I’d never even heard of Nirvanna The Band The Show before catching this film at TIFF in September. Turns out “Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie” is not only hilarious, but it’s endlessly inventive.
A 90-second trailer/teaser has been released, and it showcases the chaos. No wonder Neon bought the rights to this Matt Johnson-directed time-travel comedy. It could turn out to be a sleeper hit when it gets released in theaters on February 13, 2026.
This is deliriously inventive comedy that blends time-travel absurdity, satirical mischief, and absurdist stunts. Absolute manic energy that’s been earning raves since its premiere at SXSW and subsequent bow at TIFF. The film currently sits at 86 on Metacritic and 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Synopsis: When Matt and Jay’s latest stunt to book a gig at The Rivoli goes awry, they find themselves transported back to 2008, leading to a series of chaotic and self-aware escapades.
The film’s mockumentary style and meta-humor are second to none, and given the low budget, the editing is incredibly clever. There’s so much going on in every frame; with rapid-fire pacing and endearing performances, the movie is, above all else, uproariously funny, delivering laughs in spades.
There’s a setpiece in this film that has to do with the CN Tower, that had my jaw dropping in “how the hell did they manage this?” The sequence is equal parts thrilling and absurd, but showcases Johnson’s ingenuity with practical effects and creative filmmaking tricks.
Johnson is turning into a very interesting filmmaker — from the mock‑documentary “Operation Avalanche” (2016), the acclaimed tech biopic “BlackBerry” (2023), and now “Nirvanna The Band The Show The Movie”, he’s shown a bold mix of guerrilla creativity, genre playfulness, and narrative ambition. No wonder A24 recently hired him to helm their Anthony Bourdain biopic (“Tony”), set for release next year.