Kamal Ghorui
Zendaya’s on top of the world right now, but she’s already thinking about what comes next, and who she wants to work with. In a recent interview, she didn’t hold back while expressing her wish regarding her career and professional ambitions. In the coming days, the ‘Euphoria’ star wants to team up with Ryan Coogler, the director behind Sinners, the Oscar-winning hit that everyone’s still talking about.
What did Zendaya say about working with Ryan Coogler?
Even with her schedule jam-packed, she’s got her eyes set on Coogler. Per the San Francisco Chronicle, they both share Oakland roots, and that connection clearly means something to her. She brought him up during a press stop for her new film, ‘The Drama’.
When asked about directors she admires, she didn’t hesitate: Coogler was top of her list. She talked about how ‘Fruitvale Station’ moved her, not just as a movie, but as someone from Oakland who remembers that story unfolding in real life.“I would love to work with Ryan Coogler,” she said on ‘The Jennifer Hudson Show’. “For years I’ve felt this way, since ‘Fruitvale Station,’ because I thought that was such a beautiful and powerful film. But I’m from Oakland too, and I remember when that happened.”This isn’t just business for her; it’s a personal milestone.
Zendaya’s 2026 slate
Now, looking at Zendaya’s calendar for 2026, she’s busier than ever. She just released ‘The Drama’, starring alongside Robert Pattinson. The movie’s all about raw, complicated relationships, and one can tell she’s leaning into more emotionally challenging roles.There’s still plenty more coming.She’s back as MJ in ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ this July. Then Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ drops the same month, which is her first time collaborating with Nolan, and of course, a big deal. By December, she’s back as Chani in ‘Dune: Part Three’. Amidst this movie marathon, let’s not forget ‘Euphoria Season 3,’ which is coming out this April.All of this cements her as a major force in Hollywood: not just a blockbuster name, but someone chasing real artistic range and depth.
Ryan Coogler’s next: What’s cooking?
As for Ryan Coogler, ‘Sinners’, which dropped in 2025, is still making waves. The film, a wild mashup of horror, music, and history set in 1930s Mississippi, starred Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers taking on supernatural forces in the Jim Crow South. The film crushed it, both at the box office and during awards season. ‘Sinners’ pulled in a record-breaking 16 Oscar nominations, winning Best Actor for Jordan and Best Original Screenplay for Coogler. This incredible run indeed is a turning point for Black filmmakers in Hollywood.However, Coogler isn’t slowing down after the success of ‘Sinners’. Per Deadline, he’s already working on ‘Black Panther 3’, and he’s reportedly attached to a new take on ‘The X-Files’.
