The days-long bidding war for Olivia Wilde’s latest feature “The Invite” continued heating up Sundance on Tuesday as Warner Bros.’ new contemporary film label entered the ring with A24 and Focus Features.
Headed by former Neon execs Christian Parkes, Jason Wald and Spencer Collantes, Warner Bros. Pictures’ new specialty film label joined the bidding frenzy for the comedy starring Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penelope Cruz and Edward Norton, TheWrap has learned.
A24 and Focus features are circling the project as well, as TheWrap previously reported. The film was among the buzziest projects at the festival and garnered a standing ovation at its Sunday premiere.
“The Invite” stars Wilde, Rogen, Cruz and Norton as a pair of neighboring couples – one on thin ice, another passionately in love – who convene for dinner. The story takes place over the course of a single evening, but Wilde as director channels “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” for an uproarious, emotional story of relationships in all their messy glory.
Rashida Jones and Will McCormack (“Celeste & Jesse Forever”) wrote the script. Producers include David Permut, Ben Browning and Megan Ellison. “The Invite” marks Wilde’s third film as director after “Booksmart” (2019) and “Don’t Worry Darling” (2022).
New Line previously released “Don’t Worry Darling” which opened to a strong $19 million.
According to the official press release for Warner Bros. still-untitled label, “The label will focus exclusively on smartly budgeted global theatrical releases with innovative marketing campaigns that enhance Warner Bros.’ long history of socially relevant, provocative, and impactful cinema.”
In his review of the film, TheWrap’s Adam Chitwood wrote, “’The Invite’ is about relationships. But the way this chamber drama captures all of it – love, jealousy, anger, sex, depression, middle-age – is truly a thing to behold. Every time you think it’s going to veer into the trite or predictable, Wilde swerves into something more truthful. More meaningful.”
Check out all TheWrap’s Sundance coverage here.
Deadline first reported the news.
