Why Zoe Saldaña deserves her own franchise, and not just James Cameron’s

Zoe Saldana has delivered some of the powerful roles in her career

Zoe Saldaña has been the secret weapon of some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters. She’s not only held her own but often outshone her co-stars in Avatar, Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Trek, and Avengers: Endgame.

With over $13 billion in box office earnings globally, she’s among the highest-grossing actors in cinematic history. So it’s surprising that she hasn’t been handed her own franchise where she leads from the front, without being painted blue or green or placed in ensemble casts.

Let’s start with her record. In Avatar (2009) and Avatar: The Way of Water (2022), Zoe delivered not only emotional range but physicality that elevated Neytiri into a digital-era icon. In Guardians of the Galaxy, her portrayal of Gamora gave the Marvel Cinematic Universe one of its most complex female characters.

Then there’s Star Trek, where her Uhura was both a tribute to the original and a character with fresh authority. In all these franchises, Zoe is the emotional spine, fierce, layered, vulnerable, and badass. But none of these stories were hers alone.

It brings us to the question: Why hasn’t Hollywood built a franchise around her? The industry has often typecast women of colour into sidekick roles, or kept them orbiting male leads. Zoe Saldaña has broken barriers, but even with her résumé, a headlining role in a solo franchise has eluded her.

Imagine Zoe Saldaña leading a spy thriller à la Jason Bourne, or a sci-fi epic where she’s not just part of the alien race, but its commander, saviour, or even anti-hero. With her background in ballet, action choreography, and emotional drama, she could anchor a female-led action universe with elegance and grit. Audiences clearly trust her; it's the studios that need to bet on her.

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In an era where diversity and representation are no longer optional but essential, Zoe Saldaña is the ideal candidate to front a new, original franchise. Her bilingual fluency, global appeal, and experience across genres make her uniquely marketable.

Zoe Saldaña has spent over a decade helping others’ visions succeed. Now, it’s time for her to own one. Not as a side character. Not as CGI. But as the unapologetic lead in a franchise that’s all her own.