Power Ballad, the new music comedy-drama from Once and Sing Street director John Carney, opens in UK and Irish cinemas this week. The film stars Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas and will be released in cinemas on Friday 29 May 2026.
Directed by Carney and co-written with Peter McDonald, Power Ballad follows Rick, a past-his-prime wedding singer played by Rudd, who meets fading boy-band star Danny, played by Jonas, during a gig. After the pair bond over music and a late-night jam session, Danny turns one of Rick’s songs into a hit, sending Rick on a desperate quest to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves.
The film continues Carney’s long-running interest in stories about music and people trying to find their way back to themselves. After Once, Begin Again, Sing Street and Flora and Son, Power Ballad brings him back to the kind of heartfelt, music-led storytelling he does so well, this time through a comic clash over ownership, ego and the very awkward business of turning personal art into someone else’s hit. For a filmmaker who has always understood the emotion behind a song, this sounds like a fun new riff on familiar themes.
Jack Reynor also stars, reteaming with Carney after appearing in Sing Street, Flora and Son and an episode of Modern Love. The cast also includes Marcella Plunkett and Havana Rose Liu.
Carney has described musically themed films as stories “meant to be watched together,” saying the film was designed to be experienced “with a crowd, in the dark, next to strangers who, for a few hours, become friends.”
For CultureCues, this already feels like the sort of John Carney film worth making a cinema trip for. His best stories understand that music is rarely just about the song itself, and Power Ballad looks ready to turn that idea into a funny, heartfelt fight for credit. With Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas leading it, this is firmly on our watchlist.
Power Ballad opens in UK and Irish cinemas on 29 May 2026.
Nikki Murray is a UK-based writer, screenwriter and founder & editor of CultureCues, covering film, television, music and pop culture. Her work focuses on storytelling and the moments shaping modern entertainment.