The Invite stars Wilde and Rogen<\/a> as a San Francisco couple on the brink of a breakup when they invite a free-spirited couple from their building (Pen\u00e9lope Cruz and Edward Norton) over for dinner.<\/p>\n The Studio actor told Variety<\/a> that before filming began for the comedy drama, he and the cast shared personal stories related to the script, and things got \u201cvery personal very fast.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe all just kind of sat in a room and sort of read through the script, but mostly talked about kind of what we all thought made a good marriage and maybe made a bad marriage and made a healthy sexual dynamic and an unhealthy [sexual dynamic],\u201d Rogen said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt got very personal very fast with a lot of the actors because that\u2019s what the movie is about,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n \u201cI think in order to make it feel as real and reflective of the filmmakers and the team\u2019s lives as possible, we all really got very honest with one another and I think it made the film much better and a lot of it worked its way into the film in various ways.\u201d<\/p>\n Wilde, who directs and stars in the film, told the publication that \u201cconversations that stem from a comedy are really about people recognizing themselves and laughing at even difficult things.\u201d<\/p>\n The Invite is an English-language adaptation of Cesc Gay\u2019s 2020 Spanish film Sentimental, which he adapted from his stage play of the same name. <\/p>\n The film has already received warm reviews on its opening weekend. The New York Times<\/a> critic Alissa Wilkinson noted that while the film sometimes hits some false notes, \u201cfor the most part, it\u2019s a romp, rhythmically enjoyable and cleverly directed, with subtle flourishes that build out the characters\u2019 quirks and anxieties.\u201d<\/p>\n The Wall Street Journal<\/a>\u2019s Kyle Smith called the film \u201cone of the best movies of the year.\u201d<\/p>\n The critic remarked that \u201cRogen balances the joking and the despair like the great comic actors\u201d while Wilde is \u201cequally affecting as Angela, who is trying to paint a cheerful face on a foundering marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n The project marks Wilde\u2019s first directing outing since 2022\u2019s Don\u2019t Worry Darling, starring Harry Styles and Florence Pugh, which was overshadowed by a series of rumored controversies.<\/a><\/p>\n![\"\u2018The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/GettyImages-2283207696.jpg\")
\u2018The Invite\u2019 cast got \u2018very personal\u2019 when discussing the themes in the movie, said Seth Rogen (Getty Images)<\/p>\n![\"Pen\u00e9lope](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-27-at-11-21-58.png\")
Pen\u00e9lope Cruz and Edward Norton star alongside Seth Rogen and Olivia Wilde in \u2018The Invite\u2019 (A24)![\"Seth](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Screenshot-2026-06-27-at-11-25-13.png\")
Seth Rogen plays music teacher Joe, who is unhappy in his marriage, in \u2018The Invite\u2019 (A24)<\/p>\n