‘Power Ballad’: Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas to Star in John Carney’s Musical Comedy!!

With credits that include his work on Prime Video‘s Modern Love and his work on Sing Street, John Carney is setting the stage for his next directorial endeavour with his upcoming musical comedy, Power Ballad. 30WEST and Anthony Bregman’s Likely Story are the brains behind the film which has cast Paul Rudd (Ant-Man) and Nick Jonas (Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle). The film certain to be a hotly contested one at the Cannes market this month even as filming is underway in Dublin. Power Ballad is described as an “uplifting music-driven story” that follows a wedding singer portrayed by Rudd, a rock star (Jonas), and the song that comes between them.

The casting of Jonas and Rudd in Power Ballad adds to what has been a recently busy period for Rudd in particular. The Golden Globe and SAG Award-nominated actor is currently starring in Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire which has grossed over $188 million alongside McKenna Grace and Emily Alyn Lind. While he also takes a break from the Ant-Man franchise where he plays the titular hero in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Rudd has recently starred in Only Murders In The Building alongside Steve Martin, Martin Short, Selena Gomez and Meryl Streep.

The script for Power Ballad is written by Carney and Peter McDonald (The Bachelor Weekend). Regarding the upcoming musical comedy, the Once director said, “I’m delighted to be working with so many great people.” Adding, “I’ve been working on this script with my buddy Peter for years, and now Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas are in my kitchen.” Carney as a director has experience in merging music into storytelling and this was relevant in bringing him onboard. “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 Independent.

Carney is Gifted in Musical Drama

Power Ballad will have Bregman and Peter Cron produce for Likely Story with Robert Walpole and Rebecca O’Flanagan for Treasure Entertainment, alongside Carney. Carney is a specialist in the field of musical drama and comedy films, with a prime example of his ablitity showing forth in Once, which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song; Begin Again. It is this unique skillset Walton hopes to tape into when Carney takes the reins with Power Ballad. “Power Ballad is fun and heartwarming – themes that audiences crave today,” Walton said, adding, “His [Carney] unique vision, coupled with the global appeal of Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas, will give buyers exactly what they’re looking for.”