Overview
- The Invite is a four‑person dinner‑party comedy directed by Olivia Wilde that stars Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton and centers on a married couple whose evening unravels after their upstairs neighbors make a provocative offer.
- Screenwriters Rashida Jones and Will McCormack told reporters they ran an eight‑day workshop with the principal cast that dismantled and rebuilt the screenplay, led to new character pairings and added moments such as a longer monologue for Norton’s character.
- Reporters and reviews emphasize the film’s chamber‑play staging and rehearsal‑driven creation, with the cast using the workshop to shape tone, timing and the balance between comedy and emotional realism.
- Early critical response has been largely positive, with reviewers praising the screenplay and the ensemble performances while noting the film’s tight, talk‑heavy structure limits its reach for some viewers.
- Jones and McCormack confirmed they are also developing an animated Tom and Jerry project that keeps the title characters silent, and A24 is rolling The Invite out beyond its limited run to reach a wider theatrical audience.