The Invite
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Olivia Wilde
Screenplay by
  • Will McCormack
  • Rashida Jones
Based on
The People Upstairs
by Cesc Gay
Produced by
  • Ben Browning
  • Megan Ellison
  • David Permut
Starring
  • Seth Rogen
  • Olivia Wilde
  • Penélope Cruz
  • Edward Norton
Cinematography Adam Newport-Berra
Edited by
  • Yorgos Mavropsaridis
  • Anthony Boys
Music by Devonté Hynes
Production
companies
  • Invite Productions, Inc.[1]
  • Annapurna Pictures
  • FilmNation Entertainment
  • Permut Presentations
Distributed by A24
Release dates
  • January 24, 2026 (2026-01-24) (Sundance)
  • June 26, 2026 (2026-06-26) (United States)
Running time
107 minutes[2]
Country United States
Language English
Box office $1,369,500[3][4]

The Invite is a 2026 American comedy film directed by Olivia Wilde from a screenplay by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones. It is an English-language remake of the 2020 Spanish film The People Upstairs by Cesc Gay. The film stars Seth Rogen, Wilde, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton.

The film premiered at the Eccles Theater as a part of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on January 24, receiving positive reviews from critics and has grossed $1,369,500. It received a limited theatrical release in the United States on June 26 by A24.

Plot

Failed musician Joe arrives home from work to discover his wife Angela has invited their upstairs neighbors, Pína and Hawk, over for dinner at their apartment. Joe and Angela's marriage is rocky and they bicker constantly, most recently over the loud sex sounds they hear from upstairs every night. Joe plans to confront the couple, but Angela, who is desperate to befriend the neighbors, demands he keeps quiet.

Pína and Hawk arrive at the apartment as Joe and Angela are in mid-argument. Unprepared to host a dinner party, Angela makes several awkward mistakes, such as not having any wine and not checking Pína's dietary restrictions. Meanwhile, Joe openly antagonizes the couple, but is surprised to see they are impressed by his brutally honest nature. The group eventually warm up to one another, although Joe still resents his neighbors for their noise and is troubled when he learns Hawk has seen Angela naked via a window.

Later that night, Pína and Hawk apologize for the noise they make during sex and reveal to Joe and Angela that they participate in orgies which is the reason for the noise; Joe and Angela are titillated by this discovery. Pína admits that she and Hawk came to the dinner party hoping to invite Joe and Angela to have group sex with them. Joe and Angela are eager, but Pína, who is a sexologist, is unsure after seeing the couple fight throughout the night. Instead, they decide to swap partners. However, Angela is too nervous to initiate sex with Hawk while Joe falls while dancing with Pína and hurts his back.

Another argument erupts between Joe and Angela, and he berates their neighbors. Pína gets the couple to talk about their relationship, and learns of the resentment they have to each other and the fact they haven't had sex in a year. Pína suggests the couple finally separate instead of sticking together for the sake of their daughter. Angela and Joe agree, and discuss their next moves, but upon returning from the kitchen, discover Pína and Hawk have left. Joe returns to his office and plays his piano with Angela eventually joining him.

Cast

  • Seth Rogen as Joe
  • Olivia Wilde as Angela
  • Penélope Cruz as Pína
  • Edward Norton as Hawk

Production

Development

In March 2021, it was announced that a remake of the 2020 Spanish film The People Upstairs (Sentimental),[5] an adaptation of Cesc Gay's stage play Els veïns de dalt / Los vecinos de arriba,[6] was in development from producer David Permut.[7] The original film has also been adapted in France, Italy, Switzerland, and South Korea.[8] In March 2022, Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris were hired to direct the film, with Rashida Jones and Will McCormack set to write the screenplay.[9] In May 2023, retitled The Invite, Amy Adams, Paul Rudd and Tessa Thompson were cast to star.[10]

Development was delayed until April 2025 when it was announced Olivia Wilde would direct with herself, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton cast to star; filming began in Los Angeles.[11] On May 21, 2025,[12] it was reported that filming took place in San Francisco on Tuesday and Wednesday of that week, specifically at the auditorium[5] in A.P. Giannini Middle School in the Sunset District, a BART train from Glen Park station to Balboa Park station, Make-Out Room[13] nightclub in the Mission District,[5] Castro District Farmers' Market,[14] and Molinari Delicatessen.[15] The film was shot in twenty-three days, in chronological order.[16]

The film is dedicated to Diane Keaton, who died on October 11, 2025.[17]

Music

Devonté Hynes composed the score.[18] The first track ("Contentious Environment") was released as a digital single from the soundtrack album on June 15, 2026.[18] The soundtrack was released digitally by A24 Music on June 26; a vinyl edition is in development.[19]

Track listing

The Invite (Original Soundtrack)
No. Title Length
1. "Through the Window" 0:22
2. "Contentious Environment" 3:05
3. "Suite for Cello I" 0:36
4. "We're Doing This" 0:30
5. "Hawk in Bathroom" 0:13
6. "They're On Their Way" 0:10
7. "Flan" 0:12
8. "Sex Parties" 0:36
9. "Arguments" 1:23
10. "Explain Yourself + Our Neighbours" 2:11
11. "Palladio I. Allegretto" 0:35
12. "Can We Please Do A Reset" 0:26
13. "Window" 0:10
14. "Tequila" 0:57
15. "Carmen Suite No. 2 – II. Habanera" 3:56
16. "A Little Example" 0:35
17. "The Band" 0:30
18. "Not Heard Anything" 0:21
19. "Suite for Cello II" 2:16
20. "Unapologetic" 0:11
21. "Hawk's Story" 1:34
22. "You Do Have Sex, Right?" 0:10
23. "I Don't Eat Meat" 0:29
24. "Sorry" 0:15
25. "Suite for Cello III" 1:16
26. "It's Over / Suite for Cello" 1:52
Total length: 24:01

Release

(left to right) Norton, Wilde, and Rogen attending the premiere of The Invite at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival

The Invite premiered at the Eccles Theater as a part of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on January 24.[20] Following its premiere, multiple studios were reported to be in talks for distribution rights to the film, including A24, Netflix, Searchlight Pictures, Focus Features, Sony Pictures, Black Bear Pictures (which subsequently acquired UK rights from FilmNation Entertainment), Neon and Apple TV, with bids reaching as high as $10 million.[21] The bidding war eventually narrowed down to A24 and Focus, with offers going over $12 million.[22] Despite a last-minute bid from Warner Bros. Pictures' nascent specialty division (later christened Warner Bros. Clockwork), A24 ultimately acquired the film's U.S. distribution rights.[23][24] The film was also programmed in the main competition of the 73rd Sydney Film Festival.[25]

It received a limited theatrical release in the United States on June 26, 2026,[26] with a wide release scheduled on July 10.[27]

Reception

Box office

As of July 5, 2026, The Invite has grossed $1,369,500 in the United States.[3][4]

The film made $379,000 in Los Angeles and $54,000 in New York City from limited release screenings in its first weekend, all of which were sold out.[27]

Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 138 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 8/10. The website's consensus reads: "Perversely funny while giving its quartet of fine actors some of their best material yet, The Invite is a sophisticated farce that reaffirms Olivia Wilde as one of the most exciting filmmakers working today."[28]

Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 82 out of 100, based on 44 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[29]

Owen Gleiberman of Variety deemed the film to be "marvelously entertaining" and compared it to Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?[30] Similarly, Adam Chitwood of TheWrap compared the result to something like "the great-great-grandchild" of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, underscoring the film to be "endlessly relatable, sometimes uncomfortably so".[31] Benjamin Lee of The Guardian rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, welcoming it as a "genuinely funny and uncommonly intelligent comedy for adults".[32]

Kate Erbland of IndieWire gave the film a B+ rating, assessing that, a bit of stumbling in the third act notwithstanding, the rest of the film is "such a treat, a truly adult comedy with plenty to say and even more laughs to share".[33] David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter declared the film as "well worth RSVPing" in the bottom line.[8] Glenn Garner of Deadline Hollywood wrote that the film "explores dynamics of sex and relationships with raw and endearing honesty".[34] Tim Grierson of Screen Daily described the film as an "uneven comedy-drama that ultimately has something fresh to say about sex, love and commitment".[35]

Bilge Ebiri of Vulture resented that the characters' "emotional twists don't feel fully earned", also pointing out that The Invite "feels at times like a film that could have benefited from more control", while giving a fully negative assessment about the use of the musical score.[36]

Warning that The Invite "is difficult to describe without causing confusion", Kyle Smith of The Wall Street Journal characterized the film as "a wild fantasy built on a foundation of painful verisimilitude", as well as one of the best films of the year, even if it is "essentially a play".[37]

Peter Bradshaw, also of The Guardian, rated the film 4 out of 5 stars, complimenting the comedy and praised Rogen as being "on top of his game".[38]

Accolades

Award Date of ceremony Category Recipient(s) Result Ref.
Astra Midseason Movie Awards June 30, 2026 Best Picture The Invite Runner-up [39]
[40]
Best Director Olivia Wilde Nominated
Best Supporting Actor Edward Norton Runner-up
Best Supporting Actress Penélope Cruz Won
Best Screenplay Will McCormack and Rashida Jones Won
Golden Trailer Awards May 28, 2026 Most Original Trailer "Ding Dong" (A24 / GrandSon) Nominated [41]
Sydney Film Festival June 14, 2026 Sydney Film Prize Olivia Wilde Nominated [25]

References

  1. ^ Karoff, Timothy (May 20, 2025). "Major Hollywood movie appears to be shooting at a San Francisco bar tomorrow". SFGate. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
  2. ^ "The Invite (2026)". Irish Film Classification Office. March 27, 2026. Retrieved March 27, 2026.
  3. ^ a b "The Invite – Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  4. ^ a b "The Invite". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved July 5, 2026.Edit this at Wikidata
  5. ^ a b c Irshad, Zara (May 21, 2025). "These celebrities hid among BART riders for S.F. film shoot: 'I've never seen anything like it'". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  6. ^ Vicente, Eduardo de (October 30, 2020). "Cesc Gay nos explica las anécdotas de rodaje de 'Sentimental'". El Periódico. Retrieved October 30, 2020.
  7. ^ Grater, Tom (March 2, 2021). "English-Language Remake of Spanish Hit Comedy 'The People Upstairs' in the Works from 'Hacksaw Ridge' Producer David Permut". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Rooney, David (January 25, 2026). "'The Invite' Review: Starring Alongside MVP Seth Rogen, Director Olivia Wilde Steers a Tart Marital Comedy Into Occasionally Choppy Darker Waters". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  9. ^ Fleming, Mike Jr. (March 14, 2022). "Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris to Helm FilmNation Remake 'The People Upstairs'; Rashida Jones & Will McCormack Scripting". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  10. ^ Grobar, Matt (May 3, 2023). "Amy Adams, Paul Rudd & Tessa Thompson Set for Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris' FilmNation Comedy 'The Invite'". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 4, 2023.
  11. ^ Lang, Brent (April 23, 2025). "Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton to Star in Olivia Wilde's Date Night Comedy 'The Invite' (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved April 23, 2025.
  12. ^ "Seth Rogen Movie Shoot Creating All Sorts of Hubbub Across San Francisco". SFist. May 21, 2025. Retrieved June 6, 2026.
  13. ^ Dineen, J. K. (June 6, 2026). "For 30 years, these Mission bars nurtured S.F. musicians. Now they're for sale". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved June 6, 2026. Longtime owner Marty Rapalski is selling the Make-Out Room and the Latin American Club.
  14. ^ "Castro Farmers' Market". PCFMA.org. Pacific Coast Farmers' Market Association. April 2, 2025. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  15. ^ Karoff, Timothy (May 22, 2025). "Here's where in San Francisco the Olivia Wilde and Seth Rogen movie shot this week". SFGate. Retrieved May 23, 2025.
  16. ^ Kit, Borys; Galuppo, Mia (January 26, 2026). "Olivia Wilde Sex Comedy 'The Invite' Ignites First Big Bidding War of Sundance". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
  17. ^ Chuba, Kirsten (June 25, 2026). "Olivia Wilde Dedicated New Movie 'The Invite' to Diane Keaton: 'She Was Very Encouraging to Me'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  18. ^ a b Lindert, Hattie (June 16, 2026). "Dev Hynes to Score Olivia Wilde's New Film 'The Invite'". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 18, 2026.
  19. ^ "'The Invite' Soundtrack Album Details". Film Music Reporter. June 25, 2026. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
  20. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 24, 2026). "Olivia Wilde's 'The Invite' Gets Standing Ovation at Sundance World Premiere". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  21. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 26, 2026). "Sundance Deals Looming for 'The Invite' & 'Leviticus' – The Dish". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
  22. ^ Rubin, Rebecca; Donnelly, Matt (January 26, 2026). "Olivia Wilde's Sundance Darling 'The Invite' Bidding War Narrows to A24, Focus Features as Offers Eclipse $12 Million". Variety. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  23. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 27, 2026). "Battle for Olivia Wilde's 'The Invite' Heats Up as Warner Bros. New Contemporary Film Label Joins into Mix with A24 & Focus Features – Sundance". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
  24. ^ Rubin, Rebecca (January 27, 2026). "Olivia Wilde's 'The Invite' Sells to A24 Following Sundance Premiere". Variety. Retrieved January 28, 2026.
  25. ^ a b Stoilova, Mila (May 8, 2026). "Sydney Film Festival lines up 2026 competition". Screen Daily. Retrieved May 8, 2026.
  26. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (February 19, 2026). "A24's Big Sundance Acquisition 'The Invite' from Olivia Wilde Sets Summer Release". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 19, 2026.
  27. ^ a b Goldsmith, Jill (June 28, 2026). "Rare Summer Comedy 'The Invite' Banks a Top Limited Opening of the Year – Specialty Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 1, 2026.
  28. ^ "The Invite". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved July 5, 2026.
  29. ^ "The Invite". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved July 3, 2026.
  30. ^ Gleiberman, Owen (January 24, 2026). "'The Invite' Review: Olivia Wilde Directs and Stars in a Bravura Dinner-Party Dramedy That's like 'Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?' Redone as Vintage Woody Allen". Variety. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  31. ^ Chitwood, Adam (January 24, 2026). "'The Invite' Review: Olivia Wilde Scores With Hilarious, Sharp Relationship Dramedy". TheWrap. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  32. ^ Lee, Benjamin (January 25, 2026). "'The Invite' review – A-list ensemble electrify hilarious couples night gone wrong comedy". The Guardian. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  33. ^ Erbland, Kate (January 25, 2026). "'The Invite' Review: You're Going to Want to Attend Olivia Wilde's Crackling, Crazy Entertaining Dinner Party from Hell". IndieWire. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  34. ^ Garner, Glenn (January 24, 2026). "'The Invite' Review: Director & Star Olivia Wilde Navigates Dinner Parties, Monogamy & Orgies in Whip-Smart Marital Comedy – Sundance Film Festival". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  35. ^ Grierson, Tim (January 25, 2026). "'The Invite' review: Olivia Wilde directs and stars in glossy, tense dinner party drama". Screen Daily. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  36. ^ Ebiri, Bilge (January 25, 2026). "'The Invite' is Occasionally Funny, But That's About It". Vulture. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
  37. ^ Smith, Kyle (June 25, 2026). "'The Invite' Review: A Wilde Double Date". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved June 27, 2026.
  38. ^ Bradshaw, Peter (June 30, 2026). "'The Invite' review – Seth Rogen adds zest and bite to fruity dinner party comedy". The Guardian. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  39. ^ "Hollywood Creative Alliance Announces the 2026 Astra Midseason Movie Awards Nominees" (Press release). The Astras. June 26, 2026. Retrieved June 26, 2026.
  40. ^ "Hollywood Creative Alliance Announces Winners of the 2026 Astra Midseason Movie Awards" (Press release). The Astras. June 30, 2026. Retrieved June 30, 2026.
  41. ^ Pedersen, Erik; Hipes, Patrick (May 5, 2026). "Golden Trailer Awards Nominations: 'IT: Welcome to Derry' Leads Field as Disney Dominates Among Studios". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 28, 2026.