olivia wilde is back in the comedy lane with The Invite, a dinner-party story built around a marriage under strain and guests who change the mood fast. The film, which also stars Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton, is set for a limited theatrical release on June 26. Olivia Wilde directs the project and plays Angela, one half of the central couple.
What The Invite is about
The invite at the center of the film looks simple on the surface: Joe and Angela host their upstairs neighbors for dinner. But the setup quickly shifts into something far more uneasy, with the marriage already fraying and the evening pushing both couples toward a crossroads.
The story follows Joe, played by Seth Rogen, and Angela, played by Olivia Wilde, whose relationship has lost its original spark. Their guests, played by Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton, bring a different energy into the room, and the film is designed to keep its biggest secret close to the chest. The marketing has kept the key twist unclear, but the premise points to a twisty take on modern relationships.
Olivia Wilde returns to comedy
olivia wilde last drew wide attention as a director with Booksmart, and The Invite marks a return to comedy after the rocky reception surrounding Don’t Worry Darling. This time, the project is framed as a smart, sexy, modern relationship comedy with Rashida Jones and Will McCormack attached as writers.
The film is also a remake of the Spanish comedy The People Upstairs. That background matters because the new version is not presented as a simple update; instead, it leans into secrecy, shifting dynamics and the uncomfortable comedy that can come from putting two couples in the same room.
Cast, tone and release plan
The ensemble is one of the clearest selling points. Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde anchor the host couple, while Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton play the guests whose presence appears to set everything in motion. The trailer indicates that the dinner party is less about food and more about tension, curiosity and the possibility of partner-swapping fallout.
The film had its world premiere at Sundance in January, and the release plan now moves to select theaters on June 26 before expanding more widely in July. That rollout suggests a careful launch for a title that is being positioned as both commercially accessible and built around a reveal that audiences may want to discover for themselves.
Why the buildup matters
The Invite arrives with a ready-made hook: a recognizable cast, a relationship premise and a deliberate refusal to explain too much. The combination gives olivia wilde a chance to re-enter the conversation with a project that is lighter on spectacle but heavy on interpersonal friction.
For now, the main story is the same one the film itself keeps teasing: a dinner invitation that looks ordinary until it stops being ordinary. With June 26 now set, olivia wilde and her cast are heading toward a release built on curiosity, timing and the promise of a very uncomfortable night.
