Zendaya has come a long way since her Shake It Up days. She has starred in more than ten films, released a self-titled studio album, and won countless awards including a Golden Globe and two Emmys. Her major roles in Euphoria, Spider-Man, and Dune have positioned her as one of the most in-demand actresses working today. With an Instagram follower count surpassing 160 million, to say that Zendaya has garnered a large fanbase would be a massive understatement.
Celebrity following has not always translated to box office performance, but in Zendaya’s case, she has proved to be a major box office draw. She helped two films in the Spider-Man “Homecoming” trilogy cross the $1 billion mark, and her next Spider-Man film is expected to do the same. As we await Zendaya’s future roles, here’s a look at her highest-grossing movies of all time, ranked.
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8 Duck Duck Goose (2018) — $19.6M
Netflix
After voicing “Lollipop” in the direct-to-DVD Disney movie, Super Buddies, Zendaya took another voice role in 2018’s Duck Duck Goose. She voiced a duckling named Chi, the older sister of Chao and one of the two ducks referenced in the title. Chi and her brother befriended a goose named Peng, who took up the challenge of getting them safely home. While Duck Duck Goose was theatrically released in China, the movie’s theatrical release in the United States was canceled. This was due to the temporary closure of its distributor, Open Road Films, prompting them to search for a buyer. Netflix then acquired distribution rights and released Duck Duck Goose as a Netflix Original in July 2018. During its limited theatrical run, the movie grossed $19.6 million at the box office.
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7 Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) — $163.7M
Warner Bros. Pictures
25 years after the original Space Jam, Warner Bros. released a sequel titled Space Jam: A New Legacy, which brought back the Looney Tunes and swapped Michael Jordan for LeBron James. Zendaya replaced Kath Soucie in the voice role of Lola Bunny, bringing a modern version of the animated character to life. The Space Jam sequel was released when Warner Bros. were experimenting with a day-and-date strategy, releasing films on HBO Max the same time they opened in theaters. It’s impossible to know how Space Jam: A New Legacy would have performed in a world unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but in our world, the movie grossed $163.7 million. According to Samba TV, 2.1 million households in the United States watched the movie on HBO Max during its opening weekend.
6 Smallfoot (2018) — $214M
Before Zendaya appeared alongside LeBron James in Space Jam: A New Legacy, they were in another animated feature from Warner Bros. together called Smallfoot. The movie followed a Himalayan Yeti named Migo (voiced by Channing Tatum), who crossed paths with a human he and his tribe referred to as a “smallfoot.” Zendaya voiced Meechee, the leader of the S.E.S. (Smallfoot Evidentiary Society) and daughter of the Stonekeeper. Aside from Tatum, James, and Zendaya, Smallfoot featured several other big names including Common and Danny DeVito. Smallfoot grossed $214 million at the 2018 box office and generally received positive reviews from critics.
5 Dune (2021) — $401.8M
The highly-anticipated film adaptation of the epic sci-fi classic, Dune, found its captain in Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 director Denis Villeneuve. Like Space Jam: A New Legacy, Dune was released on HBO Max the same day it hit theaters. Dune was viewed by 1.9 million U.S. households during its opening weekend (via Variety), before growing to 3.9 million U.S. households within the first month (via Deadline). However, it was agreed amongst movie fans that Dune was made to be seen on the big screen, not on a phone or home television. Dune provided a cinematic experience like no other, and finished its box office run with $401.8 million. Zendaya has been confirmed to reprise her role as Chani in the sequel, Dune: Part Two, which has been scheduled for a late-2023 release.
4 The Greatest Showman (2017) — $435M
20th Century Studios
Zendaya played Anne Wheeler, a trapeze artist and acrobat in the Hugh Jackman-led The Greatest Showman. Anne was the younger sister of another acrobat played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and the love interest of playwright Phillip Carlyle (Zac Efron). The Greatest Showman was the first movie to showcase Zendaya’s singing and dancing talent, featuring a duet between her and Zac Efron in “Rewrite the Stars.” Her performance led to her being nominated for numerous awards, and winning the Kids’ Choice Award for Favorite Movie Actress and Teen Choice Award for Choice Drama Movie Actress. The Greatest Showman grossed $435 million at the box office, and has continued to be beloved by fans. A sequel entered development but has stalled following the Disney-Fox merger.
3 Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017) — $880.2M
Sony / Marvel Studios
When Zendaya was cast in the first Spider-Man movie in the MCU, there was a lot of speculation on what character she would be playing. After she squashed rumors that she would be playing Mary Jane Watson, Spider-Man: Homecoming confirmed she was playing a new character named Michelle, who was the MCU’s “MJ.” In Homecoming, Michelle Jones-Watson was introduced as an intelligent but awkward teen who loved to observe people from the outside. MJ was like a modern version of The Breakfast Club’s Allison Reynolds if she had been dropped into a superhero movie. Spider-Man: Homecoming grossed an impressive $880.2 million, surpassing the films in the Amazing Spider-Man series.
2 Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) — $1.132B
Following the release of Avengers: Endgame, Zendaya returned as Michelle Jones-Watson in Spider-Man: Far From Home. The movie took Peter Parker and friends on a trip across Europe with Mysterio and the Elementals on their tail. While trying to keep everyone safe as Spider-Man, Peter also competed for MJ’s affections with fellow classmate Brad Davis. Michelle’s heart belonged to Peter, and amidst all the superhero chaos, Spider-Man: Far From Home established their romantic relationship. The movie was an even bigger hit than Spider-Man: Homecoming, becoming the first Spider-Man movie to gross more than $1 billion.
1 Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021) — $1.922B
Spider-Man: No Way Home has become Zendaya’s highest-grossing movie of all time, and one of the top 10 highest-grossing movies in history. The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the film industry, and it wasn’t until the release of No Way Home that a movie was able to gross $1 billion. At the time, the last movie to have crossed $1 billion was 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Zendaya’s third Spider-Man movie did not just cross the billion-dollar mark, but went so far as to almost reach the two billion-dollar mark.
The incredible box office performance has ranked Spider-Man: No Way Home as the highest-grossing superhero movie, behind only Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. Many have referred to No Way Home as the movie that brought people back to theaters.
