The Invite (2026 film)

Olivia Wilde's directorial journey has included films exploring relationships, personal identity and the pressures of contemporary life. After directing Booksmart (2019) and Don't Worry Darling (2022), she returned behind the camera for The Invite. The project also gave her a leading acting role as Angela, bringing together her work as a filmmaker and performer in a story that depends heavily on character interactions and shifting emotional dynamics.

Seth Rogen, who plays Joe, is known for combining comedy with stories about relationships, friendship and adulthood. In The Invite, he portrays a husband whose frustration and scepticism become increasingly apparent as the dinner progresses. Joe's reactions to his neighbours' openness create much of the film's awkward humour, while his arguments with Angela reveal how much tension has accumulated within their marriage.

Penélope Cruz plays Piña, one of the upstairs neighbours whose directness challenges the hosts' assumptions about relationships. Cruz's character brings confidence and unpredictability to the dinner party, encouraging conversations that Joe and Angela might otherwise avoid. Edward Norton, as Hawk, provides the other half of the neighbouring couple. Together, Cruz and Norton create a contrast with the more reserved and conflicted hosts, driving the story toward increasingly revealing exchanges.

The screenplay by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones adapts the premise of Cesc Gay's Spanish film The People Upstairs. Rather than relying on a series of separate locations or large-scale events, the film concentrates on a single social gathering. This confined structure allows the dialogue, pauses, misunderstandings and reactions between the four main characters to shape the dramatic progression. The adaptation brings the original premise to an English-speaking audience while retaining its focus on uncomfortable truths between couples.

The technical team supports this dialogue-driven approach through cinematography, editing and music. Adam Newport-Berra served as cinematographer, while Yorgos Mavropsaridis and Anthony Boys handled editing. Devonté Hynes, known professionally as Blood Orange, composed the music. The film was produced by David Permut, Ben Browning and Megan Ellison, with Annapurna Pictures, FilmNation Entertainment and Permut Presentations involved in its production.

After its Sundance premiere in January 2026, The Invite moved into theatrical distribution in June and July. The film subsequently received strong reviews, with critics highlighting the performances, sharp dialogue and uncomfortable humour. Rotten Tomatoes' published critics' consensus described it as a sophisticated farce, while some reviews also noted that its tonal shifts and ending might not work equally well for every viewer. Its reception positioned the film as a character-focused comedy-drama built around the performances of its four leads.

The Invite is a relationship-focused comedy-drama that turns an ordinary dinner party into an examination of marriage, desire, honesty and emotional insecurity. With Olivia Wilde directing and starring alongside Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton, the film uses four contrasting personalities to explore what happens when private frustrations become impossible to conceal. Its adaptation of The People Upstairs gives the story a foundation in social comedy while allowing the performances and dialogue to drive the drama.

Released theatrically in the United States in June and July 2026, The Invite brought together an established ensemble and a confined, conversation-driven premise. Its festival debut, A24 distribution and positive critical response helped establish it as a notable adult comedy-drama of the year. For viewers interested in relationship stories that combine awkward humour with serious emotional questions, the film offers a portrait of two couples whose evening together changes how they see their relationships.