Zendaya has been cast as the lead in an untitled sci-fi film written and directed by Alex Garland for A24, according to Deadline. Production is scheduled to begin in 2027. No plot details have been disclosed.
The project marks the first collaboration between Zendaya and Garland. A24 has been the home studio for Garland's last four films. Ex Machina established him as a director of ideas-driven science fiction. Civil War ran on a different set of tensions. Warfare pushed further into formal restraint. His next A24 release, the live-action Elden Ring adaptation starring Kit Connor, Cailee Spaeny, and Ben Whishaw, arrives in March 2028.
Garland was originally set to write all three scripts in the 28 Years Later trilogy. The third film is currently on hold at Sony after The Bone Temple performed below expectations at the box office.
For Zendaya, this extends an active stretch. The Drama, her 2026 A24 collaboration opposite Robert Pattinson, grossed $134.9 million worldwide on a $28 million budget. Dune: Part III, her final appearance as Chani in Denis Villeneuve's trilogy, opens December 18. She also appears as Athena in The Odyssey.
The Garland project has no title or release date. Shooting begins next year.
