Robert Pattinson, Zendaya's 'The Drama' Flops

Writer-director Kristoffer Borgli's new film wastes the talents of its stars and controversially uses a school shooting as a plot point.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 7:54am

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In the new romantic drama 'The Drama,' Robert Pattinson and Zendaya play a young engaged couple in Boston whose relationship is upended when the woman, Emma, reveals a dark secret from her past - that as a bullied 15-year-old, she had planned a school shooting with her father's shotgun, though she ultimately never went through with the attack. This revelation badly shakes her fiancé Charlie's love for her and prompts him to spiral out of control. Critics say the film wastes the talents of its two lead stars and that Borgli's decision to use a school shooting as a plot point is a major miscalculation.

Why it matters

The use of a planned school shooting as a plot device in a romantic comedy-drama has drawn significant criticism, with many arguing that Borgli has misjudged the gravity and sensitivity of the subject matter. The film's failure also highlights the challenges that even high-profile actors like Pattinson and Zendaya can face when attached to projects that miss the mark.

The details

In 'The Drama,' Pattinson and Zendaya play Charlie and Emma, a young engaged couple in Boston navigating the wedding planning process. When Emma reveals her dark secret about planning a school shooting as a teenager, it deeply unsettles Charlie and causes major disruptions in their relationship. The film follows the couple as they struggle to come to terms with this revelation and its impact on their lives and impending marriage. Critics have panned the film for its misjudged use of the school shooting plot point, arguing that it's an inappropriate and insensitive topic to weave into a romantic comedy-drama.

  • The film premiered on April 2, 2026.

The players

Kristoffer Borgli

The Norwegian writer-director of 'The Drama.'.

Robert Pattinson

The acclaimed British actor who stars as Charlie Thompson in 'The Drama.'

Zendaya

The Emmy-winning American actress who stars as Emma Harwood in 'The Drama.'

Alana Haim

The musician who has a supporting role in 'The Drama' as one of the couple's friends.

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What they’re saying

“The revelations that tumble from that truth-or-dare-style drinking game badly test a young couple in Kristoffer Borgli's baffling 'The Drama,' which wastes two of the planet's most gorgeous people and will surely get everyone involved in trouble for using a current American tragedy as a plot point.”

— Mark Kennedy, Critic

“How well you really know someone is legitimate grounds to explore in a romantic drama, but writer-director Borgli has stumbled by making a wedding satire while putting a finger into a societal raw gash that's never something to use as a relationship test, which here is — spoiler alert — a school shooting.”

— Mark Kennedy, Critic

What’s next

The film is expected to have a limited theatrical release, though its controversial subject matter may limit its commercial prospects and lead to further criticism from audiences and commentators.

The takeaway

Kristoffer Borgli's decision to use a planned school shooting as a plot device in his romantic drama 'The Drama' has been widely panned, with critics arguing that it's an inappropriate and insensitive topic to explore in this type of film. The misjudged handling of this sensitive subject matter has overshadowed the performances of the film's stars, Robert Pattinson and Zendaya, and seems likely to hinder the movie's commercial and critical reception.