Overview
- Wilde told the international press on Saturday at the Locarno Film Festival that streamers offer large payouts that act as “bribes” to financiers to send films straight to streaming.
- She said a strong, communal reaction at Sundance convinced her to fight for a theatrical release and that the film’s early festival buzz proved the case for showing the movie to cinema audiences.
- Wilde credited her financier and theatrical-focused partners, including A24 and FilmNation, for accepting a cinema-first path instead of higher streaming offers.
- The Invite completed a U.S. rollout that expanded in July, played a sold-out 8,000-seat screening in Locarno, and has been reported to have grossed roughly $40 million worldwide.
- Press outlets are reporting possible post-theatrical streaming dates and platforms but those details remain speculative and have not been universally confirmed by the film’s distributors.