Penélope Cruz and co-writer Rashida Jones’ latest masterpiece is finally headed to HBO Max. The highly acclaimed relationship comedy-dramedy The Invite officially hits the streamer today, October 23, 2026. The A24 dark comedy stars Seth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, and Edward Norton alongside Cruz in a tense dinner party drama.
The film is an English-language remake of Cesc Gay’s acclaimed 2020 Spanish sex comedy, The People Upstairs (originally titled Sentimental). The Invite has generated serious Oscar buzz for its writing and powerhouse ensemble cast after becoming a major breakout hit earlier this year.
The movie kicked off 2026 with a standing ovation at the Sundance Film Festival, triggering an intense multi-studio bidding war that A24 ultimately won. It went on to gross over $61 million worldwide during its theatrical run (its budget was only $15 million) and earned a glowing 96% on Tomatometer and an 89% Popcornmeter approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
How The Invite brings together an all-star cast for a tense night
Directed by Wilde and written by Will McCormack and Jones, The Invite follows Joe and Angela, a married couple whose relationship is on the brink of collapse. Hoping to ease the tension, they host a dinner party for their eccentric, free-spirited upstairs neighbors, Piña and Hawk.
What starts as an awkward evening quickly spirals into a chaotic night of wild revelations, boundary-pushing propositions, and uncomfortable marital truths. As the official logline puts it, “Have they reignited the spark or lit the match that burns it all down?”
The film’s star-studded cast featured Seth Rogen as Joe, Olivia Wilde as Angela, Penélope Cruz as Piña, and Edward Norton as Hawk. David Permut, Ben Browning, and Megan Ellison serve as producers on the A24 flick.
The Invite can now be streamed on HBO Max.
