10 Most Rewatchable Zendaya Movies, Ranked

Zendaya's acting career started as a Disney Channel star, starring as Rocky Blue on Disney Channel's hit show Shake It Up. After Disney, Zendaya embraced a wide range of roles, from voicing Lola Bunny in Space Jam: A New Legacy to the lead role of Tashi Duncan in Luca Guadagnino's Challengers. Her post-Disney roles have cemented her as one of the most talented actors of her generation, while her fashion statements on the red carpet make her an instant movie star.

Indeed, the actress' star power has only grown as she has taken on various movie roles over the years. Her career is only just getting started, and with her most recent role, she's taking her career to the next level and potentially placing herself as an Oscar contender. In her surprisingly long career, Zendaya has appeared in multiple films, including some that are incredibly rewatchable, whether because of their silly plots, memorable narratives, or Zendaya herself.

10 'Frenemies' (2012)

Directed by Daisy von Scherler Mayer

Frenemies was Zendaya's first Disney Channel movie, premiering in 2012. She stars alongside her Shake It Up co-star, Bella Thorne. Zendaya plays Halley Brandon, a smart girl, and Thorne is her best friend, Avalon Greene, a fashionista. The two besties run a fashion blog, and they get the attention of a major fashion magazine managed by Cherie St. Claire (Jessalyn Wanlim), but only one can become the website's senior editor.

Some might describe the premise of Frenemies as cheesy, but honestly, that's what makes this Disney Channel movie a fun rewatch. Zendaya and Bella Thorne fall easily into the best friend antics that made them famous in Shake It Up. The duo only appears in the second part of Frenemies, as the other two-thirds are occupied by other stories, but that's enough for Zendaya to make a strong impression.

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9 'Smallfoot' (2018)

Directed by Karey Kirkpatrick and Jason Reisig

Set in the Himalayas, Smallfoot, one of the most underrated movie musicals of the past five years, is about a group of yetis living above the clouds. Migo (Channing Tatum) is a young Yeti trained to be the next Stone Keeper, an important role in his society. Meechee (Zendaya) is the Stone Keeper's daughter, Migo's crush, and the leader of the Smallfoot Evidentiary Society (SES), who believes in the existence of humans. However, the rest of the Yeti village doesn't share those beliefs. A human named Percy Patterson comes into contact with the yetis, and Migo's view on humans changes forever.

Smallfoot is an overlooked animated children's film with a very catchy soundtrack. While the story and characters have a great message, the musical numbers are the biggest sell here. So far in her career, Zendaya has done voice acting for various characters in animated movies, but Smallfoot is the first feature where she has sung for an animated character. Her featured song, "Wonderful Life," is about the beauty of nature, and it's just one of the numerous singable songs in the movie.

Smallfoot

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8 'Malcolm & Marie' (2021)

Directed by Sam Levinson

Malcolm & Marie isn't Zendaya's most well-known movie; however, it's seen as one of her most challenging roles. The film is a tight 100 minutes and features only two actors: Zendaya and John David Washington. Washington plays a movie producer named Malcolm, and Zendaya is his girlfriend, Marie. Coming home after a film premiere, Malcolm is nervous about how audiences and critics will receive his film. A late-night conversation escalates into arguments as Marie points out Malcolm didn't thank her in his speech.

This film is a proactive piece on cinema, and its commentary is engaging. Marie faces the toxic masculinity of Malcolm, who's taking advantage of her life story. Malcolm & Marie is a showcase for Zendaya and Washington, and their frustrated interactions will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. With all the back and forth between the titular characters, Malcolm & Marie might not be as easy to follow at first, making another watch necessary. A second viewing allows viewers to hone in on the details within Zendaya's monologues.

Malcolm & Marie

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7 'Spider-Man: Homecoming' (2017)

Directed by Jon Watts

In Spider-Man: Homecoming, 15-year-old Peter Parker (Tom Holland) has fought alongside the Avengers as his alter ego, Spider-Man. However, his mentor, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.), realizes that Parker isn’t ready to join the Avengers. For now, Peter will have to focus on high school and dealing with small-time crime, but things change when he finds his match in the Vulture (Michael Keaton).

The first Spider-Man film in the Tom Holland universe, Homecoming is Zendaya's debut as MJ. However, she's not the main romantic interest, instead playing a rather small supporting role. Moreover, Holland and Zendaya are just settling into their roles as Spider-Man and MJ. Still, she shines with an eccentric sense of humor, and her chemistry with Holland is apparent from the get-go. An enjoyable movie for Holland's fans, Spider-Man: Homecoming is an easily reachable entry into the larger MCU.

Spider-Man: Homecoming

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6 'Dune' (2021)

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

In the first part of Dune, directed by Denis Villeneuve, the House Atreides, led by Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Issac), takes over spice production on a planet called Arrakis, home to the Fremen, who have adapted to living in the harsh desert. An attack on the Atreides family sends Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson) and her son, Paul (Timothée Chalamet), to hide among the Fremen.

Dune is a great beginning to an epic space opera, and it's definitely a step up from previous attempts to put Frank Hebert's Dune onscreen. She isn't in Dune as much as she is in Dune: Part Two, but Zendaya's brief appearance as Chani stands out. Her interactions with Chalamet's Paul are reserved but reveal a lot about how her character feels towards these strangers suddenly appearing in her world. There is so much going on in Dune that it's almost a need to rewatch it to deconstruct Chani and Paul's first meeting.

Dune

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5 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' (2019)

Directed by Jon Watts

Spider-Man: Far from Home chronically starts after Avengers: Endgame. Spider-Man is without his mentor, the now-late Tony Stark, while dealing with trauma from everything he experienced with Thanos. Peter and his classmates travel to Europe on a two-week trip, but his bliss is short-lived before trouble brews in the form of Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal).

This is one of the more entertaining parts of the Tom Holland Spider-Man films, and it's all-around fun to see Spidey and his friends outside of New York City. Far from Home is when the romance between MJ and Peter rakes center stage. Zendaya's MJ and Holland's Peter are definitely a ship, as their chemistry evolves in classic teen romance fashion. The cute moments, such as their awkward first kiss and MJ's discovery of Peter's secret identity, between MJ and Peter make this movie worth a rewatch.

Spider-Man: Far from Home

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4 'Spider-Man: No Way Home' (2021)

Directed by Jon Watts

Spider-Man: No Way Home is the third movie featuring Tom Holland as Spider-Man. In this installment of the franchise, Peter Parker's identity has been compromised. Holland's Spidey goes to Doctor Strange and asks him to make the public forget that he is Spider-Man. The resulting spell causes multiple universes to overlap, and Holland's Spider-Man meets the Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield versions of the character and many of their villains.

Directed by Jon Watts, No Way Home has a lot of fan service without being overly nostalgic. The interactions between the three Spider-Men are fun, and it's also exciting to see MJ and Peter Parker's relationship growing and entering serious territory. No Way Home is a good rewatch for Spider-Man fans who are on team MJ, as her relationship with Peter undergoes major life changes like college. Zendaya and Holland's chemistry is at its peak within this film, from the cute late-night phone banter to the emotional goodbye scene with one last kiss.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

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3 'The Greatest Showman' (2017)

Directed by Michael Gracey

Directed by Michael Gracey, The Greatest Showman is an award-winning movie musical from 2017 starring Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum, Zac Efron as Phillip Carlyle, and Zendaya as Anne Wheeler. The film is a fictionalized take on the story of P.T. Barnum, who founded a famous circus company, and his relationship with his family, including his wife, Charity Hallett-Barnum (Michelle Williams). Barnum's associate, Phillip Carlyle, falls in love with an acrobat, Anne Williams, and the two deal with a society that doesn't want them together just because of the differences in the color of their skin.

A musical is perfect to showcase Zendaya's vocal talents. One of the film's most popular songs is "Rewrite the Stars," which features rich and beautiful vocal performances by Zendaya and Efron. It's a sweet song staged to perfection, featuring heart-stopping acrobatics from Zendaya. This musical number, along with many others like the popular "Come Alive," make The Greatest Showman worth a rewatch, if only to sing along.

The Greatest Showman

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2 'Challengers' (2024)

Directed by Luca Guadagnino

Challengers isn't just any typical sports drama; the film evokes thriller-like elements. At the U.S. Junior championships, tennis players Patrick Zweig (Josh O'Connor) and Art Donaldson (Mike Faist) meet the talented Tashi Duncan (Zendaya), who is on her way to becoming a professional tennis player. A complicated love triangle follows as the three cross paths over the years, finding themselves at odds on the tennis court and in real life.

Zendaya's role in Challengers is her best yet, showing how much she's grown as an actress since her early days. The actress fills the screen with a magnifying power, channeling Tashi's desire to win through her husband. Zendaya's tense-filled chemistry with O'Connor and Faist is feverish and mesmerizing, reflecting her ability to have such an intimate and raw connection with her co-stars. Sexy yet deep, Challengers is a rewarding viewing experience that fans will surely want to appreciate more than once.

Challengers

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1 'Dune: Part 2' (2024)

Directed by Denis Villeneuve

Dune: Part Two continues where the first part left off, with House Atreides in shambles and House Harkonnen overtaking the spice trade. Paul learns more about the Freeman culture, and Lady Jessica becomes the new Reverend Mother as rumors spread that Paul is the Lisan al Gaib. Paul, Chani, and the Freeman attack and disrupt the Harokonnen spice production. As Paul’s prophesied holy war begins, his relationship with Chani becomes tumultuous.

Zendaya takes center stage in Dune: Part 2. The script gives Chani's character more agency, and Zendaya's performance exemplifies how she can take a character and make it her own. It's interesting to rewatch both Dune movies back to back, as it provides viewers insight into Chani's character arc. She goes from being unsure of Paul Atreides to falling in love with him, and then ultimately, to losing her faith in him as he becomes a messiah to the Fremens.

Dune: Part Two

NEXT:5 Animated Movies You Didn't Know Zendaya Appeared In

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