If you've been on the internet over the past couple of weeks, you might have seen speculation about Tom Holland and Zendaya quitting acting to focus on future family life. But is there any truth to this popular fan theory? Well, yes and no. Below, we break it all down.
What have Tom Holland and Zendaya said about retiring?
Tom Holland and Zendaya, who recently got engaged after years of dating, have both been open about their plans to retire at some point.
Speaking to Men's Health in January 2025, Holland revealed his plans to retire from acting once he starts a family. “When I have kids, you will not see me in movies anymore," he revealed, admitting he'd focus on other hobbies and parenting instead. “[I'll] golf and dad. And I will just disappear off the face of the earth,” he said.
Zendaya seems very much aware of Tom Holland's plan, and, in fact, she is on the same wavelength. Back in 2024, Zendaya opened up about seeing her friends starting families, admitting she'd also like to do the same eventually — though not immediately.
The star admitted it had been one of her goals for a while and revealed she'd likely like to keep her future children away from the spotlight, which might also mean a step back from the industry for herself.
"I don't necessarily want my kids to have to deal with [the pressures of being a public figure]," she admitted to Vogue. “And what does my future look like? Am I going to be a public-facing person forever?”
The actor said both she and Holland had “complicated feelings about kids and fame and being in the public eye.” She added: “We've seen a lot of cases of it being detrimental… And I think only now, as an adult, am I starting to go, 'Oh, OK, wait a minute: I've only ever done what I've known, and this is all I've known.'”
Could Zendaya and Tom Holland be retiring in 2026?
There seems to be a popular fan theory that Zendaya and Tom Holland could be retiring soon, seeing as the two stars have decided to express similar sentiments about stepping away from the limelight when it comes time to parenting, which was exacerbated after their engagement news. (ICYMI: The two stars got engaged in late 2024 while spending the holidays with Zendaya's family in the US.)
Fans seem to be under the impression that the two stars could be packing on projects for 2026 to retire and focus on family to coincide with their 30th birthdays, but that is still a relatively early age to become parents these days and even more so retire. But would work even allow them to? Let's get into it.
What are Zendaya and Tom Holland working on until 2026?
If you want the short answer, Zendaya and Tom Holland are working on a lot of projects until 2026, and there might even be some we don't even know about that are already in the works.
This past week, you might have seen some online chatter about Tom Holland potentially being a contender for the coveted role of James Bond. Over the last few years, speculation has been at an all-time high trying to find Daniel Craig's successor with names like Aaron Taylor Johnson, Regé-Jean Page, Idris Elba, Josh O'Connor, and many more — now with Tom Holland being thrown in the mix.
Speculation about Tom Holland potentially being the next James Bold — and emphasis on speculation here — can be traced back to February 2025, when it was reported that Amazon had gained creative control over the uber-popular British franchise. A month later, in March, it was then reported that producers Amy Pascal and David Heyman had inked a deal to helm the next Bond movie for Amazon MGM Studios with complete creative control.
Announcing the news, Amazon especially emphasized the duo's impeccable track record in previous franchises, which is where the link to Holland comes in, as Pascal is behind the latest Spider-Man franchise with the British star. (Heyman, on the other hand, was a key player in Harry Potter and its many offsprings.)
Previous Bonds have stuck with the role for a while, so that'd mean commitment. Sean Connery starred in six Bond movies from 1962 to 1971; Roger Moore did seven; Pierce Brosnan, three; and Daniel Craig starred in five from 2006 until 2021.
Though there's been chatter about Holland being Bond at some points for years, the connection with the producers has certainly intensified it, and with the star turning 29 this year, he does seem fit for the character, but that does not mean it will happen, especially with his busy slate.
At the time of writing, Tom Holland is booked and busy. The star is currently filming Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey alongside fiancée Zendaya, and the still-untitled Spider-Man 4, both slated for a 2026 release, is soon to follow suit.
The star's name is also attached to American Speed, a based-on-a-true-story project from Amazon MGM Studios still in pre-production stages that would potentially star Tom Holland and Austin Butler as two-thirds of the Whittington brothers, racecar drivers who were involved in a major scandal. This project has no tentative release date yet, so it could very well be after 2026.
Work-wise, Zendaya seems even busier than Holland for the next couple of years. For the latter half of 2024, Z kept busy filming A24's upcoming romantic comedy, The Drama, which was written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli. Zendaya stars alongside Robert Pattinson, Mamoudou Athie, and Alana Haim in the project, which finished filming last December and is yet to set a release date though it is expected in 2025.
The star has also been already spotted filming The Odyssey alongside Holland and, at long last, the highly-anticipated season 3 of Euphoria. In February 2025, it was also announced that Zendaya had joined the cast of Shrek 5, which is expected to hit theaters on Christmas 2026, voicing Felicia, Shrek and Fiona's daughter.
Though these are not yet officially confirmed, Zendaya could also be working on Dune 3 and Spider-Man 4 for 2026 releases. Though details about the latter and its cast are being kept under wraps, the third and final installment in Denis Villeneuve's trilogy will likely feature Zendaya's Chani. Filming is expected to kick off production in the summer of 2025 for a confirmed December 18, 2026.
Aside from all of those, Zendaya is also slated to play Ronnie Spector in the late star's biopic Be My Baby, which just announced Barry Jenkins as its director. Zendaya has been attached to the project since 2020, and Spector reportedly handpicked her before her death in 2022 to play her. The project remains in pre-production, but given Z's busy schedule, we could see it picking up, at the earliest, well into 2026.
Taking into account the already confirmed 2026 releases and its subsequent promo tours, it's hard to see where the couple would even fit in their wedding, the obvious next step, before going for the full retirement with children plans, so again, only they would know their preferred timeline.
So, will Zendaya and Tom Holland retire soon? I guess the more appropriate question here is maybe more: Can you define soon? The couple is, rightfully so, private when it comes to their personal lives, so fans will know in due time, but, in any case, it's safe to say we'll be seeing them on our screens for a while more.
