By Esther Zuckerman

Tom Holland and Zendaya had a billion-dollar weekend at the box office.

The married actors star in "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," which won the weekend with an astonishing $932 million worldwide. They also appear together in "The Odyssey" which has grossed more than $911 million globally in three weekends. Combined, the films have generated over $1.8 billion at the worldwide box office.

Hollywood is no stranger to celebrity couples who are also co-stars, from Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie to Emily Blunt and John Krasinski. But industry observers say no couple has made this much box-office revenue from back-to-back blockbusters.

"This is the cinematic equivalent of Halley's comet," said Paul Dergarabedian, head of marketplace trends at Rentrak, a media analytics company that tracks box office data. The combined power of "The Odyssey" and "Brand New Day" helped make this past weekend the biggest in domestic box-office in history, with theaters bringing in an initially reported $430 million in ticket sales.

The moment speaks to the collective power of Holland, 30, and Zendaya, 29.

Both got their starts as child actors. He played ballet dancer Billy Elliot in the West End before appearing as Naomi Watts's son in 2012's Oscar-nominated "The Impossible," about the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami. She was a Disney star in shows like "Shake It Up" and "K.C. Undercover."

The two met around a decade ago doing a chemistry read for 2017's "Spider-Man: Homecoming," where he would play Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, and she would portray MJ, who ultimately becomes his love interest. Over the years, their cachet as actors has only multiplied. Holland became one of the anchors of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Spider-Man and also led the videogame blockbuster "Uncharted" in 2022. "The Odyssey" marked one of his biggest non-Spidey roles to date, playing Odysseus's son Telemachus. Zendaya, meanwhile, portrays the goddess Athena.

Zendaya has a major part in the "Dune" franchise, and has earned two Emmys for her work on the HBO drama "Euphoria" and a third nomination for the show's most recent season. She also starred in this year's "The Drama," an independent feature that became a surprise hit for A24, grossing over $132 million worldwide.

Films starring Holland have made around $11 billion globally. Zendaya's output has grossed close to $8 billion.

Their reach extends beyond acting as well.

She is known for her red carpet appearances, specifically her collaboration with stylist Law Roach. She also has an athleisure line with On, and was just announced as the face of Prada's latest fragrance, Paradoxe Sweet Chemistry. Holland also has a Prada fragrance, Paradigme, and founded the nonalcoholic beer company, Bero. Bero is prominently featured in "Brand New Day" when Holland's Peter Parker is shopping at a bodega.

"They occupy several worlds at once," senior media analyst at entertainment research company Exhibitor Relations Jeff Bock said. "They're not just movie stars, they're franchise stars, they're fashion figures, they're Gen Z icons."

But although they fell in love on camera -- Peter and MJ first kiss in 2019's "Spider-Man: Far From Home" -- they have kept much private about their real-life relationship. They didn't announce or share photos of their wedding. Their representatives wouldn't confirm the union, and it is unclear when it actually took place. The first public indication that they were married came in March, when Roach told Access Hollywood "The wedding already happened. You missed it."

On the press tours for "The Odyssey" and "Brand New Day" the couple speak fondly about each other, but remain careful about how much they share. Zendaya has said Holland told her she got her role in "The Odyssey." Holland drew headlines for casually calling Zendaya his "wife" in a British food podcast, "Dish."

The prospect of seeing romantically involved stars on screen has drawn audiences to movie theaters in the past -- especially if there are rumors of an affair. "Cleopatra" became the highest grossing film of 1963 after stars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton began a relationship on set when they were married to other people. It was number one at the box office for 12 weeks before another film starring Burton and Taylor, "The V.I.P.s," surpassed it. More than 40 years later, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" won the domestic box office on its opening weekend in June 2005, amid speculation that Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's on-screen chemistry had sparked a real-life relationship. The pair eventually married in 2014. (Jolie filed for divorce in 2016.)

Tabloid interest in a couple can also become a liability. That was the case with 2003's critically reviled bomb "Gigli" starring a then-engaged Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. It grossed $7 million worldwide.

According to experts, Zendaya and Holland's box-office billions mean they can choose projects at their will in the future. Zendaya has another major movie this year: "Dune: Part Three," due out December 18. There is a chance Holland pops up with all the other superheroes in "Avengers: Doomsday," out the same day, though his involvement hasn't been confirmed. The end of "Brand New Day" promises that "Spider-Man will return" in a title card, and Holland is also set to star in an upcoming Fred Astaire biopic.

For now, their next move may be the one that has defined their relationship from the start: staying out of view.

"I think the most obvious answer for what they're going to do next and where they go from here is: Nowhere that we can see," said Elaine Lui, founder of the website Lainey Gossip and senior correspondent for Canada's eTalk.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 03, 2026 15:35 ET (19:35 GMT)