Zendaya's remarkable eight-year streak of opening weekend box office dominance has come to an abrupt halt with the release of her latest film, The Drama. The A24 dark comedy, starring the 29-year-old Euphoria actress alongside Robert Pattinson, debuted in third place on the domestic chart over the Easter weekend, marking the first time a Zendaya-led movie has failed to claim the top spot upon release since her 2018 animated feature Smallfoot.
An Unprecedented Run Comes to a Close
Between the premiere of Smallfoot and the arrival of The Drama, Zendaya enjoyed an unparalleled run of success, with all six of her feature films debuting at number one during their respective opening weekends. This impressive list includes blockbusters such as Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021), Dune: Part One (2021), Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021), Dune: Part Two (2024), and Challengers (2024).
Strong Performance for A24, But Not Enough
Directed by Kristoffer Borgli and produced by Hereditary's Ari Aster, The Drama performed admirably for an A24 production, securing a domestic opening weekend haul of $14.4 million. This figure surpasses the studio's 2025 romantic comedy Materialists, yet it proved insufficient to overtake the competition.
The film was outpaced by Ryan Gosling's space epic Project Hail Mary, which held onto second place during its third weekend, and the record-breaking animated sequel The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which dominated the chart with a massive opening.
Record-Breaking Competition from Animated Sequel
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie recorded the biggest opening day of the year at the box office, earning $48.3 million domestically on Friday alone. Over the three-day holiday weekend, it soared to an impressive $130.9 million, positioning it as the highest-grossing Hollywood film of 2026 to date.
This performance eclipsed Project Hail Mary's previous record, which had set the year's benchmark last month with an $80.5 million domestic opening weekend. The first Mario Bros. Movie also enjoyed a strong Easter weekend debut in 2023, boasting a three-day total of $147 million, one of the best holiday showings of all time.
Controversy and Critical Discourse
Despite its third-place finish, The Drama has generated significant buzz and become a popular topic of discourse, largely due to a controversial plot twist that drew condemnation from critics even before its theatrical release. The film features Zendaya and Pattinson as an engaged couple whose relationship is thrown into turmoil when Zendaya's character, Emma, reveals a dark secret.
The supporting cast includes Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie, Hailey Benton Gates, and Zoë Winters, adding depth to the narrative that has captivated audiences and sparked debate.
Looking Ahead: Zendaya's Upcoming Projects
Zendaya will have ample opportunity to reignite her box office hot streak with a slate of high-profile projects on the horizon. Intriguingly, two of these films also feature Robert Pattinson as a co-star.
Her next theatrical release will be Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, scheduled for July, followed by Spider-Man: Brand New Day just two weeks later. In December, she will reunite with Pattinson and Timothée Chalamet for the highly anticipated Dune: Part Three, offering fans multiple chances to see her return to the top of the charts.
