Zendaya has reportedly "chosen" her next big franchise as her next major action playground after taking on memorable roles in the MCU and Denis Villeneuve's Dune films. Zendaya's 2026 has been one of the busiest years for the talented actress, as she juggles major releases, starting with A24's The Drama and returning (for the final time) as Rue Bennett in HBO's Euphoria Season 3. The award-winning actress then had a busy summer, starring as Athena in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey before reuniting with Tom Holland's Peter Parker as MJ in the widely successful Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The year is set to close with her return to the big screen in Dune: Part Three, where she reprises her role as Chani in the final chapter of the Timothee Chalamet-led franchise. After 2026 established Zendaya as one of the most in-demand stars in Hollywood, a new report suggests the actress already has her next franchise move in mind.
Entertainment insider Jeff Sneider reported that Zendaya is eyeing the Bourne franchise as her next action franchise, positioning herself as the successor to Matt Damon in a new installment that could push her to the forefront of Hollywood's iconic spy series.
While the deal has not yet been finalized, talks of taking over the Bourne franchise signal a major career pivot for Zendaya as she steps into a leading role in a movie that could further elevate her in the action genre.
This reported move arrives at a pivotal moment as Zendaya closes her chapter in Dune and takes a break from Marvel after Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Zendaya entered the MCU as MJ in 2017's Spider-Man: Homecoming, introduced as an outsider before evolving into a natural love interest for Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Far from Home and Spider-Man: No Way Home.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day cast MJ in a different light after she was forced into a reset by Doctor Strange's memory-wiping spell, giving her a clean (and quite tragic) slate and prompting her and Peter to rebuild their dynamic from the ground up.
MJ's MCU future remains open-ended. After surviving the events of Brand New Day, after being manipulated by Jean Grey, MJ appears to have regained her memories of Peter (though it is up for debate). Still, Zendaya's MJ is one of the few MCU characters who know Peter Parker is Spider-Man after Brand New Day, so this twist is a good jumping-off point for their new dynamic moving forward.
Denis Villeneuve is ready to say goodbye to the Dune franchise after Dune: Part Three's release on December 18.
Zendaya's Chani once again emerges as the central emotional and moral force in the final installment, rising to the challenge and questioning Paul Atreides' twisted ascent to power. In the first two movies, Zendaya managed to strike the perfect balance among physical intensity, quiet intensity, and moral complexity, and these same qualities will be amplified in Dune: Part Three.
With the Dune chapter closing, it makes sense that Zendaya is now looking for options for another long-term action franchise, and the Bourne universe appears to be the perfect fit.
How Zendaya's MCU & Dune Roles Prepare Her for the Bourne Franchise
Zendaya's work in the MCU and the Dune trilogy gave the actress the exact skill set a modern Bourne lead needs.
As the MCU's version of MJ, Zendaya has spent a decade navigating themes of identity, emotional complexity, and fractured relationships under the pressure of being friends and later dating a superhero. The memory-wipe storyline of giving MJ a clean slate in Spider-Man: Brand New Day echoes Jason Bourne's amnesia premise, perfectly capturing the disorientation and the resolve to rebuild an identity while under constant threat and forced to confront high-stakes choices.
In Dune, Zendaya's Chani embraced a different set of traits and tools that could carry over into the Bourne franchise. The trilogy showcased Chani as a skilled fighter and a moral anchor who refuses to compromise her principles, even as those closest to her (particularly Paul) choose a twisted path in their pursuit of power.
The physicality, quiet intensity, and ability to convey emotion through minimal dialogue are essential to making her Bourne character stand out from Matt Damon's version.
All in all, Zendaya's roles in the MCU and Dune are the perfect launching pad for her to handle large-scale action in the world of Bourne's espionage.
