Power Ballad is a 2026 musical comedy drama film directed and co-written by John Carney and starring Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Havana Rose Liu, and Jack Reynor. The film follows wedding singer Rick who bonds with boy-band member Danny; when Danny uses Rick's song to reignite his own solo career, Rick sets out for the recognition he believes he deserves.
| Power Ballad | |
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 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | John Carney |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Yaron Orbach |
| Edited by | Stephen O'Connell |
| Music by |
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Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Lionsgate |
Release dates |
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Running time | 98 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
| Budget | $10 million[2] |
| Box office | $2 million[3][4] |
Power Ballad had its world premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival on March 1, 2026, and was released in select theaters on May 29, before expanding wide on June 5. The film received positive reviews from critics, praising the performances of Rudd and Jonas.
Plot
editRick Power is the American lead singer in a Dublin-based wedding band, The Bride and Groove, who has given up on his dreams of musical stardom after marrying his Irish girlfriend, Rachel, and having a daughter with her, Aja. While performing at a castle wedding, the band meets Danny Wilson, a famous singer who is attempting to launch a solo album after finding success in a boy band. After joining the band onstage, Danny later spends the evening with Rick, during which they drink, take drugs, and share music. Rick performs an original song he wrote, "How to Write a Song (Without You)".
Back in Los Angeles, Danny struggles to find material for his solo album, and his producer, Mac, criticizes his songs as generic. Trying to find inspiration, Danny plays Rick's song which his girlfriend, Marcia, overhears and encourages him to record and release. Six months later, the song becomes a major hit and revives Danny's career. After hearing it while shopping, Rick attempts to convince others that he wrote the song, but is unable to prove it. Danny's record label dismisses his claims and threatens legal action if he continues contacting them.
When a bride requests the song at a wedding, Rick refuses to perform it and is fired from the band. After crashing his van with Rachel and Aja both inside, he is forced to leave the family home. Desperate to receive credit, Rick convinces his bandmate Sandy to come with him to Los Angeles. The two attend one of Danny's concerts and sneak into the afterparty at his home. Rick confronts Danny and demands recognition for writing the song, but Danny refuses. Rick reveals that the song is not a love song, but a song written for Aja about fatherhood. Then Rick and Sandy are kicked out of the party.
Returning to Ireland, Rick accepts that he is unlikely to receive credit and reconciles with his family and rejoins The Bride and Groove. Later, Rick and Danny each perform the song separately, Rick at a wedding, and Danny at Madison Square Garden. While looking through old photographs and videos on Rick's computer, Aja discovers a home video from when she was two years old that shows Rick singing the song to her, providing proof that he wrote the song. Several months later, Rick donates a large amount of money to a busker.
Cast
edit- Paul Rudd as Rick Power
- Nick Jonas as Danny Wilson
- Peter McDonald as Sandy
- Marcella Plunkett as Rachel Power
- Beth Fallon as Aja Power
- Jack Reynor as Mac
- Havana Rose Liu as Marcia
- Sophie Vavasseur as Amanda
Production
editIt was announced in May 2024 that John Carney had begun production in Dublin on his next film, which would see Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas cast to star.[5] Jack Reynor would join the cast later that month.[6] In June, Havana Rose Liu was added to the cast.[7]
Music
editAlong with an original song titled "How to Write a Song Without You", the movie features covers of classic tracks by Bryan Adams and Thin Lizzy, performed by Jonas and Rudd.[8]
| No. | Title | Artist(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "How to Write a Song Without You" (pop version) | Nick Jonas | 3:17 |
| 2. | "Celebration" | Paul Rudd | 3:43 |
| 3. | "Summer of '69" | Paul Rudd | 3:10 |
| 4. | "The Power of Love" | Paul Rudd | 3:48 |
| 5. | "Finishing Line" | Paul Rudd | 2:50 |
| 6. | "Fun Won't Matter" | Nick Jonas | 2:29 |
| 7. | "The Boys Are Back in Town" | Paul Rudd | 4:33 |
| 8. | "I Wish" | Nick Jonas and Paul Rudd | 3:26 |
| 9. | "Don't Look Down" | Nick Jonas | 3:37 |
| 10. | "Spectacular" | Nick Jonas | 3:03 |
| 11. | "Satellite" | Paul Rudd | 3:13 |
| 12. | "How to Write a Song Without You" (Nick Jonas version) | Nick Jonas | 3:21 |
| 13. | "Message in a Bottle" | Paul Rudd | 4:06 |
| 14. | "1984" | Nick Jonas | 3:14 |
| 15. | "Maneater" | Paul Rudd | 4:16 |
| 16. | "How to Write a Song Without You" (Paul Rudd version) | Paul Rudd | 3:55 |
| 17. | "Dublin to L.A." | Paul Rudd | 4:00 |
| Total length: | 56:11 | ||
Release
editPower Ballad had its world premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival at the Closing Night Gala section on March 1, 2026,[9] which was followed by its premiere at the 2026 South by Southwest Film & TV Festival on March 14,[10][11] and was the closing feature film at the 50th Cleveland International Film Festival on April 18[12]. The film also was the opening film for Sands International Film Festival in St Andrews, Scotland on April 17th[8]. It was also featured on closing night of the 27th BAFICI on April 26[13][14]. The film was released in select theaters on May 29, before expanding wide on June 5.[15][16][17] The film was also released in the United Kingdom and Ireland on May 29.[18]
Reception
editOn the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 86% of 149 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.3/10. The website's consensus reads: "Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas prove to be harmonious screen partners in Power Ballad, a mellow dramedy that acknowledges the allure and pitfalls of stardom with equal measures of grace."[19] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 67 out of 100, based on 34 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[20]
References
edit- ↑ "Power Ballad (15)". British Board of Film Classification. February 2, 2026. Retrieved February 2, 2026.
- ↑ Salisbury, Mark (March 2, 2026). "Why John Carney struggled to finance 'Power Ballad' until Paul Rudd joined". Screen Daily. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Power Ballad - Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ↑ "Power Ballad". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ↑ Wiseman, Andreas; Grobar, Matt; Lodderhose, Diana (May 2, 2024). "Paul Rudd & Nick Jonas To Star In Musical Comedy Power Ballad; Filming Underway In Dublin With John Carney Directing — Cannes Market Hot Project". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ↑ Grobar, Matt (May 30, 2024). "Jack Reynor Reteaming With John Carney On Power Ballad". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 30, 2024. Retrieved May 31, 2024.
- ↑ Grobar, Matt (June 17, 2024). "Havana Rose Liu Latest To Join John Carney's Power Ballad". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 17, 2024.
- ↑ Starkey, Adam (May 30, 2026). "Every song on the 'Power Ballad' soundtrack". NME. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
- ↑ "📽️ For the first time, @DublinFilmFestival presents its Closing Night Gala from @BordGaisEnergyTheatre on 1 March 2026". Instagram. January 20, 2026. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (January 14, 2026). "SXSW Sets World Premieres 'Ready Or Not 2', 'They Will Kill You', Apple Series 'Margo's Got Money Troubles' & Pics With Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas & The Kevin Bacon Family". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 20, 2026.
- ↑ "Power Ballad". South by Southwest. Retrieved March 1, 2026.
- ↑ "CIFF50 Closing Night - CIFF Events". CIFF. Retrieved April 19, 2026.
- ↑ Holz, Nat (April 8, 2026). "BAFICI 2026 Guide: What to Watch Based on Your Mood". Time Out Buenos Aires. Retrieved May 1, 2026.
- ↑ "Letras robadas". BAFICI 27 (in Spanish). Retrieved May 1, 2026.
- ↑ "The crowd goes wild. New trailers for Power Ballad TOMORROW". Instagram. Regal Cinemas. April 22, 2026. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
- ↑ Menzel, Scott (March 16, 2026). "SXSW 2026 Review: John Carney's 'Power Ballad' Is The Feel-Good Film of 2026". We Live Entertainment. Retrieved April 22, 2026.
- ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 28, 2025). "Paul Rudd & Nick Jonas Lionsgate Movie 'Power Ballad' Tunes Up For Summer 2026". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 28, 2025.
- ↑ Dalton, Ben (February 4, 2026). "UK-Ireland film cinema release dates: latest updates for 2026". Screen Daily. Retrieved February 4, 2026.
- ↑ "Power Ballad". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved June 11, 2026.
- ↑ "Power Ballad". Metacritic. Retrieved June 7, 2026.
External links
edit- Power Ballad at IMDb