POWER BALLAD
Section: Narrative Spotlight
Director/Writer: John Carney
Logline: 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, Power Ballad is a feel-good story about music, self-respect, friendship, and the price of ambition.
Panelists: Nick Jonas, Paul Rudd, John Carney
Premiered: March 14, 2026
Key Quote: “I think that the whole question of who owns what — because it’s easy to say who owns a stereo or a gold watch. It’s hard to say who owns a sentence or a sequence of notes. I think that has always been an issue, but now it’s quite public, and we’ve read a number of articles about really interesting cases where people have disputed ownership over songs. So, it feels like people are ready to think about that, and this is a movie that’s a fun way into that question of: How can you say who owns what?” writer-director John Carney tells Deadline
Deadline Studio at SXSW presented by Redbreast Irish Whiskey.
