Any John Carney fans here? He’s the writer-director behind “Once” and “Sing Street,” so you know exactly what you’re getting when you watch one of his films. Carney specializes in musical dramas, often weaving working-class life and struggles into nearly every story he tells.
Carney’s next film is titled “Power Ballad” — Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas star in it. The film has now been dated for June 5, 2026 release by Lionsgate. Maybe a SXSW premiere is in the works for this one? I wouldn’t scratch a potential Sundance bow either.
Co-written by Carney and Peter McDonald, the film follows Rick (Rudd), a washed-up wedding singer who befriends fading boy-band star Danny (Jonas) after a gig. When Danny turns one of Rick’s songs into a career-reviving hit, Rick sets out to reclaim the credit he thinks he deserves—risking everything in the process. It’s billed as a feel-good story about music, friendship, ambition, and self-respect.
Yeah, that sounds about right for a John Carney movie. His last effort, Flora and Son, was actually pretty good — a quintessential example of his style. Carney has a knack for portraying down-on-their-luck characters who find healing, purpose, or redemption through musical collaboration. There’s a grounded realism to his work that balances out the occasional sap and, sometimes, that formula just works.
While James L. Brooks teased last year that "we'll soon be seeing" Jack Nicholson, 89, act again, and that he was "reading scripts," that idea has now been shut down by his close friend Michael Douglas, 82.