What was supposed to be a lighthearted wedding comedy has taken a devastatingly dark turn. Zendaya’s upcoming A24 film “The Drama,” co-starring Robert Pattinson, has ignited a firestorm of controversy after early viewers revealed a shocking plot twist that has left audiences divided. According to insiders who attended early screenings, the film takes an unexpected and disturbing turn when Zendaya’s character makes a controversial confession that she once planned a school shooting as a teenager, backing out only at the last moment.
Directed by Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli, “The Drama” follows Emma Harwood (Zendaya), a Louisiana bookstore clerk with a Boston University English degree, and Charlie Thompson (Pattinson), a British museum director, as they navigate the days leading up to their wedding. The trailer, released in February, promised audiences a chaotic but ultimately romantic story about an unraveling engaged couple. But what the marketing materials carefully concealed was the film’s devastating third act.
The controversy centers on a dinner party scene set one week before the wedding. According to report, the couple plays a game with friends where everyone shares the worst thing they’ve ever done. When Zendaya’s turn comes, she delivers a confession so disturbing that it fundamentally alters everything audiences believed about her character. Sources who have seen the film told the outlet that Emma reveals she once meticulously planned a school shooting as a teenager, only to back out at the final moment. The revelation, delivered in the context of a romantic comedy, has left early viewers reeling.
The backlash has been swift and intense. Critics argue that the storyline crosses a line into dangerous territory, potentially attempting to humanize individuals who commit, or nearly commit, acts of mass violence. Given the United States’ long and painful history with school shootings, many are questioning whether this creative choice was responsible or necessary. Some viewers at early screenings told reporters they found the plot twist “problematic,” suggesting it could be interpreted as insensitive to victims and survivors of gun violence.
Not everyone is condemning the film. A contingent of early viewers has taken to social media to praise Borgli’s audacity, calling the movie “So good. So fun. So dark”. Supporters argue that the film’s willingness to explore uncomfortable territory is precisely what makes it compelling, and that Borgli’s previous work, including “Dream Scenario” with Nicolas Cage, has always pushed boundaries. One fan praised the film’s “unique and thrilling chemistry” between its two leads.
The disconnect between the film’s promotional material and its actual content has only intensified the backlash. A24 launched an elaborate marketing campaign that included a fake engagement announcement in the Boston Globe, a pop-up wedding chapel in Las Vegas where Zendaya served as a witness for real couples, and engagement photos shot by professional wedding photographers . At Tuesday night’s premiere in Los Angeles, Zendaya wore the same gown from the 2015 Oscars, calling it “something old, something new” for the wedding-themed event. Nowhere in the campaign was there any hint of the darkness waiting inside theaters.
“The Drama” is scheduled to hit theaters on April 3, just two weeks before the third season of Zendaya’s HBO hit “Euphoria” premieres. The controversy arrives at a busy moment for the actress, who also has “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” and “Dune: Part Three” on the horizon this year. Whether the backlash will hurt or help the film’s box office performance remains to be seen. For now, one thing is certain: audiences walking into “The Drama” expecting a conventional wedding comedy are in for a shock.
