In The Invite, Edward Norton Wrote His Own Monologue

By The Backlot

@backlotfriends

Olivia Wilde, Seth Rogen, and Edward Norton seated around a dinner table in a warmly lit apartment in The Invite (2026)

Edward Norton wrote his own monologue for The Invite. The third-act speech his character delivers, about how he got his name, came from Norton. Seth Rogen improvised his response. Olivia Wilde said she was emotional watching them do it.

The film was shot in 23 days, in story order, almost entirely inside one apartment. Production designer Jade Healy built the space with muted blue-green walls for emotional distance and mirrors that created frames within frames. Two people could share a room without seeing each other.

Wilde wanted it to feel like a play made for the screen.

Someone on Backlot is watching it this week. It is in theaters now.

Quick Facts

In The Invite, Edward Norton Wrote His Own Monologue

DirectorOlivia Wilde

CastSeth Rogen, Olivia Wilde, Penélope Cruz, Edward Norton

GenreComedy, Drama

Release2026-06-26

Runtime107 min

Rated7.6/10

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Edward Norton wrote his own monologue for The Invite. Seth Rogen improvised the reply. Shot in 23 days, in one apartment. In theaters now. #TheInvite #Backlot

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Edward Norton wrote his own third-act monologue for The Invite. Seth Rogen improvised his response. Shot in 23 days, in story order, in one apartment. In theaters now.