Everything We Know About Olivia Wilde’s New Comedy-Drama, The Invite
Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, Edward Norton and Penelope Cruz all in one film- it’s hard not to be intrigued. The Invite is a new comedy-drama which is set to release in cinemas this year, and it definitely fits the bill of being intriguing. When a couple (played by Rogan and Wilde) decide to invite their mysterious neighbours, whom they know little about (Norton and Cruz), around to their apartment, neither has an idea of how things will be turned upside down.
What is The Invite about?
The Invite follows Joe (Rogen) and Angela (Wilde), a married couple whose relationship has quietly fallen into a rut. Living together in a cramped San Francisco apartment, the pair are struggling with unresolved frustrations and emotional distance, and they seem destined to drift apart for good. But there’s a chance for things to change and be revitalised when Angela decides to invite their mysterious upstairs neighbours over for dinner.
Those neighbours are Hawk (Norton) and Pina (Cruz), an unusually confident and uninhibited couple, whose relationship dynamic immediately throws Joe and Angela off balance as they try to get to know the pair. What begins as an awkward evening of drinks and conversation gradually evolves into something far stranger, as deeply buried insecurities and desires begin surfacing. The tantalising trailer seems to have struck a chord online, with its changing aspect ratios, shots of characters rushing into different rooms, and a lot of whispering about what’s really going on.
The film is an English-language remake of the earlier Spanish comedy The People Upstairs, which was released in 2020, and Wilde acts as director, following her debut with Don’t Worry Darling. It looks like Wilde is going for her own, unique direction to make The Invite stand apart, and it certainly looks like the stylish affair that tends to wear the A24 label. Much of the action appears to take place in the apartment itself- so get ready to feel claustrophobic.
What else do we know?
If you’ve been left impressed by the trailer, then you’ll also be glad to hear that the film has generated plenty of early buzz and some glowing critical praise, suggesting a step up from the more mixed reactions to Don’t Worry Darling. The four leads have garnered praise, and it’s safe to say we’re excited for its release. It also looks like there are no other characters that feature in the film, giving it a stage play-like feel.
When does it release?
The good news is, if this sounds up your street, you don’t have long to wait to watch in cinemas. The Invite’s official UK release date is set for July 3rd 2026.
