It's an exciting time for Zendaya as she's currently doing the rounds to promote Dune and has Spider-Man: No Way Home on the horizon. Recently, InStyle spoke to the actress for a profile and asked if she ever anticipated being part of a franchise starring Marvel's most iconic superhero.
"No, definitely not," she admitted. "I had no idea that was coming. I actually went to see Spider-Man on my first date when I was 16. The version with Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone."
We're sure that comment will make many of you feel old, but it's definitely fun to learn about Zendaya's history with the franchise before she joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Elsewhere in the interview, she was asked about what makes rumoured boyfriend and co-star Tom Holland such a special actor and person to work with on these movies.
"There are many things, obviously, that I appreciate. In an actor way, I appreciate that he really loves being Spider-Man," Zendaya says. "It's a lot of pressure - you take on the role of a superhero wherever you go. To the little kid who walks by, you are Spider-Man. I think he handled that so well. And seeing him at work, even though he's not a Virgo [laughs], he is a perfectionist."
"Our director allowed me to come in every day [of the shoot], and it was cool to see how he cares so much about his work and making it right. I watched him do a fight scene all day, which is exhausting," she continued. "He'd do a move, come back to the monitors, watch it, and say, 'I can do that better.' I'd be like, 'Dude, you got it.' But he wants us to be perfect, and I really appreciate that."
Zendaya and Holland may or may not be dating, but it's great to hear her thoughts on what he brings to the role of Spider-Man. It's clearly a character the actor cares a great deal about, and it's interesting that his co-star went to such great lengths to be on set with him event day. Sounds like something a girlfriend might do, right? Regardless, we're excited to see more of Peter Parker and MJ!
Spider-Man: No Way Home is set to be released December 17, later this year!
Click on the "Next" button below to check out a ranking
of every Spider-Man movie according to Rotten Tomatoes!
10. Venom
Score: 30%
Rotten or Fresh? Rotten
Critics Consensus: Venom's first standalone movie turns out to be like the comics character in all the wrong ways - chaotic, noisy, and in desperate need of a stronger attachment to Spider-Man.
Spider-Man didn't appear in Venom, but it's still very much a "Spider-Man" movie. After all, Eddie Brock is one of the wall-crawler's greatest villains; it's just a shame that Sony Pictures and director Ruben Fleischer failed to do the character justice. Tom Hardy's zany performance was a sight to behold and the Symbiote looked great, but this felt like it should have been released in 2005.
9. The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Score: 52%
Rotten or Fresh? Rotten
Critics Consensus: While the cast is outstanding and the special effects are top-notch, the latest installment of the Spidey saga suffers from an unfocused narrative and an overabundance of characters.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 tried to cram way too much in, with Electro and Harry Osborn's Green Goblin serving as the lead villains. Meanwhile, the death of Gwen Stacy was crammed in...just 'cause? The costume looked great, but Marc Webb's sequel completely lost the plot (literally). Despite that, it was surprisingly enjoyable in places and we can't fault Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone.
9. Venom: Let There Be Carnage
Score: 59%
Rotten or Fresh? Rotten
Critics Consensus: A sequel aimed squarely at fans of the original's odd couple chemistry, Venom: Let There Be Carnage eagerly embraces the franchise's sillier side.
Reviews are still slowly pouring in for Venom: Let There Be Carnage, so there's a chance it could move into "Fresh" territory. Honestly, the sequel did have a few issues (it should have been longer, for starters), but it deserves a much better score than this. The clash between Eddie and Cletus didn't disappoint, while a game-changing post-credits scene is hard not to be excited about.
8. Spider-Man 3
Score: 63%
Rotten or Fresh? Fresh
Critics Consensus: Though there are more characters and plotlines, and the action sequences still dazzle, Spider-Man 3 nonetheless isn't quite as refined as the first two.
A disappointing end to Sam Raimi's trilogy, Spider-Man 3 screwed up both Venom and Sandman. Making the latter the murderer of Uncle Ben was a baffling, weird move, and cramming Venom in at the last-minute just stunk of producer Avi Arad. It's still hard to believe things could get this bad after Spider-Man 2, but perhaps the only place was down after such a spectacular second instalment?
7. The Amazing Spider-Man
Score: 73%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: A well-chosen cast and sure-handed direction allow The Amazing Spider-Man to thrill, despite revisiting many of the same plot points from 2002's Spider-Man.
Marc Webb's reboot tread a lot of familiar ground, but we did get a Spider-Man who finally delivered the wisecracks comic book fans had grown used to. The Lizard design wasn't perfect, but the action was great, and it's a shame Sony Pictures chose not to commit to those eye-catching POV scenes. There was a lot here that didn't work, but there's plenty of love about this fresh take on the franchise too.
TIE: Spider-Man
Score: 90%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: Not only does Spider-Man provide a good dose of web-swinging fun, it also has a heart, thanks to the combined charms of director Sam Raimi and star Tobey Maguire.
The first live-action movie starring the iconic Marvel Comics character was a little rough around the edges (especially if you watch it today), but hard to fault at the time. Sure, it was a shame that the Green Goblin looked like a Power Ranger, but Willem Dafoe was perfect as Norman Osborn, and Tobey Maguire's earnest performance as a Steve Ditko-style Peter Parker was a real win for this movie.
TIE: Spider-Man: Far From Home
Score: 90%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: A breezily unpredictable blend of teen romance and superhero action, Spider-Man: Far from Home stylishly sets the stage for the next era of the MCU.
Spider-Man: Far From Home delivered a memorable take on Mysterio, made MJ a character we could all fall in love with, and reinvented some classic villains in unique ways (even if it wasn't what some fans wanted to see). Throw in a last-minute twist and the best mid-credits scene Marvel Studios has ever delivered, and this sequel is why there was such backlash to the Disney/Sony split.
4. Captain America: Civil War
Score: 91%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: Captain America: Civil War begins the next wave of Marvel movies with an action-packed superhero blockbuster boasting a decidedly non-cartoonish plot and the courage to explore thought-provoking themes.
This isn't primarily a Spider-Man movie, but it was extremely important for the web-slinger and helped bring him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe in a big way. It goes without saying that Captain America: Civil War was great, but focusing primarily on Peter Parker himself, we definitely received an effective reinvention courtesy of the Russo Brothers and that was desperately needed.
3. Spider-Man: Homecoming
Score: 92%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: Spider-Man: Homecoming does whatever a second reboot can, delivering a colorful, fun adventure that fits snugly in the sprawling MCU without getting bogged down in franchise-building.
Yes, Spider-Man: Homecoming featured a little too much Iron Man, but you can't blame Sony Pictures for wanting Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark to play a role after The Amazing Spider-Man 2 so badly underperformed. Taking that aside, and Tom Holland really proved himself here (The Vulture was also an extremely entertaining villain). Jon Watts did an overall spectacular job too.
2. Spider-Man 2
Score: 93%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: Boasting an entertaining villain and deeper emotional focus, this is a nimble sequel that improves upon the original.
A legit classic, Spider-Man 2 was Sam Raimi firing on all cylinders, whether it was the Evil Dead-inspired scene with Doctor Octopus' arms, Harry Osborn unmasking the wall-crawler, or amazing action sequences aplenty (has anything really rivalled that epic, exciting battle atop the train?). This arguably deserves to be at the top of this list...well, from a live-action perspective, anyway!
1. Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse
Score: 97%
Rotten or Fresh? Certified Fresh
Critics Consensus: Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse matches bold storytelling with striking animation for a purely enjoyable adventure with heart, humor, and plenty of superhero action.
This Oscar-winning animated adventure was a true joy to watch, and groundbreaking both in terms of visuals and from a storytelling point of view. Putting the focus on Miles Morales paid off in a big way for Sony Pictures, and this tale had more heart than any of the other movies listed here. The sequel has a lot to live up to, and can hopefully earn the perfect 100% score this one deserved.