I saw “Alex Garland” trending this morning and figured it was more Elden Ring news. Nope. It’s bigger than that, at least for me. Zendaya is going to star in Garland’s next sci-fi movie, and A24 is making it.
I’ve been a Garland fan since I watched Ex Machina on a laptop with bad headphones and still couldn’t sleep afterward. So yes, I’m excited. Here’s what’s actually been confirmed, and what hasn’t.
What is the new Zendaya and Alex Garland movie about?
Honestly? Nobody outside the project knows yet. Deadline reports that plot details are being kept under wraps, and TheWrap straight up calls it a “secret project.” There’s no title either. Right now it’s just “untitled A24 sci-fi film, written and directed by Alex Garland.”
That’s frustrating, but it’s also very Garland. He’s not a guy who explains his movies before you see them. Half the time he doesn’t explain them after, either.
When will the Alex Garland Zendaya film come out?
Don’t hold your breath. A24 says production starts sometime in 2027, according to IndieWire. No release date has been announced.
There’s a good reason it isn’t rushing. Garland is still working on his Elden Ring movie, the big adaptation of the FromSoftware video game. IndieWire says he wrapped production on it earlier this year, and it’s set for March 3, 2028. TheWrap reports he’ll keep working on Elden Ring and this new sci-fi film at the same time. That’s a lot of plates to spin.
Who else is in it? No other cast has been announced. Just Zendaya so far.
Wait, didn’t Alex Garland say he was done directing?
Kind of! Back in 2024, around the release of Civil War, Garland told IndieWire he’d be stepping back from directing for the “foreseeable future.” Then he co-directed Warfare, signed on for Elden Ring, and now this. I’m not complaining. I just think it’s funny.
What movies has Alex Garland made?
If the name’s new to you, here’s a quick tour.
He’s a British writer and director, and his films will get you arguing in the parking lot — every time.
- Ex Machina (2014): the one where he finally stepped behind the camera for the first time, bringing in Domhnall Gleeson, Alicia Vikander and Oscar Isaac. A programmer gets to check if a humanoid AI is actually intelligent. Landed him an Oscar nod for Best Original Screenplay.
- Annihilation (2018): Jeff VanderMeer’s novel on the page, Natalie Portman up on screen. I still think about it way more than is healthy.
- Men (2022): Jessie Buckley and Rory Kinnear in a horror story about a woman who takes a trip to the English countryside after her ex-husband dies. The most divisive of the bunch.
- Civil War (2024): Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura and Cailee Spaeny as journalists crossing a United States at war with itself.
- Warfare (2025): co-written and co-directed with former Navy SEAL Ray Mendoza, about a SEAL platoon in Ramadi, Iraq.
He also wrote the screenplays for 28 Days Later, 28 Years Later (2025) and 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, which came out in January. A third 28 Years Later film is on hold for now, and Danny Boyle has said part of the holdup is Garland’s packed schedule.
A24 has distributed Ex Machina, Men, Civil War and Warfare, and Elden Ring is an A24 film too. So this pairing makes total sense.
What has Zendaya been in lately?
Short answer: everything. 2026 has been an absurd year for her.
She played MJ again in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which TheWrap says is the No. 1 movie of the year at $2.51 billion worldwide. She’s also in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, the No. 2 movie of the year at about $1.78 billion. Then there’s The Drama, her darkly funny A24 movie with Robert Pattinson, which made around $134 million worldwide.
On TV, Euphoria wrapped its third and final season this year, and she picked up another Emmy nomination for it. She’d already won Lead Actress in a Drama Series twice for the earlier seasons. And she’s not done yet. Dune: Part Three, where she’s back as Chani, hits theaters December 18.
Why I think this could be special
Garland’s best work runs on one great performance at the center. Vikander in Ex Machina. Portman in Annihilation. Dunst in Civil War. Zendaya has done giant franchise stuff and smaller, stranger work, and she’s good at playing people who are hard to read. That’s basically Garland’s whole wheelhouse.
My only worry is the wait. 2027 shoot, release date unknown. That’s a long time to stare at an empty IMDb page.
FAQ
What is the title of Zendaya’s Alex Garland movie?
It doesn’t have one yet. It’s being reported as an untitled sci-fi film from A24.
When does filming start?
Filming kicks off in 2027. No release date on the calendar yet.
Is it connected to Elden Ring or 28 Years Later?
No. It’s a separate, original sci-fi project. Garland’s Elden Ring movie is still set for March 3, 2028.