Olivia Wilde’s The Invite has now grossed more than $51 million worldwide, giving the adult comedy a strong theatrical run against what appears to have been a relatively modest production cost.
As of August 31, The Invite has earned about $51.4 million worldwide. Roughly $25.6 million has come from the domestic market, while another $25.8 million has come from international theaters.
Some published listings put the movie’s production budget at around $6 million, although A24 and the companies behind the film have not publicly confirmed an official budget figure. Other box office trackers have reported different estimates, so the $6 million figure should be treated as reported rather than confirmed.
Even with that uncertainty, the film’s theatrical performance has been strong for a dialogue-heavy comedy built largely around four characters and a dinner party.
Wilde directs and stars as Angela opposite Seth Rogen as Joe, a married couple whose relationship has reached a difficult point. Their evening changes when they spend time with their upstairs neighbors, Piña and Hawk, played by Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton. What begins as an uncomfortable dinner slowly turns into a much more personal conversation about sex, marriage and dissatisfaction.
The movie is an English-language adaptation of Cesc Gay’s 2020 Spanish film The People Upstairs, originally released in Spain as Sentimental. Rashida Jones and Will McCormack wrote the screenplay for Wilde’s version.
The Invite premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January before becoming the subject of a bidding battle. A24 eventually acquired the film for a reported $12 million and released it in select theaters on June 26 before expanding it nationwide in July.
The film reached more than 2,100 theaters at its widest domestic release and continued earning money throughout July and August. Its international performance has also been important, with overseas ticket sales now accounting for roughly half of its worldwide total.
For Wilde, The Invite is her third feature as a director following Booksmart and Don’t Worry Darling. This time, she also took one of the main roles herself after originally joining the project primarily as its director.
With more than $51 million earned worldwide so far, The Invite has found a sizable theatrical audience despite being far smaller in scale than most films currently competing at the box office.
