Check out the trailer for director John Carney’s POWER BALLAD, starring Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu, and Jack Reynor.
When Rick (Paul Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, meets fading boy-band star Danny (Nick Jonas) during a gig, the two bond over music and a late-night jam session. But when Danny turns one of Rick’s songs into the hit that reignites his career, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves – even if it means risking everything he cares about. From writer-director John Carney (Sing Street, Once), POWER BALLAD is a feel-good story about music, self-respect, friendship, and the price of ambition.
The film made its World Premiere on Sunday, March 1st at Dublin’s Bord Gáis Energy Theatre as the Closing Night Gala of the Dublin International Film Festival.
POWER BALLAD is scheduled for its North American premiere at SXSW on March 14, before it’s US theatrical release June 5, 2026.
In an interview with ScreenDaily:
“…despite Carney’s track record of successful music-based features – including 2007’s Once, which won the Oscar for best original song as well as a Sundance audience award, Sing Street, and Begin Again – the film was a struggle to get financed. Until Marvel star Paul Rudd signed on. Rudd plays a wedding singer whose interaction with a rock star (Nick Jonas) causes a copyright drama over a song they co-create one drunken evening following an Irish wedding.”
“It’s increasingly hard for somebody like me to get movies made because they’re original stories,” Carney reflects. “There’s no IP or remake or I’m not telling anybody else’s story. I couldn’t get the film made without a mighty star attached. Once Paul came on board, the whole domino thing happened. He was such a straight-up person. He was, ‘I’m in your movie. Go and get the money. I’ll see you on set.’ Which is what everybody needs and dreams of.”
Music is from Gary Clark and John Carney (original songs and score).
