Power Ballad: John Carney’s Music-Driven Drama Prepares for Summer Release

Power Ballad follows Rick (Paul Rudd), a wedding-band singer in Dublin, who befriends fading boy-band star Danny (Nick Jonas). Danny turns one of Rick’s songs into a chart-topping hit, prompting Rick to seek credit. Lionsgate will open in limited release on May 29, 2026, expanding nationwide on June 5, 2026; the premiere was at SXSW in March 2026.

Hollywood Reporter

Director John Carney, known for music-driven films such as *Once* (2007) and *Sing Street* (2016), said he looks for characters that open up possibilities. He based Rick on a Dublin father he observed carrying a guitar while loading his daughter into a car, noting the man had swagger of a rock star without having achieved fame.

Hollywood Reporter

Paul Rudd stars as Rick and Nick Jonas as Danny. Co-writer Peter McDonald also appears, alongside Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu, and Jack Reynor. Producers are Anthony Bregman, John Carney, Peter Cron, Rebecca O’Flanagan, and Robert Walpole; 30West financed. Lionsgate distributes.

Deadline Hollywood

Critics praised Jonas’s performance, noting “you don’t have to be familiar with Jonas’ career as a pop star to be dazzled by Danny’s innate magnetism.” Glenn Garner called the film “a feel-good movie for a date night or a comfort watch for artists who want to feel valued in an oversaturated creative landscape.”

Deadline Hollywood

Carney noted observers warned casting Jonas was “a bad idea” that could “overshadow the film.” Irish commentators called the Jonas Brothers a “novelty” for European audiences, suggesting a mismatch between his pop-star image and the film’s tone.

Hollywood Reporter

John Carney said pairing a “younger version of yourself” with an older protagonist lets the film explore “advice, learning, and irony of younger person doing better.” He noted Jonas “played this character really small,” avoiding overt boy-band references. Lionsgate confirmed limited-then-wide release to build momentum after SXSW debut.

Hollywood Reporter

• “has the potential to serve as a feel-good movie for a date night or maybe even a comfort watch for artists who want to feel valued in an oversaturated creative landscape.” — Glenn Garner, Deadline critic

Deadline Hollywood

• “I’m always on the lookout for interesting characters that suggest a world,” — John Carney, director

Hollywood Reporter

• “Nick Jonas has an inner working that’s going on all the time. He’s inscrutable,” — John Carney, director

Hollywood Reporter

• “You don’t have to be familiar with Jonas’ actual career as a pop star to be dazzled by Danny’s innate magnetism,” — The Hollywood Reporter review

Hollywood Reporter

• “He had the walk of a rock star, but like a rock star for whom it hadn’t happened.” — John Carney, director

Hollywood Reporter

The trailer claims “Nick Jonas steals Paul Rudd’s song,” implying theft, while the film’s synopsis presents a collaborative, feel-good story about artistic credit. No box-office forecasts or audience-attendance data have been released.

AV Club

The film widens on June 5, 2026. Upcoming reviews and audience metrics will gauge its commercial and cultural impact.

Deadline Hollywood