Paul Rudd's Pre-'Avengers: Doomsday' Gem Becomes a Streaming Hit

It's been over 30 years since Paul Rudd made his breakout film role in the totally buggin' Clueless, a loose retelling of Jane Austen's 1815 novel Emma. Three decades later, he is one of the best-loved men in Hollywood, having been part of many great big-screen projects. In just two months, Rudd will return as his MCU character Ant-Man in the biggest blockbuster event of 2026 — perhaps even the biggest blockbuster event of the decade — Avengers: Doomsday.

Rudd is part of a cast bursting at the seams with talent, including 2025's Fantastic Four (Vanessa Kirby, Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach), Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Mackie, Tom Hiddleston, Florence Pugh, and many, many more. December 18's Doomsday is definitely the most high-profile project in Rudd's 2026, but it might not be his best. That accolade goes to the festival favorite Power Ballad, a musical comedy starring Rudd alongside Nick Jonas, who recently reprised his breakout role in Camp Rock 3.

Following his Oscar-winning gem Once, 2013's Begin Again, and the cult hit Sing Street, director John Carney returned to the genre he truly made his own with Power Ballad. Rudd's wedding singer Rick Power has his life changed in Power Ballad courtesy of an encounter with washed-up pop star Danny Wilson (Jonas). A jam session sparks Rick's creativity, only for Danny to steal his song and use it to relight his popularity. The concept is simple yet utterly effective, and Rudd and Jonas are perfect in their roles. Seven months since the film's festival debut, it is back in the spotlight. At the time of writing, Power Ballad is one of the ten most-watched movies on Starz in the U.S.

What Did Collider Say About 'Power Ballad'?

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Overall, the reviews for Power Ballad were hugely positive following its world premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival. For Collider, Ross Bonaime reviewed the film, scoring it an 8/10 and calling it a "must-watch film from a masterful director." "Rudd and Jonas fit into his style quite nicely," Bonaime added, "and Carney once again proves that he's a master of crowd-pleasing, heartwarming stories about underdogs we all want to root for."