BOMBED IN THE USA: Movie About Trump Hater Bruce Springsteen is Turning Out to be a Box Office DUD
Bruce Springsteen in concert at Manchester, England, screen image via Instagram, May 14, 2025.
A new film about legendary rock musician Bruce Springsteen, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, is falling flat at the box office — both domestically and internationally — leaving producers disappointed with its underwhelming performance.
The biopic, which cost $55 million to produce, has brought in just $16.1 million worldwide so far, according to Variety. The film earned $7 million from international markets during its opening, well below industry projections. With theater owners retaining roughly half of ticket sales, the movie faces a steep climb to break even.
Audience response has been somewhat more favorable than critics’, earning a “B+” CinemaScore and a 61% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Directed by Scott Cooper, Deliver Me From Nowhere takes an unconventional route, focusing on the creation of Springsteen’s 1982 acoustic album Nebraska—a stark, introspective project that contrasts sharply with the singer’s mainstream anthems like Born in the U.S.A. and Born to Run.
Industry analysts note that early projections had the film tracking similarly to last year’s A Complete Unknown, the Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet, which opened to $11.6 million and ultimately reached $140 million worldwide. So far, Springsteen’s film appears unlikely to match that success.
Some observers believe the disappointing turnout stems from Springsteen’s increasingly political image. Once celebrated as the voice of the American working class, the singer has in recent years alienated portions of his fan base through outspoken partisan activism — including campaigning for Kamala Harris in 2024 and releasing anti-Trump videos during the summer.
Entertainment writer John Nolte summarized the shift this way:
“Springsteen used to be an artist who spoke to everyone — his songs were about the common man, filled with metaphor and story. But now, even fans who share his politics struggle to connect with the angry, divisive figure he’s become.”
That sentiment appears to be reflected at the box office. Once revered as a unifying voice across generations, Springsteen’s political turn seems to have narrowed his appeal — and his latest film is paying the price.
As one industry insider put it, “Hollywood still hasn’t learned that audiences don’t want lectures from entertainers. They just want good stories.”
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