Backlash Over Dark Comedy's School Shooting Plot Twist

Gun violence survivors and advocates criticize the film's controversial approach to a sensitive topic.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 2:33pm

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An extreme close-up of shattered glass and glittering shards in dramatic high-contrast studio lighting, conceptually representing the fractured nature of the film's controversial subject matter.The dark glamour of the film's controversial plot twist reflects the ongoing trauma of gun violence in America.Santa Clarita Today

The dark romantic comedy 'The Drama', starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, has faced significant backlash from gun violence survivors and advocates following the release of its plot twist. The controversy stems from the revelation that Zendaya's character, Emma, planned a school shooting when she was 15 years old, which gun safety groups have described as exploiting a crisis.

Why it matters

The film's treatment of school shootings as a plot device within a romantic comedy has drawn sharp criticism from those impacted by gun violence, who argue it normalizes and humanizes such tragic events. This controversy highlights the ongoing debate around how media should responsibly handle sensitive topics like mass shootings.

The details

In the film, Emma's planned school shooting is disclosed during a parlour game involving the couple and their friends. The twist is that Emma did not carry out the attack because another mass shooting occurred, which foiled her plans. Gun safety advocates like Mia Tretta, a survivor of two school shootings, have expressed dismay over the film's approach, stating that a character planning a school shooting 'isn't something that should be joked about'. Tom Mauser, whose son was killed in the Columbine massacre, also criticized the filmmakers for humanizing shooters and normalizing school shootings.

  • The Drama premiered in theaters on April 3, 2026.
  • The film's Los Angeles premiere was held at the DGA Theater Complex on March 17, 2026.

The players

The Drama

A dark romantic comedy film starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson.

Zendaya

An American actress who stars in the film as the character Emma, who planned a school shooting when she was 15 years old.

Mia Tretta

A Brown University student and gun violence prevention advocate with Everytown, who is a survivor of two school shootings.

Tom Mauser

The father of Daniel Mauser, who was killed in the 1999 Columbine High School massacre.

Kristoffer Borgli

The Norwegian filmmaker who wrote and directed The Drama.

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What they’re saying

“A character planning a school shooting isn't something that should be joked about – it's a reality that me and hundreds of thousands of others live every day”

— Mia Tretta, Gun violence prevention advocate

“The use of such subject matter within a romantic comedy is awful and the movie humanizes shooters and normalizes the act of school shootings.”

— Tom Mauser

“What's difficult about even talking about the movie, is there is so many different genres [in it]. It is a romantic comedy in many ways but it's also a drama.”

— Zendaya, Actress

The takeaway

This controversy highlights the ongoing debate around how media should responsibly handle sensitive topics like mass shootings, and the need for greater sensitivity and care when portraying such traumatic events, even within the context of a fictional story.