For almost two decades, Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol (the creators and their fictional counterparts) have had one mission: to play Toronto’s Rivoli Theater. At SXSW 2025, the lads continued that quest with the festival darling Nirvana the Band the Show the Movie. In 2026, that quest will now be released to the world at large. This which includes Johnson and McCarrol taking a trip back…to the past! 

As you’ll see in the trailer above, the Neon title picks up where their two-season Viceland series left off. (How’s that for a throwback?) If you really want to sell this project to fan and newcomer alike, then this appropriately hysterical synopsis will do the job: 

When their plan to book a show at the Rivoli goes horribly wrong, Matt and Jay accidentally travel back to the year 2008. Blah blah blah blah blah.

Nirvana the Band the Show the Movie justifies its lengthy title with quite a bit of laughter. “Hilarity ensues” actually applies to this hysterically Canadian looking romp. It shows Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol engaging in the usual dance with temporal action and consequences. Mr. McCarrol in particular will be interesting to watch. In this time line he’s the recipient of the infamous Oscar slap. (Which means that Will Smith and Chris Rock are somehow ok in this world, I suppose.) 

I’m not totally read into the Nirvana the Band the Show lore; but after watching this trailer, I’m actually eager to correct that mistake. Though now that I’m thinking about it, should I build a time machine to go back and get in on the ground floor? 

Nirvana the Band the Show the Movie looks like the perfect Valentine’s Day date…if you love laughter. You’ll get to catch this flick for yourself on February 13th, no time travel necessary!