zendaya’s MJ and Jacob Batalon’s Ned — revolves around the spell that Doctor Strange cast at the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, and with a full movie to explore the rules and repercussions of that, Nick Venable admits to getting caught in the webs a bit, saying:

Head-scratches often come with the Marvel Cinematic Universe territory, but in this case they were "small potatoes" to an otherwise satisfying venture.

Meanwhile, it’s only positive vibes from CinemaBlend’s movies editor Corey Chichizola. He praises the direction, the performances and the emotional plotline, rating Spider-Man: Brand New Day 4.5 stars out of 5. He says:

There’s been a lot of conjecture about the secret role Sadie Sink plays in the Marvel movie (Sink has even been trolling us over it leading up to the premiere). We won't spoil anything for you here, but I agree with Corey Chichizola that she deserves all the flowers for her role.

For editor in chief Mack Rawden, Brand New Day gives us what we've always loved about Tom Holland's version of this classic character. He also adds that there are enough new elements to keep the fourth movie in the MCU's Spider-Man franchise from feeling stale. He rates it 3.5 stars out of 5 and says:

Managing editor Jessica Rawden, meanwhile, was torn between a 3.5 and 4 in her star rating, as she praised Tom Holland's performance in the "fun romp":

As for my take, I agree with my colleagues that Spider-Man: Brand New Day is a fun addition to the MCU that doesn’t require you to see every Marvel movie in order to be able to understand what’s going on. I give the movie 4 out of 5 stars. Here are my thoughts:

The overall reaction has been positive as well, with Spider-Man: Brand New Day collecting an early 89% Rotten Tomatoes score from critics. You might want to get your tickets early to this one, as the good reviews are likely to help it at the box office this weekend. Spider-Man: Brand New Day hits big screens this Friday, July 31.

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.