making her big-screen debut as MJ in Spider-Man: Homecoming. Since that breakout, she has been involved in some big-time critically acclaimed movies and TV shows, but her primary genre has never been comedies.

Zendaya didn't waste much time in moving up the rankings in Hollywood. The same year she debuted in the Spider-Man franchise, she also had a role in the musical The Greatest Showman. From there, Zednaya appeared in all three Spider-Man movies, headlined award recognition for Challengers, another drama. However, according to Zendaya, Superbad is her go-to movie for big laughs.

Zendaya's Praise Shows Why Superbad Is A Defining Millennial Movie

Zendaya Says Superbad Is Always Hilarious To Her

Zendaya as Tashi Duncan smiling in Challengers.
Original SR Image by Yailan Chacon

While Zendaya is known for her dramatic roles, it appears she has a favorite movie that is as far from her own movies as it can be. Zendaya seems to be a massive fan of the 2007 coming-of-age comedy Superbad. Directed by Greg Mottola and based on a script by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the comedy tells the story of two high school seniors named Seth and Evan who are about to split up when they graduate and head in different directions following their high school careers.

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Is Superbad Based On A True Story? The Comedy's Inspiration Explained

Superbad has an authenticity to its debauchery that's not seen in most teen movies, which isn't surprising given the comedy's true story origins.

The duo has one last party to attend at the end of their senior years, where Evan (Michael Cera) wants to hook up with his crush, Becca (Martha MacIssac), and Seth finds his own possible romantic interest in Emma Stone's Jules. However, when their friend Fogell gets picked up by the police with a fake ID with the name McLovin, nothing seems to go right for the trio. When speaking about the comedy, Zendaya took to X, where she wrote, "It doesn't matter how many times I watch Superbad...that's sh*t will always be hilarious to me."

Superbad remains one of the 2000s seminal coming-of-age comedies, with a high 88% fresh every member of the Superbad cast. This includes an impressive list of stars, including Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, Emma Stone, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Bill Hader, and more. It makes one wonder if Zendaya ever makes a comedy, would it look like her beloved Superbad?

Why Superbad 2 Never Happened, Despite The First Movie's Success

None Of The Creators Wanted To Make The Sequel

Judd Apatow wanted to make a sequel to Superbad, but that movie never happened. According to Apatow, he said that the original director and screenwriters didn't want to show Seth and Evan in college. This all comes down to something that Seth Rogen said about the idea of a sequel. As the name indicates, Superbad is a loose re-telling of Rogen and Evan Goldberg's teenage years. When asked about the idea of a sequel, Rogen said he wouldn't risk it:

"I'm so terrified of subtracting from it in any way with a bad sequel or spin-off that I'd never do it. I have so few actual good accomplishments that I'm horrified to f*** with the ones I have."

Superbad is a movie that meant a lot to Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg since they based it on their own childhoods. If the two writers don't want to continue the story, it won't happen. It also doesn't help that the movie came out 18 years ago, and Michael Cera and Jonah Hill have moved on to bigger things. Neither could realistically play college students anymore. When asked about the chance of a sequel, Cera said, "I think it’s not really necessary for that story." Luckily, Zendaya and other fans can still laugh along with the original Superbad.

Source: X, Rotten Tomatoes

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Superbad
Release Date
August 17, 2007
Runtime
113 minutes
Director
Greg Mottola

WHERE TO WATCH

Written by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg and produced by Judd Apatow, Superbad follows high school seniors Seth (Jonah Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera), two best friends who are desperate to the popular kids' party before heading off to college. After asking their friend Fogell (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) - A.K.A. McLovin - to use his fake ID to purchase alcohol, Seth and Evan end up getting drawn into a night of criminal misfortunes that threatens the very fabric of their friendship.

Writers
Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg