Warning: contains discussion of gun violence
The Drama, starring Robert Pattinson and Zendaya, has been criticised by the gun violence prevention organisation March for Our Lives. The A24 film stars the actors as an engaged couple whose wedding is put in jeopardy when the bride reveals a dark secret.
In the film's trailer, Emma's (Zendaya) secret is never revealed, with scenes instead focusing on the aftermath.
But those who have seen the film will know that Emma confesses to planning a school shooting as a teenager, going as far as to bring a gun to school with her, although she did not go through with her plan.
In a statement on Instagram, March for Our Lives criticised the film's marketing campaign, saying it made light of the topic of gun violence.
The statement reads: "The film may be attempting to engage real questions about accountability and change, but A24's marketing does not meet it there.
What to Read Next
"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.
"We understand that art can provoke discomfort and use humor to approach difficult subjects. But when something like a school shooting is treated lightly or played for irony, it raises a deeper question: what kind of conversation is this meant to start?
It continued: "The filmmakers and actors have said this film will spark conversation. We hope it does. But on a topic that touches so many American lives, there is a responsibility to help shape that conversation in a productive direction, not just provoke it.
"That expectation only grows when the artists involved have this level of cultural influence. 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."
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, March for Our Lives co-founder Jackie Corin, a survivor of the 2018 Parkland shooting, said of the film: "Gun violence, particularly in schools, is not just another dramatic device.
"Art has the capacity to deepen public understanding and create emotional clarity and awareness, but it can also flatten and distort reality, especially when it leans on shorthand or tries to make something more palatable than it actually is.
"With something like a near school shooting, even small tonal choices can shift whether a story feels productive or dismissive."
The Drama is out now in cinemas.
The new edition of Living Legends, a 100-page all-colour celebration of Sir David Attenborough, is here! Buy Sir David Attenborough in newsagents or online.
Reporter, Digital Spy
Stephanie is a freelance news writer, who previously covered WWE and AEW for Digital Spy.
After graduating with a degree in history from Queen Mary University, London, she studied journalism at Birkbeck University.
Outside of her work at Digital Spy, she writes about pop culture, with a special focus towards Irish media and how it intersects with politics.
You can read more of her work on her Substack page.
