Olivia Wilde’s latest directing effort, The Invite, has come out of Sundance with a strong early response, landing a 91% Tomatometer score from 35 reviews. A24 is set to give the film a limited theatrical release on June 26, 2026.
The 1 hour and 47 minute film, rated R, brings together Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton and Wilde in a screenplay by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack. The script is based on a 2020 Spanish film, and the project was produced by Annapurna Pictures, FilmNation Entertainment and Permut Presentations.
The first wave of reviews has been notably warm. One critic said the film “manages to avoid being either stagy or stodgy,” while others called it “a sophisticated, snappy, seductive and stupendously funny film” and “an uproarious, deeply felt and impeccably crafted chamber piece.” Another review said the movie could “silence the doubters” about Wilde’s directing, and others praised it as “a hysterical, insightful, and ultimately moving portrait” and a work that leaves audiences in “a state of rapt immersion and delight.”
That praise matters because Wilde’s name has been watched as closely as the film itself. The early reception suggests The Invite is being treated less as a curiosity tied to its source material and more as a polished adult comedy with momentum heading toward its release next summer.
Not every review landed in the same lane. One critic praised Wilde’s own performance for its “elasticity,” while another argued the characters “never come across as real people.” That split is the clearest sign that the film’s brisk, crowded chamber-piece style may divide viewers even as the overall response stays strong.
For now, the numbers point one way: The Invite is arriving with critical support, a high score and a release plan that gives A24 room to build interest slowly. The remaining question is not whether the film has gotten attention, but whether that early enthusiasm can carry through to a wider audience when it opens next year.
