Paul Rudd & Nick Jonas To Star In Musical Comedy ‘Power Ballad’; Filming Underway In Dublin With John Carney Directing — Cannes Market Hot Project

Andreas Wiseman, Matt Grobar and Diana Lodderhose
·2-min read

EXCLUSIVE: Paul Rudd (Ant-Man) and Nick Jonas (Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle) are set to star in musical comedy Power Ballad from Once and Sing Street director John Carney, we can reveal.

30WEST and Anthony Bregman’s (Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind) Likely Story are behind this movie, which will chart the story of a wedding singer (Rudd), a rock star (Jonas), and the song that comes between them.

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Filming is underway in Dublin on the project which will be a hot one at the Cannes market this month. 30WEST, WME Independent, and UTA Independent Film Group will represent the domestic sales on the film, with WME Independent handling international rights.

Script comes from Carney and Peter McDonald (The Bachelor Weekend). 30WEST will finance the film, alongside Screen Ireland, and executive produce. Bregman and Peter Cron will produce for Likely Story with Robert Walpole and Rebecca O’Flanagan for Treasure Entertainment, and Carney, all of whom produced Carney’s most recent film, Flora and Son, for Apple TV+.

“I’m delighted to be working with so many great people,” said Carney. “I’ve been working on this script with my buddy Peter for years, and now Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas are in my kitchen.”

“We are so excited to bring John Carney’s next film to Cannes. John has a magic ability to weave great music into wonderfully engaging and universally relatable stories that make audience emotions run high,” said Alex Walton of WME. “Power Ballad is fun and heartwarming – themes that audiences crave today.  His unique vision, coupled with the global appeal of Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas, will give buyers exactly what they’re looking for.”

Rudd is currently starring in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire and recently starred alongside Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez and Meryl Streep in Only Murders In The Building.

Singer and actor Jonas is known for screen roles including Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, Midway, Chaos Walking and The Good Half.

Irish filmmaker Carney, former bassist for the Irish rock band The Frames, Carney specializes in musical drama and comedy films such as Oscar winner Once, Oscar nominee Begin Again with Keira Knightley and Mark Ruffalo, and most recently, Flora And Son with Eve Hewson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Jonas is represented by UTA and Schreck Rose. Rudd is represented by Lighthouse Management & Media, UTA and Jackoway Austen. Carney is represented by Casarotto Ramsay & Associates, WME and Sloane, Offer.

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