Sean Fettesy and Amanda Dobbins host The Big Picture, a conversation show about movie stars, presenting their fifth biennial 35 Under 35 movie star ranking. This marks two years since their last comprehensive assessment of young Hollywood talent.

The discussion opens with box office analysis of Super Mario Brothers Galaxy's massive $372.5 million worldwide opening and The Drama's successful $28 million performance, demonstrating both franchise power and star-driven original content can succeed. The hosts examine how stars like Zendaya and Robert Pattinson balance major franchise work with smaller, character-driven projects.

Eleven stars aged out from 2024's list, including former #1 Margot Robbie and #5 Jennifer Lawrence, creating significant openings for new talent. The conversation explores television as a feeder system, particularly highlighting Euphoria's extraordinary impact with three cast members in the top 10, and discusses emerging platforms like Netflix creating their own star ecosystems.

Box Office Renaissance and Star Power Dynamics

Super Mario Brothers Galaxy's $372.5 million worldwide opening weekend drove a 26% year-over-year box office increase, with Amanda declaring 'We are Johan Sebastian fucking bach. We are so back.'

The Drama proved original star vehicles still work, earning $28 million globally on a $28 million budget through Zendaya and Robert Pattinson's combined appeal without pre-existing IP.

The film succeeded as 'a great movie theater experience' with shocking reveals and broad humor that played well to audiences, similar to A24's previous hits Challengers and Materialists.

Television as the New Star Incubator System

Euphoria emerges as the most influential launching pad since Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, with Zendaya, Sidney Sweeney, and Jacob Elordi forming a 'power trio' now dominating the top 10.

Stranger Things continues producing breakout talent including Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Maya Hawke, Joseph Quinn, and Sadie Sink, though many haven't fully transitioned to film stardom.

Industry's rotating cast system has elevated performers like Myha'la Herrold and Marisa Abela, while newcomer Kiernan Shipka joined the fourth season but hasn't yet made the film transition.

The Odyssey Test and Franchise Validation

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey serves as 'the one movie litmus test: are you a movie star or not?' with casting becoming an essential A-list validation beyond just selling tickets.

The film doesn't need stars to sell itself, but stars need The Odyssey 'stamp of approval' to be considered truly A-list, similar to previous Nolan collaborations.

Nearly every eligible cast member under 35 appears on this ranking, demonstrating the film's comprehensive sweep of young Hollywood talent.

Literary Adaptations and Prestige Projects

Multiple young stars are attached to significant literary adaptations, including Sidney Sweeney in The Custom of the Country and Jenna Ortega in Klara and the Sun.

Daisy Edgar-Jones will star in a Sense and Sensibility adaptation, while Io Debory appears in Clarissa, Arian Chuko's reimagining of Mrs. Dalloway.

Timothy Chalamet's next project adapts Playground, Richard Powers' 2024 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about a tech billionaire with dementia.

Jacob Elordi was potentially attached to adapt Cormac McCarthy's Outer Dark with László Nemes directing, though the project's status remains unclear.

Platform-Specific Star Systems and Career Strategies

Netflix has created its own star ecosystem with Millie Bobby Brown (#5) representing 'a contract girl from the 30s where she only makes movies for Columbia.'

The most successful young stars balance franchise tentpoles with smaller character work, as demonstrated by Zendaya's strategy of alternating Spider-Man and Dune with films like Challengers and The Drama.

Florence Pugh exemplifies maximum franchise exposure, appearing in Thunderbolts, Avengers Doomsday, and Dune Part 3 within an 18-month period.

Top 10 Rankings and Timothy Chalamet's Dominance

Timothy Chalamet retains #1 at age 30 after Marty Supreme demonstrated his ability to 'push a movie to nearly $200 million almost by force of charismatic will.'

The top 5 consists of Chalamet, Zendaya, Sidney Sweeney, Tom Holland, and Millie Bobby Brown, representing a mix of franchise power and crossover appeal.

Zendaya (#2) will appear in the 'Infinity Stones' of upcoming blockbusters: Dune 3, The Odyssey, Spider-Man Brand New Day, and Shrek 5.

Sidney Sweeney (#3) proved her star power with The Housemaid, 'one of the only movies that came out in 2025 that felt like 1986 or 96 or 2006' in its unapologetic crowd-pleasing approach.