The Musical (2026)

Jesse Eisenberg’s third directorial outing, a musical comedy starring Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti, is set to open the Vancouver Film Festival on Oct. 1 after dazzling audiences at Telluride and Toronto. The film, which Eisenberg also wrote the songs and lyrics for, has already sparked Oscar chatter – Moore is a front‑runner for best actress, while Eisenberg himself earned a nomination for best original screenplay and celebrates Kieran Culkin’s recent supporting‑actor win. The story follows meek housewife Mona Friedman (Moore), who is unexpectedly cast in a local community‑theatre production. As she dives into the role under a demanding director, Mona discovers a new voice and a chance to escape a life she feels is a “death sentence.” Eisenberg says the tale mirrors his own 1990 New Jersey community‑theatre experiences, where he found refuge from fear and bullying. Beyond the personal stakes, the ensemble boasts a who’s‑who of talent – Halle Bailey, Havana Rose Liu, Bernadette Peters, Colton Ryan, Lilli Cooper, Maulik Pancholy and Bonnie Milligan – all contributing to a film that Eisenberg hopes will be judged on its artistic perseverance rather than awards. With A24 mounting an Oscar campaign, the movie promises both heartfelt humor and a look at the precarious life of artists trying to stay sane in a volatile industry.

In a recent interview Rob Lowe described his latest film The Musical as one of the wildest projects he’s ever tackled, promising a comedy that literally takes audiences’ breath away. The story pits Lowe’s character, an over‑ambitious high‑school principal, against a scheming drama teacher who will stop at nothing—including sabotaging the principal’s art‑teacher girlfriend—to keep them from winning the coveted blue‑ribbon for best play. Lowe hints the film dives into the most offensive, horrifying subject matter a musical could tackle. The actor reflects on his own theater‑kid roots, noting he never fit the cool crowd in high school but eventually got the last laugh. He recalls that landing a role in The Outsiders during his senior year changed his life overnight, and he even jokes about two blockbuster scripts—Top Gun and Jerry Maguire—that slipped to Tom Cruise instead. The Musical is now playing in theaters, and Lowe’s confidence suggests it could become a cult favorite for viewers craving a comedy that pushes every boundary.