Zendaya's Triple Threat: Star Juggles 'Dune,' 'Spider-Man,' and Nolan Epic

Olivia Bennett, 2/18/2025Zendaya faces a scheduling whirlwind as she balances roles in "Dune: Messiah," "Spider-Man 4," and Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey." Meanwhile, Denis Villeneuve returns to direct "Dune: Messiah" after the success of the previous installment, promising an intense narrative set 12 years later.

The news comes fresh off the heels of "Dune: Part Two's" spectacular $700 million global box office triumph — a feat that has clearly emboldened Legendary Pictures to strike while the sand is hot. The film's critical acclaim, boasting a rather fabulous 92% critics score and 95% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, has essentially handed Villeneuve the keys to the cinematic kingdom.

But darlings, here's where it gets deliciously complicated — our ethereal queen Zendaya finds herself at the center of a Hollywood scheduling tornado that would make any A-lister's head spin. The actress is slated to juggle not one, not two, but three major productions: "Dune: Messiah," "Spider-Man 4," and Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey." It's giving us echoes of the golden age of Hollywood when stars were contractually bound to multiple studios — except this time, it's by choice and talent alone.

Speaking of choices, Villeneuve's swift return to the director's chair comes as a particularly juicy surprise. The filmmaker had initially planned to "take a break" and "go back in the woods" — but apparently, darlings, the call of Arrakis proved too strong to resist. As he confessed, "the woods weren't really suiting me, and I would go back behind the camera faster than I think."

Meanwhile, in an entirely different corner of the entertainment universe, NBC is serving us a healthy dose of legal drama nostalgia with "Suits LA." The network is practically shouting from the rooftops about Harvey Specter's involvement — though if you look closely at their latest promo (titled, rather on the nose, "Harvey Specter"), you'll notice they're recycling footage from Season 1, Episode 2 "Errors and Omissions." Oh, honey, we see what you did there.

The timing of these announcements — "Dune: Messiah" and "Suits LA" — presents a fascinating study in Hollywood's current strategy: banking on established properties while pushing them in bold new directions. "Dune: Messiah" promises to take us 12 years into the future, where Paul Atreides' religious jihad has claimed a staggering 61 billion lives — now that's what I call a plot twist, darlings.

For those keeping score at home, "Suits LA" premieres on NBC February 23rd, while "Dune: Messiah" — assuming it maintains its rumored production schedule — is eyeing that juicy December 2026 release date Warner Bros. has been keeping warm. And if there's one thing we know about Hollywood, it's that timing is everything — even if it means rushing back from a woodland retreat to helm a multimillion-dollar space epic.

Darlings, hold onto your stillsuits because Hollywood's hottest desert saga is heating up faster than a sandworm chase on Arrakis. In a deliciously unexpected turn of events, Denis Villeneuve's "Dune: Messiah" — the third installment in his spice-filled epic — is reportedly fast-tracking to production this June, serving us summer blockbuster realness far earlier than anyone anticipated.The news comes fresh off the heels of "Dune: Part Two's" spectacular $700 million global box office triumph — a feat that has clearly emboldened Legendary Pictures to strike while the sand is hot. The film's critical acclaim, boasting a rather fabulous 92% critics score and 95% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, has essentially handed Villeneuve the keys to the cinematic kingdom.But darlings, here's where it gets deliciously complicated — our ethereal queen Zendaya finds herself at the center of a Hollywood scheduling tornado that would make any A-lister's head spin. The actress is slated to juggle not one, not two, but three major productions: "Dune: Messiah," "Spider-Man 4," and Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey." It's giving us echoes of the golden age of Hollywood when stars were contractually bound to multiple studios — except this time, it's by choice and talent alone.Speaking of choices, Villeneuve's swift return to the director's chair comes as a particularly juicy surprise. The filmmaker had initially planned to "take a break" and "go back in the woods" — but apparently, darlings, the call of Arrakis proved too strong to resist. As he confessed, "the woods weren't really suiting me, and I would go back behind the camera faster than I think."Meanwhile, in an entirely different corner of the entertainment universe, NBC is serving us a healthy dose of legal drama nostalgia with "Suits LA." The network is practically shouting from the rooftops about Harvey Specter's involvement — though if you look closely at their latest promo (titled, rather on the nose, "Harvey Specter"), you'll notice they're recycling footage from Season 1, Episode 2 "Errors and Omissions." Oh, honey, we see what you did there.The timing of these announcements — "Dune: Messiah" and "Suits LA" — presents a fascinating study in Hollywood's current strategy: banking on established properties while pushing them in bold new directions. "Dune: Messiah" promises to take us 12 years into the future, where Paul Atreides' religious jihad has claimed a staggering 61 billion lives — now that's what I call a plot twist, darlings.For those keeping score at home, "Suits LA" premieres on NBC February 23rd, while "Dune: Messiah" — assuming it maintains its rumored production schedule — is eyeing that juicy December 2026 release date Warner Bros. has been keeping warm. And if there's one thing we know about Hollywood, it's that timing is everything — even if it means rushing back from a woodland retreat to helm a multimillion-dollar space epic.