It’s not every day that a movie arrives in theaters already trailing a storm of controversy, but that’s exactly what’s happening with A24’s latest offering, The Drama. The film, helmed by Norwegian director Kristoffer Borgli and starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, is set for its official release on April 3, 2026. Yet, even before audiences have filled seats and the opening credits have rolled, the movie’s central twist has ignited passionate debate and condemnation from some corners of the public—including those most directly affected by the subject matter at its heart.
At first glance, The Drama seems to fit comfortably within the offbeat, genre-blurring mold that A24 has become known for. Marketed as a dark romantic comedy, the film follows Emma Harwood (Zendaya) and Charlie Thompson (Robert Pattinson), a long-term couple preparing to tie the knot. The story unfolds during their wedding week, which is supposed to be a time of joy and anticipation. However, everything is thrown into disarray when a seemingly innocent parlour game—where each participant is asked to confess the worst thing they've ever done—leads to a jaw-dropping revelation from Emma.
According to TMZ and corroborated by The Independent, the twist comes when Emma admits to her fiancé and their friends that, as a teenager, she had planned a high school shooting but ultimately decided not to go through with it. This confession, which is neither depicted on screen as an act of violence nor presented as a flippant aside, becomes the emotional and ethical fulcrum of the film. Charlie is left reeling, and the couple’s impending marriage is put to the ultimate test.
While the movie’s promotional materials have been coy, attempting to preserve the impact of this revelation for theatergoers, spoilers found their way online soon after early screenings. The leak, and the content itself, have provoked a swift and visceral response. One of the most vocal critics is Tom Mauser, whose son Daniel was among the 13 victims killed in the 1999 Columbine High School shooting. Mauser, who has spent the past quarter-century advocating for gun reform, told TMZ he was “disgusted” by the film’s use of such a sensitive subject. He argued that the twist “humanizes” and “normalizes” school shootings, particularly troubling given the United States’ fraught history with mass violence in schools.
“It’s awful to use the serious subject as a plot device in a romantic comedy,” Mauser said, according to The Independent. He was especially disturbed by Zendaya’s March 16 appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where she discussed the film’s big twist. While Zendaya called it a “romantic comedy” that’s also “a drama,” she acknowledged the film’s potential to spark intense post-viewing conversations. “Everybody has their own kind of feelings leaving the theater, especially with the big twist,” she said. “There’s so many conversations that are had after you watch it.”
Host Jimmy Kimmel observed, “I could see this movie causing a lot of problems for a lot of people in their personal lives,” to which Zendaya replied, “Those conversations can go many ways.” Mauser, however, felt that the gravity of the subject was not fully appreciated during the interview, and that the film’s promotional circuit risked trivializing a lived trauma for many families.
Critics outside of those personally affected by school shootings have also weighed in. Grace Randolph, a well-known film critic, took to social media after an early screening to express her discomfort. “I think #TheDrama might be in bad taste… Am going to skip reviewing. For those of you that didn’t see my previous tweet, I saw #TheDrama this evening and I feel the extremely delicate subject matter is handled so poorly, it makes it impossible to discuss,” she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). When pressed by followers, she added, “There’s a serious concern here about normalizing this behavior, and maybe even glamorizing it.”
Despite the backlash, Zendaya has attempted to frame the film’s narrative as something larger than its most controversial moment. In a press release, she stated, “There’s going to be a lot of interest around what Emma’s big revelation is in the movie, and while I think that revelation is important and pivotal, it’s about so much more than that. What happens to Charlie and Emma in the wake of her confession becomes the ultimate test of love and acceptance in a relationship, and what you’re willing to do in the name of love.”
Director Kristoffer Borgli, known for his 2023 comedy Dream Scenario, has not commented publicly on the controversy. The film also features Alana Haim, Mamoudou Athie, Hailey Gates, and Zoë Winters in supporting roles, but the focus remains squarely on Zendaya and Pattinson’s characters as they navigate the emotional fallout of Emma’s confession.
For their part, Zendaya and Pattinson reportedly leaned heavily on each other’s expertise during filming, according to Screen Rant. The demands of portraying characters grappling with such a difficult revelation required a level of trust and collaboration that both actors embraced. The result, at least according to early viewers, is a film that’s as emotionally charged as it is divisive.
The conversation around The Drama is unlikely to quiet down as its release date approaches. Some audience members and critics have called for greater sensitivity in how entertainment media handles topics like mass violence, arguing that using such narratives as plot devices risks desensitizing viewers and retraumatizing survivors. Others see value in confronting uncomfortable truths through art, suggesting that films like The Drama can open up necessary dialogue—if handled with care.
As for A24, the studio has declined to comment on the controversy, choosing instead to let the film and its audience speak for themselves. Whether The Drama will find favor with the broader public remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: it has already succeeded in sparking the kind of heated debate that only the most provocative art can inspire.
With its official debut just days away, all eyes are on Zendaya, Pattinson, and Borgli to see how audiences will react when the curtain finally rises. For better or worse, The Drama is living up to its name.