Olivia Wilde Directing ‘The Invite’ — Stars Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton

Olivia Wilde is set to direct “The Invite,” a dark comedy that will tackle the date night genre. Principal photography for “The Invite” has officially begun in Los Angeles.

The cast that Wilde has assembled is impressive, with Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton, and Wilde herself taking on key roles. Inspired by the Spanish film “Sentimental,” originally directed by Cesc Gay, “The Invite” was adapted by Rashida Jones and Will McCormack.

According to the official synopsis, in “The Invite” a couple invites the neighbors over, igniting an evening full of unexpected twists and turns, revealing deeply repressed emotions and unexplored sexuality.

Do I really need to recap the behind the scenes drama that occurred on Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling”? It’s now the stuff of Hollywood legend. It’s been rumored that Wilde was not the sole director on that film — here's looking at you, Florence Pugh and Matthew Libatique.

Wilde's directorial career has unfolded like a reality TV show with a hefty production budget—full of ambition, drama, and chaos. After the critical success of “Booksmart” in 2019, Wilde seemed poised to become a succesful filmmaker. Then came “Don't Worry Darling” (2022), a film that promised psychological thrills but delivered tabloid fodder.

Wilde's on-set presence on that film was, shall we say, sporadic, with Florence Pugh reportedly stepping in to direct scenes when Wilde and Harry Styles were, let’s say, MIA. Pugh's subsequent silence and refusal to promote the film only fueled speculation about the behind-the-scenes turmoil.

“Don’t Worry Darling” got panned (38% on Rotten Tomatoes). Critics hated it. It was not as bad a movie as they claimed it to be, nor was it as good as it should been. Of course, no surprise, The New Yorker’s Richard Brody was a big fan.

Regardless, Wilde seems to have managed the ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ fallout fairly well as she’s now in the middle of shooting her next film.