Olivia Wilde’s The Invite: Sundance one-set dramedy with Seth Rogen, Norton, Cruz

Olivia Wilde’s third feature as director, The Invite, premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, and Collider reviewer Ross Bonaime called it one of the best films at the fest in a Jan. 28, 2026 review. Wilde directs and stars alongside Seth Rogen, with Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton completing the four-person ensemble.

The Invite follows married couple Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela (Olivia Wilde) when they invite their upstairs neighbors, Hawk (Edward Norton) and Pina (Penélope Cruz), for dinner. The mostly single-location story unfolds in Joe and Angela’s apartment as disclosures about the neighbors’ open sexual life shift the night in unexpected directions.

Bonaime praises the film’s ensemble, singling out Rogen for his emotionally resonant performance and noting Wilde’s strong on-screen work in 2026. Norton is described as bringing unexpected depth to a pretentious character, and Cruz is highlighted for playful, tone-shifting turns; the review credits all four performers with strong chemistry.

The screenplay, by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack, adapts the 2020 Spanish comedy The People Upstairs and emphasizes character-focused dynamics, improvisation, and shifting interpersonal barriers. Bonaime also lauds Wilde’s direction for making a visually pleasing, dialogue-heavy one-set film, with cinematographer Adam Newport-Berra helping the movie look surprisingly attractive for its constraints.

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