Zendaya to Star in Alex Garland’s New A24 Sci-Fi Movie

Zendaya will star in a new science-fiction film from writer-director Alex Garland, and A24 is backing it. Deadline broke the news on October 15, 2026. However, the movie has no title yet, and nobody has revealed the plot. Filming should start in 2027, so fans will have to wait a while for details.

It’s an interesting pairing, because Garland has made some of the most talked-about sci-fi of the past decade. Meanwhile, Zendaya is coming off one of the biggest years of her career.

Zendaya and Alex Garland’s New Movie at a Glance

Detail	What We Know
Title	Untitled sci-fi movie
Star	Zendaya
Writer and director	Alex Garland
Studio	A24
Announced	October 15, 2026
Filming	Expected in 2027
Plot and supporting cast	Not announced
Release date	Not announced

What We Know So Far

Not much, and that’s very Garland. Variety confirms that the film is an untitled sci-fi project, and it will start shooting in 2027. In addition, The Hollywood Reporter says Garland is writing the script himself. Still, A24 hasn’t shared her character, the supporting cast or the filming locations. As a result, anything about the story right now is guesswork.

A Long Partnership With A24

This will be Garland’s sixth film with A24, according to The Playlist. The earlier ones include Ex Machina, Men, Civil War, Warfare and the upcoming Elden Ring. In fact, he hasn’t finished with that last one yet. 4Filming reports that the video game adaptation has wrapped filming and will hit theaters on March 3, 2028. Meanwhile, TheWrap says he will keep working on both projects at the same time.

The new film also matters for sci-fi fans. Ex Machina and Annihilation, his best-known sci-fi, used strange situations to say something uncomfortable about people. Therefore, seeing him return to original sci-fi after the fantasy of Elden Ring is a big reason this announcement has people talking.

Why Zendaya Fits the Project

Zendaya has spent 2026 moving between huge franchises and smaller, riskier films. For example, she appeared in Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. She also starred opposite Robert Pattinson in the A24 dark comedy The Drama, which earned roughly $135 million worldwide. Meanwhile, her HBO series Euphoria, another A24 production, finished this year after three seasons.

She also plays Chani in the Dune films, so she clearly feels at home in science fiction. What she will do in Garland’s version is anyone’s guess. Still, choosing an original, director-driven film over another sequel says a lot.

What Else Is on Zendaya’s Plate?

She doesn’t get much of a break. First, she returns as Chani in Dune: Part Three, which Warner Bros. releases on December 18, 2026. Next year, she also voices Felicia, the daughter of Shrek and Fiona, in Shrek 5. In addition, she plans to play Ronnie Spector in Barry Jenkins’ A24 biopic Be My Baby.

FAQs

What is Zendaya’s new movie with Alex Garland about?

Nobody knows yet. A24 hasn’t released a title, a synopsis or a character description. However, we do know it’s science fiction, and Garland is writing and directing.

When will Zendaya’s Alex Garland movie come out?

There’s no release date yet. Filming starts in 2027, and Elden Ring already has a March 2028 slot, so a 2028 release or later seems most likely. Of course, that’s only an estimate, not an official date.

Is Alex Garland directing Elden Ring too?

Yes. He’s writing and directing the live-action Elden Ring adaptation for A24 and Bandai Namco. Meanwhile, he will keep working on it while he prepares the new sci-fi film.

When does Dune: Part Three come out?

Dune: Part Three opens on December 18, 2026, and Zendaya returns as Chani.

Has A24 announced the rest of the cast?

Not yet. So far, Zendaya is the only actor A24 has confirmed.

The Bottom Line

Zendaya stars, Garland writes and directs, and A24 produces. Filming starts in 2027. However, the title, story and release date are still secret, so we will update this article as soon as A24 shares more.

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