Olivia Wilde presented her latest directorial and acting project, Variety, at the 79th edition of the The Hollywood Reporter. Speaking to a crowd of 8,000 people in the Swiss town’s central square, Wilde shared her reaction to the European premiere at the Piazza Grande.
Olivia Wilde Brings The Invite to Locarno and Defends Theatrical Releases
I’m in shock. This is overwhelming and exciting,
Wilde told the audience, noting that the venue features one of the largest cinema screens in the world. This is the European premiere of ‘The Invite’ and it’s the first time – and probably the only time – it will be seen on a screen this big. I can’t tell you how much this means. I’m so grateful that you came tonight.
The screening was a hot ticket at the festival, with organizers noting in an afternoon email that all ticket and day pass categories for the Piazza Grande event were sold out.
Fighting for the Big Screen Against Streaming Bribes
Ahead of the screening, Wilde discussed her firm stance on securing a traditional theatrical run for the movie during a festival press conference. She revealed that financiers often push for streaming releases by offering higher financial incentives.
They bribe you to not take theatrical,
Wilde said. We have to fight for it to have a run in theaters. It’s a bribe. They pay you more.
While financiers stand to make significantly more money by opting for streaming, Wilde praised her own financier for allowing her to choose a theatrical release. She also credited her distribution partners, noting that A24 believes strongly in the theatrical experience, while FilmNation coordinated international theatrical deals across the globe.
Wilde emphasized that comedies particularly thrive on communal viewings, arguing that the genre is frequently relegated to a second tier that undermines the value of a cinema run. Instead, she and her partners wanted audiences to experience a shared chemical reaction.
Cast, Collaboration, and Cinematic Influences
The film is a remake of an extraordinary Spanish film titled Sentimental, which has previously inspired Swiss-German, French, Italian, and South Korean versions. The plot follows two couples—Joe and Angela, alongside enigmatic upstairs neighbors Piña and Hawk—who meet for a dinner party that ultimately results in one relationship imploding. The movie stars Wilde, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz, and Edward Norton, with a screenplay written by Will McCormack and Rashida Jones.
Describing the production, Wilde called it the most collaborative project and highlight of her career, likening the cast’s masterclass performances to a jazz quartet. Adam Newport-Berra served as the cinematographer, shooting the feature on film to maintain natural, nuanced textures for the actors’ skin tones and facial expressions.
Wilde noted that the project draws inspiration from legendary filmmakers who established independent cinema’s capacity for vulnerability, citing: * Cassavetes * Mike Nichols * Mazursky * Woody Allen * Billy Wilder * Nora Ephron * Agnès Varda
Despite exploring dark themes and the complexities of co-habitation, Wilde maintained that the project remains fundamentally a comedy designed to bring joy and shared laughter to audiences.