A24 film 'The Drama' sparks controversy over school shooting plot twist

Gun safety advocates criticize the film's marketing and treatment of a sensitive subject matter.

Apr. 3, 2026 at 5:36pm

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An abstract close-up photograph of shattered glass and glittering shards, captured in dramatic, high-contrast studio lighting to create a glamorous yet unsettling visual metaphor for the film's controversial plot.The glossy, high-end marketing for 'The Drama' belies the film's controversial subject matter, raising questions about how Hollywood should approach sensitive topics like school shootings.Parkland Today

The new A24 film 'The Drama,' which stars Zendaya and Robert Pattinson, has faced backlash from gun safety advocates over its central plot twist involving a character's past plans for a school shooting. While the film does not depict any actual gun violence, some scenes feature flashbacks of the character planning the attack as a teenager. Critics argue the film's marketing, which focused heavily on a wedding theme, was misleading and that the subject matter should have been handled with more care and sensitivity.

Why it matters

The controversy surrounding 'The Drama' highlights the ongoing debate around how Hollywood should approach sensitive topics like school shootings in its storytelling. While some believe the film is meant to spark important conversations, others argue that using a planned school massacre as a plot device is exploitative and normalizes gun violence.

The details

In the film, Zendaya's character Emma confesses to her fiancé Charlie, played by Pattinson, that she had planned a school shooting as a teenager, though she ultimately did not carry it out. The movie features flashbacks showing Emma's fascination with her father's rifle and filming a shooter's confessional video. While the film does not depict any actual gun violence, the subject matter has drawn criticism from gun safety advocates, including the organization March for Our Lives, who argue the film's marketing was misleading and that the topic should have been handled with more care.

  • The film is set to be released in North American theaters on Friday, April 5, 2026.
  • The film's Los Angeles premiere in March 2026 featured a wedding-themed after-party.

The players

March for Our Lives

A youth-driven organization first created by students who survived the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Tom Mauser

His son Daniel was killed during the 1999 Columbine High School shooting. Mauser believes the film's plot 'humanizes' shooters and 'normalizes school shootings.'

Mia Tretta

A gun violence survivor who serves as an adviser for the nonprofit organization Everytown for Gun Safety. Tretta rebuked the film's premise, stating that 'Hollywood is treating school shootings like 'edgy twists' to drive ticket sales.'

Kristoffer Borgli

The writer-director of 'The Drama,' who acknowledged at the film's L.A. premiere that it has been 'a challenge to put a genre on the movie.'

Zendaya

The lead actress of 'The Drama,' who discussed the film's difficult-to-describe nature on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!'

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What they’re saying

“With a subject this serious, especially in the U.S., that conversation cannot begin and end on screen. It has to carry through in how the film is presented.”

— March for Our Lives

“Hollywood is treating school shootings like 'edgy twists' to drive ticket sales, but for me, this isn't a plot point.”

— Mia Tretta, Gun violence survivor and adviser for Everytown for Gun Safety

“The way this film has been marketed is deeply misaligned with the reality it engages. We expect better from A24 and the artists behind it.”

— March for Our Lives

“Art is art — it's meant to be controversial. And these events are already kinda normalised aren't they? That's the problem?”

— Reddit user

“You decide what it is for you. You can laugh. You can cry. You can leave the theater if you want to.”

— Kristoffer Borgli, Writer-director of 'The Drama'

What’s next

The film's release on Friday, April 5, 2026 will likely spark further debate and discussion around its controversial subject matter and marketing approach.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges Hollywood faces in depicting sensitive topics like school shootings, as well as the need for greater care and sensitivity when handling such subject matter. The controversy surrounding 'The Drama' underscores the importance of aligning a film's marketing and storytelling to avoid exploiting real-world tragedies.