John Carney’s latest feature, Power Ballad, starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas, will close this year’s Dublin Film Festival.
The film will screen as a world premiere. Rudd and Jonas will attend the screening in Dublin on March 1st at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre.
The film follows Rick (Paul Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, who crosses paths with Danny (Nick Jonas), a fading boyband star, during a gig. Bonding over music and a late-night jam session, the two strike up an unlikely friendship. However, when Rick and Danny return to their respective worlds, they discover that this chance encounter will upend both their lives in very different ways.
“I’m delighted to have our film, Power Ballad, close this year’s festival,” Carney said in a statement. “It’s apt to go out, after so many great films, with a bang of music and fun. Who wouldn’t want to watch Paul Rudd throw Nick Jonas off a balcony? (Seriously, that happens in our movie.”
After Dublin, the film will screen at SXSW. Lionsgate will release the movie on June 5.
Also starring in the film are Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu, and Jack Reynor. Producers are Anthony Bregman, John Carney, Peter Cron, Rebecca O’Flanagan, and Robert Walpole. 30West fully financed and executive-produced Power Ballad.
Dublin Festival Director Grainne Humphreys added: “A big thank you to Bord Gáis Energy Theatre for being a part of a DIFF first, showcasing our closing night film in their beautiful theatre, and for Lionsgate UK and to the wonderful team at Treasure Entertainment and director John Carney in entrusting us to make it all happen It’s the perfect closing film for the 2026 festival, which features a record number of Irish features – the future of Irish cinema has never looked so bright.”