The Ultimate Guide To Javier Bardem And Penélope Cruz Movies: Ranking Their 5 Explosive On-Screen Collaborations (Plus Their New Thriller)

The Spanish power couple of cinema, Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz, are set to ignite the screen once again in a highly anticipated new project, "Bunker," confirming their status as one of Hollywood’s most compelling on-screen (and off-screen) duos. As of today, December 12, 2025, the news of their reunion in this psychological thriller is the freshest update for fans eager to see the Oscar winners share the spotlight.

Their professional history is as intertwined as their personal one, beginning over three decades ago on the set of a controversial Spanish film. This article delves into the full filmography of their joint projects, ranking their explosive chemistry and providing the essential, up-to-the-minute details on their next cinematic venture.

Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz: A Dual Career & Personal Profile

The relationship between Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz is a celebrated narrative in modern cinema, a partnership that has yielded both critical acclaim and a family. They met as co-stars and reconnected years later, eventually marrying in 2010.

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Penélope Cruz Sánchez Biography

• Full Name: Penélope Cruz Sánchez
• Date of Birth: April 28, 1974
• Place of Birth: Alcobendas, Madrid, Spain
• Occupation: Actress, Model
• Spouse: Javier Bardem (m. 2010)
• Key Awards: Academy Award (Oscar), BAFTA Award, three Goya Awards, Volpi Cup for Best Actress.
• Notable Films: *Volver*, *Vicky Cristina Barcelona*, *Nine*, *Parallel Mothers*.

Javier Ángel Encinas Bardem Biography

• Full Name: Javier Ángel Encinas Bardem
• Date of Birth: March 1, 1969
• Place of Birth: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands, Spain
• Occupation: Actor, Producer
• Spouse: Penélope Cruz (m. 2010)
• Key Awards: Academy Award (Oscar), Golden Globe Award, BAFTA Award, five Goya Awards, Cannes Film Festival Best Actor Award.
• Notable Films: *No Country for Old Men*, *Biutiful*, *Skyfall*, *Being the Ricardos*.

The Highly-Anticipated New Collaboration: 'Bunker' (Upcoming)

The most exciting piece of news for fans of the couple is their upcoming reunion in the psychological thriller, "Bunker." This project marks their sixth collaboration and is already generating significant buzz due to the talent attached.

What We Know About 'Bunker'

The film is helmed by Oscar-winning French filmmaker Florian Zeller, best known for his emotionally devastating and critically acclaimed works, *The Father* and *The Son*.

• Title: *Bunker*
• Director: Florian Zeller
• Genre: Psychological Thriller
• Status: In development/pre-production (as of late 2025)
• Co-Stars: The ensemble cast is formidable, including Paul Dano, Stephen Graham, and Patrick Schwarzenegger.
• Significance: This is a major cinematic event, as Zeller’s previous films are known for their intense, complex, and intimate narratives, suggesting Bardem and Cruz will be tackling challenging, emotionally charged roles.

While specific plot details remain tightly guarded, the involvement of Zeller and the "psychological thriller" genre promises a film that will utilize the intense, dynamic chemistry for which the couple is famous. The project is expected to be a major player on the festival and awards circuit upon its release.

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Ranking Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz’s 5 Past On-Screen Collaborations

Before *Bunker*, the couple has shared the screen five times, each movie offering a different facet of their combined acting prowess. Their collaborations often explore themes of passion, conflict, and the intense dynamics of Spanish and international cinema. Here is a ranking of their previous works, from their foundational meeting to their most recent pairing.

#5. The Early Spanish Films: 'Love Can Seriously Damage Your Health' (1996) and 'Mouth to Mouth' (1997)

While often overlooked in favor of their major international hits, these two Spanish-language films represent the early phase of their professional connection. They appeared in *Love Can Seriously Damage Your Health* (1996) and *Mouth to Mouth* (1997), though their roles were less central to the narrative than in later projects. These films are essential for the complete topical authority of their filmography, showcasing their commitment to Spanish cinema long before their Hollywood breakthroughs.

#4. Everybody Knows (*Todos lo saben*) (2018)

Directed by two-time Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi, *Everybody Knows* is a Spanish-language psychological thriller that opened the Cannes Film Festival. Cruz plays Laura, who returns to her Spanish hometown for her sister's wedding, only for her daughter to be kidnapped. Bardem plays Paco, a childhood friend and local vineyard owner. The film is a masterclass in tension, exploring deep-seated family secrets and community paranoia. While critically praised, some critics felt the film's pacing was uneven, placing it below their more iconic collaborations.

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#3. Loving Pablo (2017)

In *Loving Pablo*, Bardem and Cruz took on a real-life, explosive narrative, with Bardem starring as the notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar and Cruz as his mistress, journalist Virginia Vallejo. This film showcased their ability to transform completely for a biographical drama, delivering intense, high-stakes performances. Bardem’s physical and vocal transformation into Escobar was widely lauded, and Cruz's portrayal of Vallejo was sharp and compelling, highlighting the dark side of their on-screen chemistry.

#2. Jamón Jamón (1992)

This is where it all began. *Jamón Jamón* was the first film to pair the actors, with Cruz being just 16 and Bardem 23. The controversial and highly sensual comedy-drama, directed by Bigas Luna, is considered a foundational piece of modern Spanish cinema. Bardem played a young man hired to seduce Cruz’s character, Silvia. The film’s raw, explicit energy and the palpable, undeniable chemistry between the two young stars are what make it a legendary and crucial entry in their shared history.

#1. Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)

The undeniable peak of their collaborative work, *Vicky Cristina Barcelona*, earned Penélope Cruz her first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Directed by Woody Allen, the film sees Bardem as Juan Antonio, a charismatic Spanish artist, and Cruz as his volatile, passionate, and mentally unstable ex-wife, María Elena. Their scenes together are electric—a whirlwind of Spanish-language arguments, artistic passion, and explosive love. The sheer intensity and iconic nature of their roles, particularly Cruz's Oscar-winning performance, solidify this as their most successful and celebrated joint feature.

The Undeniable Power of the Bardem-Cruz Cinematic Universe

The significance of Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz’s joint filmography extends beyond mere box office numbers; it is a testament to the enduring power of Spanish cinema on the global stage. Their work together, whether in the dark comedy of *Jamón Jamón* or the sophisticated drama of *Everybody Knows*, consistently draws attention to the quality and depth of Spanish-language filmmaking.

The topical authority of their career is built on a foundation of mutual respect and a shared artistic vision, allowing them to explore complex and often morally ambiguous characters. They are not merely a celebrity couple; they are two Oscar-winning artists who choose to collaborate on projects that challenge them and their audience.

Future Collaborations and Thematic Entities

As they move toward *Bunker* with Florian Zeller, they continue to align themselves with auteur directors and projects that demand intense psychological engagement. This choice is a clear indicator that their focus remains on challenging, high-quality cinema rather than simple commercial vehicles. Fans are eagerly anticipating how their established, passionate on-screen dynamic will translate into the confines of a high-stakes psychological thriller, a genre that promises to push their acting to new, intense limits.

The collaboration between Bardem and Cruz is a rare phenomenon in Hollywood—a real-life marriage that enhances, rather than distracts from, their on-screen work, making every announcement of a new project, especially *Bunker*, a major cultural event.