Zendaya and Robert Pattinson’s The Drama Falls Short on Rotten Tomatoes, Scoring Lower Than the Director’s Last Film

Well, looks like the early reviews are in for 'The Drama,' that new A24 movie headlined by Zendaya and Robert Pattinson (yes, the internet might explode over that combo alone). The initial verdict? Good, not quite great — at least if you care about Rotten Tomatoes scores, which film Twitter sure does. Let's dig into what's going on, who's in it, and what exactly people are saying.

The Rotten Tomatoes Score: High, But... Not 'Dream Scenario' High

So, 'The Drama' just premiered and kicked off its RT life at 82%. Don't get me wrong, that's solid, but it's also a bit south of what director Kristoffer Borgli managed with his last flick, 'Dream Scenario' (that Nicolas Cage fever dream from 2023), which started out at 91%. If you compare those numbers, you can almost hear A24 execs shrugging somewhere.

Is 82% actually a problem? Not at all — but film critics do love their numbers, especially when a director has a recent hit to beat.

What the Critics Are Actually Saying

If you care about more than just the average, here are some highlights from the big early reviews:

• William Bibbiani (TheWrap): calls the movie 'disquieting,' and points out that, while it's totally absorbing, it gives you that uncomfortable feeling that everyone in it is somehow cheating the system or getting away with something (not exactly rom-com vibes, in case you were wondering).
• David Ehrlich (IndieWire): says Borgli's movies are basically proof that 'hell is other people.' He does admit this one is thinner and a bit more talky than the others, but really stands out for how brutally it chronicles a fall from grace.
• Brian Truitt (USA Today): calls 'The Drama' one of the boldest, most in-your-face movies in a long time. He even claims it gleefully takes the rom-com genre apart, and throws some pretty knotted, controversial moral questions onto the table.
• Jonathan Sim (ComingSoon): says that if you're expecting a normal Hollywood love story, you should probably look elsewhere. But the film does eventually uncover something authentically sincere, buried under the awkwardness left in its wake.

Alright, So What Exactly Is This Movie?

Here's the basic setup: two people are about to get married, and then a bunch of secrets blow up in their faces right before the big day. Apparently, things get very messy, and the trailer shows Pattinson and Zendaya's characters spinning out over... something. A24 likes their chaos, and Borgli seems determined to make sure nothing (and nobody) gets resolved cleanly.

The Full Cast: Stacked, But Roles Under Wraps

If you're here for the actors, no complaints:

Zendaya and Robert Pattinson are your leads (obviously). After them, the studio packed the supporting slots with the likes of Mamoudou Athie ('Jurassic World: Dominion'), Alana Haim ('Licorice Pizza'), Hailey Gates ('Marty Supreme'), Michael Abbott Jr. ('Killers of the Flower Moon'), Sydney Lemmon ('Helstrom'), YaYa Gosseli ('We Can Be Heroes'), and Peyton Jackson ('First Christmas').

But here’s the catch: outside of Zendaya and Pattinson (who are the doomed couple), who’s playing who is a total mystery. Not sure if this is clever marketing or A24 just likes being cryptic. Either way, it’s not your usual Hollywood rollout.

About the Director

'The Drama' is written and directed by Kristoffer Borgli. If his name rings a bell, it's probably because he did 'Dream Scenario' last year — the low-key satirical hit with Cage dreaming his way into everyone’s lives. This time, Borgli is working with an even bigger, stranger ensemble.

Final Thoughts

Is 'The Drama' going to be the next big indie hit or just a really weird and interesting movie with some killer performances? Hard to say right now, but one thing's clear: if you like your relationship dramas squirmy and unpredictable, you’ll probably want to add this to your watchlist. And if you’re just here for Zendaya and Pattinson chemistry chaos — well, that’s basically the sales pitch.