Zoe Saldana has had a career full of starlights and spotlights. The beauty known for her roles in science fiction movies has had the luxury of working in some of the best movies of all time. Zoe has been privileged to play a role in three of the highest-grossing films ever produced, as she played the role of Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame and her role as Neytiri in Avatar.
Zoe Saldana has become the leading choice for moviemakers to be the foremost choice whenever a role of an influential personality is available for the taking. Be it a role as a member of a band of thugs, or the daughter of the most powerful person in an area, Zoe Saldana is the best bet casting authorities can make for a movie to be successful.
The elegant beauty has been nominated for various awards and won many as well. Let’s now look at the best movies the globally beloved actress has had the luxury to be a part of.
Best Movies of Zoe Saldana
Here is a list of the best movies Zoe Saldana has been a part of that the viewers can enjoy without second thoughts.
Avatar series
Who doesn’t know Avatar? The story follows a paralyzed man who is sent to Pandora, a potentially habitable moon for humans, to gather intel about the local resident species of the area as part of a trade to restore his lost legs. The man ends up falling in love with the daughter of the chief of the Navi, the tribe that is at war with the humans, and his loyalties are tested.
The globally loved science fiction was released in 2009 and was directed by James Cameron. Zoe Saldana, Sam Worthington, Michelle Rodriguez, Sigourney Weaver, and Stephen Lang were the leading members of the cast in the breathtaking movie. The film was the top-grossing movie of all time for a decade until the release of Avengers: Endgame in 2019.
Avatar is considered by many to be the best movie ever, and its laurels speak volumes about such a claim. The movie was critically acclaimed and was praised for its visual effects. The film won many major awards, like the Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, and Best Art Direction.
In addition to all these awards, the movie was nominated for nine other Academy Awards as well, and such was the quality of the movie. A much-awaited sequel to the movie, titled Avatar: The Way of Water, has been released recently and is going strong and is expected not to stop anytime soon. The movie is set for another sequel, Avatar 3, sometime in 2024, and two more sequels are also planned.
Avatar is available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar and is a must-watch for anyone and everyone.
Guardians of the Galaxy
Guardians of the Galaxy was directed by James Gunn and was released in 2014. The film’s story focuses on a group of extraterrestrial criminals who come together unexpectedly to steal an extremely powerful and rare artifact and escape from their enemies.
The film starred Chris Pratt as Star-Lord, Dave Bautista as Drax, Vin Diesel as Groot (voice), Zoe Saldana as Gamora, and Bradley Cooper as Rocket, respectively.
A sequel to the film, titled Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.2, was released in 2017 and was another big hit, and a third movie, titled Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3, is set to be released sometime in 2023.
Guardians of the Galaxy was a big hit at the box office, grossing way above $770 million, and was well-praised for its humor, screenplay, and its action scenes. The movie is a great choice for an extraterrestrial action movie night and is available to watch on Disney+ Hotstar.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam was directed by David O. Russell and was released in 2022. The film starred the legendary Christian Bale and Margot Robbie in the leading roles alongside John David Washington.
The movie revolves around three friends from different professions who are wrongly caught when a former US general is mysteriously murdered. The movie was based on a historic political conspiracy from 1933 and starred Chris Rock, Zoe Saldana, Alessandro Nivola, Rami Malek, and Mike Myers in other major roles.
The supporting cast of the movie includes Andrea Riseborough, Matthias Schoenaerts, Taylor Swift, Robert De Niro, Dey Young, Leland Orser, Colleen Camp, Beth Grant, Casey Biggs, and several others.
The movie was praised for its storyline and the performances of the various actors in it and is a good recommendation for anyone looking for a thriller movie with a pinch of comedy. Amsterdam is streaming on Disney+ Hotstar and is available to buy on iTunes.
The Adam Project
The Adam Project was directed by Shawn Levy and starred Ryan Reynolds in the lead role and Zoe Saldana, Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Garner, and Catherine Keener in prominent roles.
The movie focuses on a fighter pilot from a future timeline who is hell-bent on traveling back to the past to correct a mishap and encounters his own younger version in the process.
The movie starred Walker Scobell, Isaiah Haegert, Lucie Guest, Alex Mallari Jr., and Ben Wilkinson in supporting roles. The Adam Project was well-praised for its storyline and was nominated for various awards, and even won The People’s Choice Award for The Comedy Movie of 2022.
The film was quite entertaining and is recommended for sci-fi lovers. The Adam Project is streaming on Netflix.
Vivo
Vivo was directed by Kirk DeMicco and followed a kinkajou who set on a journey to fulfill his master’s last wish. As he goes through his adventure, the kinkajou meets new people and befriends them, and experiences the lives of various other characters.
The film starred the voices of Lin-Manuel Miranda as the titular character Vivo and Zoe Saldana as Rosa in the leading roles. The supporting characters’ voices were provided by Juan de Marcos Gonzalez, Brian Tyree Henry, Michael Rooker, Aneesa Folds, Katie Lowes, Nicole Byer, Gloria Estefan, and several others.
Vivo was released on 30th July 2021 and received great feedback from critics and viewers alike, and the performances of the actors while providing their voices and the general cinematography and animation of the film were praised.
Vivo is available to watch on Netflix.
Avengers: Infinity War
Avengers: Infinity War saw Zoe Saldana retain her role as Gamora from Guardians of the Galaxy. The movie was directed by Anthony and Joe Ruso, widely known as the ‘Russo Brothers’ and was released in 2018.
The movie follows the epic battle between Thanos, Gamora’s father, and the combined forces of the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy as the latter hope to stop Thanos from destroying half of all forms of life in the universe.
The movie had a very lustrous star cast, consisting of numerous globally renowned actors who were always appreciated for their roles in the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). The list of members of the cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johannson, Chadwick Boseman, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, and others.
The movie was a bombshell at the box office, as it grossed over $2 billion dollars and was well-praised for its action sequences, visual effects, and the performances of the actors. The movie film was nominated for various big-league awards, even for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
Avengers: Infinity War was much anticipated and was hyped too much before its release. The movie ended on a cliffhanger and kept the fans waiting for its sequel. Avengers: Infinity War is available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar.
Missing Link
Missing Link was directed by Chris Butler and was released in 2019. The movie starred the voices of Hugh Jackman, Zoe Saldana, David Walliams, Stephen Fry, Amrita Acharia, Emma Thompson, Zach Galifianakis, and several others in leading roles.
The film focuses on a bigfoot who seeks help from various explorers to help him travel to the Himalayas to meet his cousins, who happen to be Yetis. Mr. Link, the bigfoot, hopes to find out about the whereabouts of his relatives, who suddenly go missing.
The film starred Timothy Olyphant, Matt Lucas, Humphrey Ker, Neil Dickson, Ian Ruskin, Darren Richardson, Jack Blessing, Richard Miro, and various others in supporting roles.
The movie was well-praised for its animation, humor, performances of the voiceovers, and storyline. Missing Link is available to rent on Amazon Prime Video and Vudu.
I Kill Giants
I Kill Giants was directed by Anders Walter and was released in 2017. The movie was based on a novel by Joe Kelly and Ken Nimura, which shared the same name as the movie.
The movie focuses on a teenage girl who is having troubles with her everyday life and so turns to an imaginary world created by her to avoid confronting her problems. But not everything goes as she planned, and she must confront her real problems and draw a line between her real and reel life.
The film starred Madison Wolfe, Zoe Saldana, Rory Jackson, Sydney Wade, Imogen Poots, Jennifer Ehle, Ciara O’Callaghan, John Boyle, Noel Clarke, Art Parkinson, and various others in supporting roles.
I Kill Giants is available to watch on Disney+ Hotstar and is recommended for fantasy movie lovers.
Death at a Funeral
Death at a Funeral was directed by Neil LaBute and was released in 2010. The movie follows the funeral of Aaron’s father, which becomes chaotic following some events. Amongst the many situations at hand, the family must deal with a mismatched delivery of some other body, people turning up high, and the unburying of several secrets.
The movie starred Chris Rock, Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Columbus Short, and Luke Wilson in the leading roles and Danny Glover, Regina Hall, Peter Dinklage, James Marsden, Kevin Hart, and numerous others in supporting roles.
Death at a Funeral was a remake of another movie sharing the same name and is a great recommendation for anyone into dark comedies and is streaming on Netflix.
My Little Pony: The Movie
Directed by Jayson Thiessen, My Little Pony: The Movie was released in 2017 and focused on a group of ponies and their friends who come together to save their kingdom from an evil conqueror.
The movie drew inspiration from My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, a popular children’s TV series that was created by Lauren Faust and was originally aired on Discovery Family.
My Little Pony: The Movie starred the voices of Tara Strong as Twilight Sparkle, Ashleigh Ball as Applejack and Rainbow Dash, Tabitha St. Germain as Rarity, and Andrea Libman as Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie.
The supporting voices in the movie were provided by Zoe Saldana, Kristin Chenoweth, Taye Diggs, Uzo Aduba, Nicole Oliver, Cathy Weseluck, Emily Blunt, and several others as well.
The movie was a hit at the cinemas as it grossed way more than $60 million while being produced on a budget of only $6.5 million. The film is a great choice for kids and is available to watch on Apple TV.
For the Love of Spock
For the Love of Spock was directed by Adam Nimoy and was released in 2016. The movie starred Adam Nimoy, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, Chris Pine, J.J. Adams, and numerous others as well who appeared as themselves in the documentary.
The film follows the life of the legendary actor, Leonard Nimoy, as he buckles up to portray Spock, the beloved character from the Star Trek franchise, and the impact the character had on society and the life of Leonard, both professionally and personally.
The movie also serves as Adam’s point of view about the fame his father enjoyed due to his portrayal of Spock and the seemingly endless responsibilities that came along with the fame.
For the Love of Spock is available on Netflix.
Star Trek Beyond
Star Trek Beyond served as the 13th film in the Star Trek franchise and was released in 2016. The movie focuses on the crew of the Enterprise as they are stuck on a hostile planet following Krall’s attack on the Enterprise. The crew must find out a way to escape from the not-so-friendly planet and crack a plan to stop Krall before he lays his evil hands on the Federation.
The movie starred Chris Prine as Captain James T. Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Commander Spock in the leading roles, and Simon Pegg, John Cho, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, and Anton Yelchin as other major characters.
Star Trek Beyond also starred Idris Elba, Lydia Wilson, Sofia Boutella, Joe Taslim, and Greg Grunberg, along with several other actors in supporting roles.
The film grossed over $340 million and was well-praised for its action sequences, visual effects, and the performance of the various actors that were cast in it. Star Trek Beyond is available to
- Stream on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.
- Rent or buy on Apple TV and YouTube.
Avengers: Endgame
Ah! The good old movie that broke many hearts.
Avengers: Endgame was another masterpiece created by the Russo brothers (Anthony and Joe Russo) and was the immediate sequel to Avengers: Infinity War. The film was released in 2019 and broke several box office records, only to go on and become the highest-grossing movie that was ever released, grossing way over $2.7 billion; sounds massive, right?
The film was the conclusion to all the films that the MCU had released till then, as it marks the final stand between the Avengers and the Guardians of the Galaxy and every possible hero in the MCU combined against Thanos and his armies.
The film was nominated for numerous awards and won several of them, too, including the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
Avengers: Endgame was the absolute best end that could have been possible for the original band of Avengers, who banded together to fight Loki in the first film. The film had its fair share of crazy moments, from Cap (Captain America) lifting Mjolnir to Tony’s iconic “I AM IRON MAN.”
The movie is available to watch on Disney+ Hotstar and is a recommendation for anyone and everyone as it is a must-watch!
The Book of Life
The Book of Life was directed by Jorge R. Gutierrez and was released in 2014. The movie follows Manolo, who gets taken to a distant realm, the Land of the Remembered, when his lover dies. As he roams about in the realm, he gets to know that Maria, the love of his life, is actually not dead. Manolo then embarks on a journey to come back to life and be with his partner till the end of time.
The film starred Diego Luna as Manolo and Zoe Saldana as Maria in the leading roles. The supporting roles were donned by Channing Tatum, Joe Matthews, Kate del Castillo, Hector Elizondo, Danny Trejo, and several others also.
The movie grossed $100 million and is a good option for a comedy-filled fantasy movie night. The Book of Life is accessible to viewers on Disney+ Hotstar.
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Star Trek Into Darkness
Star Trek Into Darkness was directed by J.J. Abrams and was released in 2013. The movie starred Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, and John Cho in the leading roles.
The film is set in the near future, as the crew of the USS Enterprise is keen on finding out the rumor of a former ally who turned rogue. The movie is set in the 23rd century and is full of technologically advanced systems, surely a joy for science fiction lovers.
The film was a massive hit at the box office as it grossed over $465 million and was praised for its visual effects, cinematography, and storyline. The film was also nominated for various notable awards and even won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects.
Star Trek Into Darkness is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video and Netflix.
Infinitely Polar Bear
Infinitely Polar Bear was directed by Maya Forbes and starred Mark Ruffalo, Zoe Saldana, and Ashley Aufderheide in the leading roles.
The film focuses on a jobless man who suffers from bipolar disorder as he faces several challenges in his everyday life and has an argument with his wife almost every day. However, the man decides to change his ways and takes care of his young daughters, hoping his wife will see his efforts and get along with him.
The movie starred Imogene Wolodarsky, Keir Dullea, Paul Elias, Scott Mildenhall, and Berth Dixon in supporting roles. The film was well praised for the performances of the actors, especially Mark Ruffalo, as he was nominated for an award at the 73rd Golden Globe Awards.
Infinitely Polar Bear is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video.
Live by Night
Live by Night was released in 2016 and was based on a 2012 novel by Dennis Lehane, which shared the same name.
The movie is set in the events following the First World War and focuses on a group of mafia gangsters who open a shop to expand their empire and improve their business. However, their shop ends up becoming a thorn in a rival gang’s state of affairs, and hence the rivalry goes beyond limits. The movie involves numerous crime scenes, as the two gangs build up themselves to have a massive standoff fight and settle things once and for all.
The crime drama film was directed by none other than Ben Affleck himself, and he also starred Joe Coughlin in the leading role. The movie also starred Elle Fanning, Remo Girone, Brendan Gleeson, Robert Glenister, Chris Messina, Zoe Saldana, Matthew Maher, and several others as well.
Star Trek
Star Trek was directed by J.J. Abrams and was released in 2009. The film was a reboot and started the reboot series of the Star Trek movies, with the focus being on characters from the “Star Trek Television Series.”
The movie revolved around James T. Kirk and Spock, who were played by Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, who must battle it out against an enemy from the future and protect the UFP (United Federation of Planets) from total doom.
Apart from Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, the leading roles in the movie were donned by Leonard Nimoy, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, and Simon Pegg. The supporting members of the cast include John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Eric Bana, Ben Cross, Bruce Greenwood, Winona Ryder, Tyler Perry, and Spencer Daniels.
Star Trek was a success at the box office as it grossed more than $350 million and was heavily praised as well, which helped the movie win an Academy Award. The film was also critically acclaimed and is a joy to watch for anyone looking for science fiction lovers.
Star Trek is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
Premium
Premium was directed by Pete Chatmon and was released in 2006. The movie follows an actor who is hoping for the best as he is not satisfied with the work he keeps getting. However, destiny has a different plan for him, as he runs in on his ex-fiancée, who only has 36 hours before her wedding. The man makes use of his acting skills to make sure his ex becomes his next and stays that way.
The film starred Dorian Missick and Zoe Saldana in the leading roles and Hill Harper, Eva Pigford, Tonya Pinkins, Keith Nobbs, William Sadler, Sean Nelson, and Frankie Faison in supporting roles.
Premium is a good recommendation for viewers who like watching romantic comedies and is available to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video.
The Terminal
The Terminal starred Catherine Zeta-Jones, Stanley Tucci, and Tom Hanks in the leading roles and follows a man who is left hanging in an airport in New York as a military coup makes the United States stop all flights. As a result of the coup, the man is neither allowed to return home nor allowed entry inside the United States.
The movie was directed by Steven Spielberg and was released in 2004. The movie starred Chi McBride, Eddie Jones, Zoe Saldana, Jude Ciccolella, Rini Bell, Dan Finnerty, Stephen Mendel, and numerous others in supporting roles.
The movie was well-praised and is recommended for anyone looking for a big dose of laughter with a pinch of drama. The Terminal is available for viewers to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl
Directed by Gore Verbinski, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was an absolute gem of a movie, as this is the movie that saw the legendary 12 Vintage Anime To Watch in 2023 take on the role of everybody’s beloved pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow.
The movie was released in 2003 and followed Captain Jack Sparrow as he teams up with a blacksmith to save a girl kidnapped by the crew of the Black Pearl, the one true love of Jack that was stolen from him.
The movie starred Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, and Geoffrey Rush in prominent roles and Jack Davenport, Kevin R. McNally, Zoe Saldana, Jonathan Pryce, Treva Etienne, David Baillie, and several others in supporting roles.
The movie saw the meteoric rise of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, as the movie series went on to become one of the most profitable and successful series ever produced.
Four sequels, released in 2006, 2007, 2011, and 2017 respectively, along with the original movie, are available to watch on Disney+ Hotstar.
Drumline
Drumline was directed by Charles Stone III and was released in 2002. The movie starred Nick Cannon and Zoe Saldana in the leading roles and followed a talented drummer who is hell-bent on leading his band to glory, but first, he must defeat a competitor and tell him who’s the boss.
The film starred Orlando Jones, Leonard Roberts, GQ, Earl Poitier, Candace Carey, Angela Gibbs, Petey Pablo, Blu Cantrell, Afemo Omilami, and several others in supporting roles.
The movie was well-praised for its musical score and the performances of the various bands featured in the movie. A sequel titled Drumline: A New Beat was also released in 2014.
Drumline is recommended for anyone looking for a comedy-drama movie.
Takers
Takers was directed by John Lussenhop and was released in 2010. The movie revolves around a group of elite bank robbers who must evade the detectives keen on bringing them behind bars when the former successfully takes out a massive heist.
The movie starred Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, Idris Elba, Jay Hernandez, Michael Ealy, Chris Brown, Zoe Saldana, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Nick Turturro, Andrew Fiscella, Gino Anthony Pesi, Zulay Henao, alongside numerous others in supporting roles.
The movie is a decent choice for an action thriller and is available to watch on Netflix.
Out of the Furnace
Out of the Furnace was directed by Scott Cooper and was released in 2013. The film starred Christian Bale, Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson, Zoe Saldana, Forest Whitaker, Willem Dafoe, and Sam Shepard in the leading roles and followed a mill worker who finds it hard to deal with living with neighbors.
The movie then gets interesting as the mill worker’s brother starts fighting for a petty criminal and gets into huge debt, and suddenly disappears.
Out of Furnace is available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.
Burning Palms
Burning Palms was directed by Christopher Landon and was released in 2010. The film starred the likes of Adriana Barraza, Lake Bell, Jamie Chung, Dylan McDermott, Nick Stahl, and Zoe Saldana in the major roles.
The film’s story revolves around five individuals and follows the constant ‘hardships’ they experience and are produced by Jason Hewitt along with Christopher Landon and Oren Segal.
Burning Palms starred Rosamund Pike, Paz Vega, Shannen Doherty, Emily Meade, Jon Polito, Tom Wright, Austin Williams, Chandler George Brown, and Colleen Camp, alongside various others in supporting roles.
The thriller movie enjoys its fair share of satirical moments and is available to watch on Apple TV.
Colombiana
Colombiana was directed by Olivier Megaton and was released in 2011. The movie starred Zoe Saldana in the leading role and followed the journey of a young girl who decides to become a master of assassination after her parents are killed by a cold-blooded drug lord.
The film was well praised for the performances of the various actors in it, especially Zoe Saldana, and the action sequences in the movie were also very well received.
The movie starred Jordi Molla, Lennie James, Cliff Curtis, and Michael Vartan in other major roles, and Amandla Stenberg, Beto Benites, Jesse Borrego, Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Angel Garnica, Ofelia Medina, Callum Blue, Max Martini, and Sam Douglas among numerous others in supporting roles.
Colombiana is streaming on Hulu and is recommended for action lovers.
Vampires vs the Bronx
Vampires vs the Bronx was directed by Oz Rodriguez and follows a group of teenagers who stand together to defend their town and repel an army of vampires.
The movie starred Jaden Michael, Gerald W. Jones, Imani Lewis, Zoe Saldana, Judy Marte, Adam David Thompson, Jeremie Harris, Chris Redd, Coco Jones, Shea Whigham, and several others in supporting roles.
The film has a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and was well-praised for its comedy moments. The movie is a joy-packed ride for the entirety of its screenplay and has a little taste of horror as well.
Vampires vs. the Bronx is available for viewers to stream on Netflix.
The Words
The Words was directed by Brian Klugman and was released in 2012. The film starred Bradley Cooper, Zoe Saldana, Olivia Wilde, Jeremy Irons, Ben Barnes, and Nora Arnezeder in the leading roles.
The movie’s story follows Rory Jansen, a writer who is just not finding his wavelength and struggles to write a book that’ll make him some money. So he takes the easy way out and steals someone else’s story. However, he soon realizes the consequences of plagiarizing and faces a big problem.
The movie starred Dennis Quaid, J.K. Simmons, John Hannah, Ron Rifkin, Brian Klugman, Liz Stauber, and several others in supporting roles.
The Words is available for viewers to rent or buy on Amazon Prime Video.
Blackout
Blackout was directed by Jerry Lamothe and focused on the effect of the infamous blackout that the residents of Brooklyn faced for two consecutive days in 2003.
The movie was released in 2007 and starred Jeffrey Wright, Zoe Saldana, and LaTanya Richardson in the leading roles and was produced by Judith and Nora Aidoo.
The supporting members of the cast include Melvin Van Peebles, Michael B. Jordan, Saul Rubinek, Sean Blakemore, Jamie Hector, Robert Brickle-Tate, Lloyd DeLeon, Khalida Outlaw, Omar Scroggins, and Tobias Truvillion, along with numerous others.
Blackout is available in select regions to stream on Amazon Prime Video.
The Heart Specialist
The Heart Specialist was directed by Dennis Cooper and starred Wood Harris, Zoe Saldana, and Mya in the leading roles. The film focuses on Ray Howard, who works as an intern in a mediocre teaching hospital and tries an easy way to climb the ladder of success as he tries to get together with a senior.
The film starred Brian J. White, Scott Paulin, David S. Lee, Marla Gibbs, Jenifer Lewis, Method Man, Jasmine Guy, Ed Asner, And Kenneth Choi in supporting roles.
The movie is full of comedy moments and is a great choice for anyone looking to just forget about their real-life problems and just sit back and enjoy. The rom-com is available to stream in some regions on Amazon Prime Video.
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