Lionsgate has released the official trailer and new images for Power Ballad, the latest film from writer-director John Carney, and it already looks like a sharp, music-driven collision of ego, ambition, and wounded pride. Starring Paul Rudd as washed-up wedding singer Rick and Nick Jonas as fading boy-band star Danny, the film follows a late-night creative spark that turns toxic when Danny transforms one of Rick’s songs into the hit that revives his own career. With Carney behind the camera and a premise built around friendship curdling into rivalry, Power Ballad has the bones of a crowd-pleasing summer dramedy.
When the Music Stops Feeling Shared
The hook here is strong because it feels both specific and universal. Rick is past his prime, Danny is desperate to stay relevant, and the song between them becomes more than a song. It becomes a fight over credit, identity, and who really gets to claim the spotlight. That setup gives Power Ballad a built-in emotional sting, especially with Rudd and Jonas playing men at very different stages of fame who still want the same thing.
Carney has built a career out of stories where music exposes emotional truth, and Power Ballad seems ready to keep that streak alive. The official synopsis frames the film as a story about music, self-respect, friendship, and the price of ambition.
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Giving this one a little more bite than the usual feel-good music comedy. If the trailer delivers on that tension, this could be one of those films that lands because it knows the melody and the resentment matter equally.
A Summer Stage Built for Rudd and Jonas’ Power Ballad
The cast should help sell that balance. Alongside Rudd and Jonas, the film also stars Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu, and Jack Reynor. That lineup gives Power Ballad a strong mix of familiar charm and supporting talent around a central pairing that feels easy to market. Rudd brings warmth and quiet frustration almost automatically, while Jonas feels like a smart fit for a story about image, performance, and the cost of staying visible.
The film also arrives with a clean theatrical hook. Some songs come with strings attached, and Power Ballad seems ready to turn that idea into a messy, funny, and emotionally bruised showdown. For audiences looking for something music-centered that still has some edge to it, this trailer makes a strong first impression.
Power Ballad opens only in theaters on June 5, 2026. Viewers who want to catch John Carney’s latest on the big screen will need to see it in theaters when it arrives this summer.
When Rick (Paul Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, meets fading boy-band star Danny (Nick Jonas) during a gig, the two bond over music and a late-night jam session. But when Danny turns one of Rick’s songs into the hit that reignites his career, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves – even if it means risking everything he cares about. From writer-director John Carney (Sing Street, Once), POWER BALLAD is a feel-good story about music, self-respect, friendship, and the price of ambition. Lionsgate presents, in association with 30WEST + Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, a Likely Story / Distressed Films production, in association with Treasure Entertainment.
Are you sold on Power Ballad from the first trailer? Do Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas feel like the right duo for this kind of music rivalry? Which John Carney film still ranks as your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments or @me.
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