Backlash Erupts Over Controversial Twist in Robert Pattinson & Zendaya Rom-Com 'The Drama'

A father whose child was killed in the Columbine school shooting has voiced strong disapproval regarding the upcoming film 'The Drama.'

Written and directed by Norwegian filmmaker Kristoffer Borgli, 'The Drama' is a dark romantic comedy featuring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya. The plot centers on a couple whose wedding plans are jeopardized when Zendaya's character reveals during a party game—where guests share their 'worst deeds'—that she once planned a school shooting but ultimately didn't go through with it.

Tom Mauser, whose son Daniel was one of 13 victims in the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, told TMZ that he finds the use of such a sensitive topic in a romantic comedy 'awful.' Mauser, a prominent advocate for gun reform since the tragedy, also expressed concern over Zendaya's remarks about the film's controversial twist during a recent appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel show.

Zendaya commented on the film's multifaceted nature, stating, "What’s difficult about even talking about the movie is there are so many different genres [in it]. It is a romantic comedy in many ways but it’s also a drama. Everybody has their own kind of feelings leaving the theatre, especially with the big twist. There are so many conversations that are had after you watch it."

Mauser believes that casting a widely adored star like Zendaya 'humanizes' individuals who plan such acts of violence and 'normalizes' school shootings, even though her character ultimately abandons the plan and no actual violence is shown in the film.

The film's studio, A24, has opted for limited screenings, likely to prevent spoilers. However, initial reactions from a select group of critics in the U.S. were largely positive, though reviews remain under embargo until March 31.

This isn't the first time the Columbine tragedy has inspired cinema. Gus Van Sant's 2003 drama 'Elephant,' which drew inspiration from the shootings, received the Palme d’Or at Cannes. In the same year, Michael Moore's documentary 'Bowling for Columbine,' exploring the massacre's context, won an Oscar. More recently, 'All the Empty Rooms,' a documentary short chronicling a photojournalist's work documenting the bedrooms of child victims of U.S. school shootings, earned an Academy Award.