After a decade spent in the indie trenches, A24 is making a name for itself by empowering the kind of star-driven studio movies that Hollywood stopped making during that period. A24 noticed a gap in the market and filled it with movies helmed by critically acclaimed filmmakers and led by actors looking to diversify from the usual fare. It relied on an increasingly recognizable brand identity and captivating marketing strategies. Not every project has worked, but in the last few years, A24’s films have consistently leveled up at the box office. The studio recently delivered its fifth feature film to hit the coveted $100 million mark in worldwide box-office revenue, as it prepares to enter production on perhaps its most ambitious project yet, the fantasy video game adaptation Elden Ring.
A24’s latest hit is The Drama, the cringe-inducing dark comedy starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. Directed by Kristoffer Borgli, who previously worked with the company on the surreal comedy film Dream Scenario, The Drama also features Alana Haim, Hailey Benton Gates, and Mamoudou Athie in supporting roles. The movie follows a couple whose lives are upended by a scandalous personal revelation in the week leading up to their wedding. The Drama opened to mostly positive reviews and has stirred debates about issues such as gun violence, privilege, and race in America. It currently holds a 77% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus reads, “Flirting with complex themes, The Drama walks a tonal tightrope with impressive poise thanks to career-highlight performances by Robert Pattinson and Zendaya.”
Having hit the $100 million mark worldwide against a reported budget of $28 million, The Drama only trails Materialists ($108 million), Civil War ($127 million), Everything Everywhere All at Once ($142 million), and Marty Supreme ($180 million) on A24’s all-time leaderboard. The Drama has overtaken Materialists’ $36 million domestic haul and is on track to hit the $50 million mark by the end of its run. It has also passed the $95 million lifetime global haul of Zendaya’s Challengers, which was distributed by Amazon MGM Studios a couple of years ago. This is a major year for the star, who also appears in the third season of HBO’s A24-produced drama series Euphoria. She will join Pattinson in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three, and will also reprise her role as MJ in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Igor's Blog 