In a world where original dramas aren’t being seen by the movie-going masses, A24’s “The Drama” has been one of the biggest success stories of 2026. The Robert Pattinson and Zendaya showcase scored a 72% on Rotten Tomatoes and made $132 million at the box office against a $28 million budget.
The buzzy film directed by Kristoffer Borgli is about an engaged couple that runs into problems during their wedding week. “The Drama” is one of the most successful original movies to come out this year, and soon a wider audience will be able to watch it at home.
‘The Drama’ Heading to HBO Max in July
Getty“The Drama” is currently available to rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV, but if fans eager to watch it can be a bit more patient, they won’t have to pay extra to see the film. HBO Max has announced that “The Drama” will start streaming on their platform on July 31, and will start playing on HBO linear on August 1.
This continues a strong partnership between A24 and HBO Max. They have been the go-to streamer for the indie studio in recent years. HBO Max currently houses several major A24 releases like “The Lighthouse,” “Bring Her Back,” “Heretic,” “Everything Everywhere All At Once” and more.
‘The Drama’ Hailed As One of the Best Films of 2026
Getty“The Drama” has been a powerhouse for A24 so far, and once it hits streaming, it should be buzzy once again. Though the film is seemingly a straightforward drama, it’s much darker and twistier, which is why it resonated with so many fans.
In Complex’s list of best films of 2026 (so far), they listed “The Drama” as the sixth-best film.
“A24’s The Drama became A24’s fifth film to make $100 million, with much of that credited to the buzz generated by the film’s marketing campaign, starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson as a couple soon to be wed,” Complex wrote. “Early on, the couple is going over plans for their wedding with another couple when a game of “tell me the craziest thing you’ve ever done” comes up, and Emma (Zendaya) tells the group…a secret that we won’t spoil here because, well, your reaction to the reveal can color how you view the rest of the film. Charlie (Pattinson) spends the rest of the film wrestling with how he feels about the reveal, making for some of the most awkward moments we’ve seen committed to film. It’s hilarious at times, can make you feel awful at others, and examines a particularly poignant “what if” for American society. Also, and let’s be clear here: it allows Zendaya and Pattinson, two modern masters at work, to fully lean into an awfully awkward ordeal.”
There’s still a lot of time left in the year, so it remains to be seen if “The Drama” will get any awards buzz. It won’t help that Zendaya and Robert Pattinson are also starring together in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” which is bound to be a huge talking point during awards season.
