The year 2026 is indeed the biggest year of Zendaya’s career as she will not just be appearing in two or three ventures, but a staggering five major projects. She would start the year with The Drama, heading to Euphoria season 3, then Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and finally she will end the year with Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three. This will prove to be a really packed year for her, and a great one for her fans. 

She has not yet signed any project beyond the above-mentioned ones, and this creates intrigue about her next project following this great lineup. She has, however, expressed her wish to work with a certain Oscar-winning director next.

  Even though Zendaya's current workload is almost too much, she is planning her future collaborations. The actress named a director she had always wanted to collaborate with during a recent appearance on The Jennifer Hudson Show. Zendaya name-drops the Sinners fame Ryan Coogler as the director she would like to work with next.

“Ryan Coogler… ever since Fruitvale Station,” replied Zendaya when asked about ideal collaborators. She also pointed out the movie by the director that had an impact on her early in her career.  

She has a personal connection to his work as well. Both the celebrities hail from Oakland, and she says that for the people of Oakland, like herself, he means a great deal. Her appreciation was grounded in a common hometown identity that goes beyond recognition in the profession.   

Even though they have never worked together, there is a sense of connection because of the fact that they share the same place of origin. But it might be bigger than that, like resonating with the type of stories the director chooses to tell or how he chooses to portray them. 

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Zendaya’s remarks come at a time when the actress is swamped with work, having back-to-back releases, and is planning a brief hiatus afterwards.

After the release of her five projects this year, Zendaya will take a break from the spotlight, as stated by the actress herself. The 29-year-old actress revealed in an interview with Fandango that she plans to temporarily disappear in order to prevent fans from growing weary of her following a year full of high-profile debuts, according to E! Online.

"I just hope people don't get sick of me," said Zendaya in the interview. Her concern is rightly placed, as an actor’s frequent appearances can cause exhaustion for the audience. Taking a break will not only give audiences some time to miss the actress but also give her a chance to rejuvenate and come back recharged. 

Zendaya's comments about working with Ryan Coogler have set some expectations for her future project. Now, whether those expectations get fulfilled is entirely another matter. For now, she has been busy with the promotions of The Drama. And if everything falls into place, she might land a role in Coogler’s world too. 

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What do you think of the chances of Zendaya and Ryan Coogler working together on a project? Share your thoughts.