Boss Bomb? ‘Deliver Me from Nowhere’s’ Sad Tracking
Could Springsteen's anti-Trump tirades impact biopic's bottom line?
Music biopics can be huge hits or embarrassing flops in the modern era
The hits?
- “Bohemian Rhapsody” – $216 million US/$694 million international
- “Rocketman” – $96 million US/$98 million international
- “Bob Marley: One Love” – $96 million US/$84 million international
The misses?
- “Back to Black” – $6 million US/$44 million international
- “Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance with Somebody” – $23 million US/$36 million international
(All numbers courtesy of BoxOfficeMojo.com)
Feast or famine, or audiences are still smarting from the moderately recent deaths of Amy Winehouse and Houston.
Bruce Springsteen, by comparison, is alive, well and remarkably vital at 76. And he’s been promoting “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere” as part of the film’s marketing push.
The film, out Oct. 24, casts Jeremy Allen White as a young Springsteen at an emotional crossroads. The tortured singer is about record 1982’s “Nebraska,” an album that found him digging deep into his artistic soul.
The results speak for themselves all these years later. What’s less clear about the movie? The film’s awards season potential. The first wave of reviews are far from glowing, witness the movie’s current 66 percent “fresh” rating at Rotten Tomatoes.
(Denver-based critics weren’t given the chance to screen the film prior to release.)
RELATED: SPRINGSTEEN’S UNITY PLEA PURE VIRTUE SIGNALING
So will “Deliver Me from Nowhere” be the next “Rocketman?” Unlikely, to be kind.
The Numbers Keep Falling
A few weeks back, box office sites predicted the film could earn anywhere from $15 million to $25 million. And why not? Springsteen is a living legend, one of rock’s biggest stars whose fame hasn’t dimmed over the decades.
He’s an icon, full stop. And this is the first major, big-screen closeup of his creative process.
Yet Variety predicted the film would earn in the $10 million range just a few days ago. The competition isn’t particularly stiff, including the poorly reviewed “Regretting You” and the second week of the horror sequel “The Black Phone 2.”
The film faces a few obvious obstacles.
Hardly Born to Run
This isn’t a jukebox-style biopic but a very specific look at a very specific part of Springsteen’s life and career. Depression gets an extended closeup, hardly cinematic catnip .
“Glory Days?” Hardly.
Plus, Springsteen’s hard-left politics have been chipping away at his brand in recent years. His shocking defense of sky-high ticket prices shredded his blue-collar image. And his chronic attacks on President Donald Trump, while ignoring the serial miscues of his predecessor, likely chased some potential movie goers away.
Springsteen exists in the rareified air of rock gods. Plus, Hollywood loves cranking out music biopics, witness potential films based on Debbie Harry and Joni Mitchell.
A Springsteen movie should be a must-see event, even one that doesn’t rock the Oscar conversation.
Instead, the film could be out of theaters by Thanksgiving based on current tracking models.
UPDATE: “Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere” will be lucky to break $10 million in its opening weekend, according to the far-Left Deadline.com.
The columnist touched on the top reason this movie was destined to bomb, Springsteen. He lost half his audience or more with his Trump bashing both on American soil and abroad. When 1/2 the country can’t stand you anymore for your constant virtue signaling and inability to stay in your lane, you will pay at the box office. The screen door slammed Bruce.
How can the writer of the article cite the recent biopics movies which were hits and not mention Baz Luhrmann’s 2022 masterpiece, “Elvis”. Critics gave it a 74% positive Tomatometer rate whiie cinemagoes went all the way to 94% . it made more domestically and internationally than either “Rocketman” or “Bob Marley: One Love” , taking in $288m worldwide, $ 151m domentically and $136m. internationally, and that is not even cou ting its domesrtic video sales, which garnered an additional $14.6m, agaubst $12.3million for Rockerman and the $600k for Bob Marley. According to various sources “Elvis” is already considered as the second highest grosser of a music biopic, after #1, Bohemian Rhanpsody.
That was a tremendous movie. Although it was a very loose take on a biopic. It took a lot of creative liberties about the life and events of Elvis.
With that said…TREMENDOUS movie. I don’t even like Elvis and I thought is was amazing.
I found the movie entertaining, as this was the Springsteen I became a fan of as a teen in the 80s. It’s a shame he’s moved so far left that only longtime fans (does he have any new fans?) will probably be tempted to see it. Take out the name Bruce Springsteen and this could have been a really well received movie.
Found it curious Last Waltz wasn’t mentioned. Great doc
Let’s face it, there aren’t enough leftists who like his music to pay to see this (and pretend they’re interested and entertained by it). Most of “those people” going to movies want something with excessive sensory overload and prompts constant audience participation.
The film is apparently historically accurate & solid to the source material. It’s also a walking cliche. “Me & my dad didn’t get along. I started experiencing success & retreated to write some darker songs. Recorded them by myself & insisted on some creative control that was questioned by the industry. I got depressed. It all turned out ok.” Look, if that’s the story then alright. Worthy of a film while the guy is still alive & performing? Nah.
Great replies. I agree
I would never give my money or attention to anything BS is involved in. Crazy, woke TDS SOB.
I never understood the draw of Springsteen. His voice annoyed me starting in my 80’s youth. Now that he not only sounds terrible but inserted himself into politics as well, it’s no wonder this movie is a flop.
He does the politics thing to try to stay relevant. The music hasn’t helped him in 30 years.
So true. One of the most overrated “artists” of all time in my opinion. He’s a lot older than I am but my group grew up with rock music. We hated his stuff, politics aside (but they really don’t help his cause).
on the cover of time and newsweek. i never got it, he’s boring. props to clarence, however.
southside johnny was the real deal for that type of croon rock.
as far as biopics go, i’ve never been more satisfied than with the cosmic psychos “blokes you can trust.”
I still find it criminal that “Having a Party” isn’t an FM radio staple today
Thank you. I am Springsteen’s age and clearly recall walking past a “news stand” (remember them?) and seeing the covers, side by side. That’s right, not only was he on both Time AND Newsweek, he was on both AT THE EXACXT SAME TIME. Because both mags decided independently and simultaneously that he was NEWS? Yeah, I don’t think so. Call it an early lesson about Groupthink in the Legacy Press. I was a midwesterner, had never heard of him, and concluded that I was looking at another band like Menudo or The Monkees, namely a manufactured phenomenon. Nothing he has ever done has convinced me otherwise
“A manufactured phenom.”
Bingo. Pottfullofpith wins the internet today.
It’s one thing to be “pro” someone or political party. Springsteen has gone out of his way to tell us that he not only hates the president but he hates the majority of Americans that elected him. On top of that, the movie decided to “highlight” the most depressing time of his life and his most depressing album (which critics love but the public hates). This is an easy hard pass, not even interested when it goes to streaming. Someday, entertainers will realize that you can’t insult half of the population and then expect them to support you. Just ask Dinero how his last movie did at the box office.
he needs to leave politics out of his concerts! never been a fan but when I go to a concert I wanna hear music, not ranting! nobody but leftists wasting money to see this flop!
Very well said, Frank. I’d chime in, but you nailed it. “Nuf said.
He made himself fabulously rich by being a gifted liar. I was never angrier at myself than when I realized this mid concert and felt sick enough to leave my 200$ folding chair on an arena floor and never look back.
If you dislike Springsteen for being a gifted liar man you must really hate Trump!
He’s the single-most-gaslightingly-bad rocker in the history of music. People fawned over this guy in the 80’s and tried convincing me that he was good and……..I just didn’t see it. He’s a Bob Dylan cubic zirconia. His voice is sub-par and I swear his lyrics sound like he’s making them up as he goes.
And don’t even get me started on the lyrics to “I’m on fire.” Seriously creepy.
Bob Dylan cubic zirconia. I love it, and I agree wholeheartedly!
Moronic comment from start to finish. This guy? You have to have done heavy drugs or masturbate to Trump pics. Go Ef yourself
No to both accusations, Tommy. And I’ll pass on your recommendation.
But I do respect your differing opinion. Because that’s what adults do. Peace.
“A Complete Unkown” was also pretty successful. Did $140 million worldwide.