Why the film about Springsteen with will make your love biopics again

By Violaine Schütz, 

and Erwann Chevalier.

The lives of music legends have become filmmakers’ favorite playground. Ever since the flamboyant Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) about Freddie Mercury and Rocketman (2019) about Elton John, music biopics seem to be a steady trend. Even though they often disappoint due to their overly hagiographic tone.

That being said, the latest entry in the genre might just win people over in the coming months. The film focuses on the brilliant Bruce Springsteen. The legendary American singer-songwriter, showman, and guitarist behind masterpieces like Dancing in the Dark, Born in the U.S.A., and I’m on Fire.

A brilliant anti-biopic about Bruce Springsteen

The biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, scheduled for release on October 22nd, 2025, traces back the creation of Nebraska (1982). This album is one of the musician’s finest works and one of the least commercial one. Bruce Springsteen sold over 64 millions records throughout his entire career.

The biopic features musically striking tracks, like State Trooper, as well as lyrics that sound like powerful social chronicles. One of them even inspired a film. Indeed, the song Highway Patrolman, which tells the story of two brothers, one is a criminal, the other a cop, inspired Sean Penn for The Indian Runner (1991).

The film takes place at the time when Springsteen, who had made waves with his hit Hungry Heart (1980) and his electrifying live shows, was going through a difficult period in his life. Haunted by past memories of a troubled childhood, he sank into depression. But this darkness also gave rise to a creative rebirth.

The birth of the album Nebraska

The premise of the film, written and directed by American filmmaker Scott Cooper (Hostiles with Christian Bale)? “The making of Nebraska, which followed Bruce Springsteen’s 1981 River Tour, marked a pivotal moment in the artist’s life. He only spoke openly about it decades after the album’s release, despite it being widely regarded as a milestone in his creative journey and a source of inspiration for an entire generation of musicians.”

The singer decided to record his new tracks on a four-track tape recorder in the bedroom of a house in New Jersey, and without his E Street Band. He wanted to reach a stripped-down, acoustic sound, which proved hard to sell to his label, who was asking for hits.

“It’s a film about Bruce Springsteen, and about the making of Nebraska. But really, it’s a film about healing through art.” – Jeremy Strong

Speaking at a roundtable, Jeremy Strong, who plays Jon Landau, Bruce Springsteen’s manager and confidant in the film, shared his thoughts on the approach taken in this anti-biopic, which has been approved by the Boss himself: “There have been so many films about musicians and their lives. Personally, I love the way Scott Cooper, the director, chose not to draw a sweeping portrait of Bruce the rock star or the myth. The film is a specific moment in the life of Bruce, the man. Warren Zanes wrote this incredible book, Deliver Me From Nowhere, which really moved me and captivated me.”

The actor adds: “It’s a film about Bruce Springsteen, and about the making of Nebraska. But in truth, it’s a film about healing through art. It adresses the issues of mental health, self-realization, individuation, and deeper emotional and psychological themes, like healing and coming to terms with the past. In line with Scott Cooper’s other powerful features, it’s a striking character study. I don’t see it as a biopic at all. It just happens to be about Bruce Springsteen and his music.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuRX3n2LTlc

Jeremy Allen White dons the rock legend’s jacket

This feature film, adapted from the book Deliver Me From Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s Nebraska, written by Warren Zanes and published in 2023, was developed with the guidance and approval of Bruce Springsteen and his longtime manager, Jon Landau. Their support was very valuable according to Jeremy Strong : “I appreciated having them on set. I have deep affection for both of them. We became very close during the shoot. You don’t really have room in your psychological field of vision for anyone on set. Your only job is to fully inhabit the fictional circumstances and stakes of the scene. So in a way, they disappear. And yet, it’s a bit of a crucible, which I enjoy experiencing. What was incredibly valuable was having them as a resource. I was insatiable, I wanted to know more.”

The American actor asked them countless questions to immerse himself in their world and persona: “I asked them: ‘When you were in Gothenburg, where did you go when you got hungry? Do you have any stories from the Nebraska era?’ There’s a scene where we’re standing in front of the power plant and I recall a memory from an episode of the sitcom The Honeymooners (1955–1956). That wasn’t written in the script. It was something Jon told me. I had asked him to break down that memory for me. Those elements elevated the level of detail and authenticity, and deepened the relationship. Bruce and Jon were incredibly open, which is very valuable when you’re trying to tackles something huge and make it intimate and real.”

An exceptional cast starring Jeremy Strong

And if Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere is ultimately worth the watch, it’s largely thanks to its cast. The team fully immersed themselves in the story of a consuming passion for music. To portray this rock icon tormented by doubt, the production turned to one of Hollywood’s most compelling actors. Indeed, the intense Jeremy Allen White (The Bear, The Iron Claw) effortlessly steps into the shoes of the Boss. With a mix of raw sex appeal and vulnerability reminiscent of Springsteen himself, his performance hits the mark. The young actor even learned to sing and play guitar for the role.

By his side is rising actress Odessa Young (Shirley, 2020), playing one of his early loves, while the gifted Jeremy Strong (Succession, The Apprentice) shines as the Boss’s manager. The great Stephen Graham (Adolescence) adds a haunting depth to the role of Bruce Springsteen’s violent and alcoholic father.

A moving bromance between an artist and his manager

While all the performances are outstanding, it’s the chemistry between the two Jeremys that stands out most. A bromance that extended beyond the set, as the Succession star Jeremy Strong explains: “It felt very natural to play Jeremy’s friend. Jeremy is someone I admire a lot. We didn’t know each other, but we trusted one another. I knew he would show up completely prepared and open. I think he expected the same from me. We never rehearsed or talked things through together. We simply trusted each other and understood these men and their relationship. In a way, part of the actor’s job is to understand the dynamic between the characters and bring it to life.”

Jeremy Strong adds: “It was very easy for me to feel devoted to what Jeremy was doing and to protect him. Film sets are like pressure cookers, and I knew it was an impossible mission to play Bruce Springsteen and perform Born in the U.S.A. at Power Station Studios, where Bruce recorded that song, and do it in front of Bruce. I felt like it was easy to understand Jon and Bruce thanks to the relationship between Jeremy and Jeremy.”

A series of breathtaking performances

This biopic could very well earn Oscar nominations for both Jeremy Strong and Jeremy Allen White. It is a confirmation that Hollywood need these two intense, emotionally attuned actors. For the record, Jeremy Allen White first made a name for himself in the series Shameless (2011–2021), then in The Bear(since 2022).

His performance in Christopher Storer’s culinary drama has been unanimously acclaimed. His role as a chef trying to save his family’s restaurant after his brother’s suicide earned him the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy TV Series at the 82nd Golden Globe Awards in 2024.

Used to emotionally demanding roles, the Calvin Klein ambassador also made waves as a member of the legendary Von Erich wrestling family in The Iron Claw (2024), alongside Zac Efron and Lily James. With Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, he once again proves he is a skilled actor when it come to delivering dark, magnetic performances.

Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere (2026) by Scott Cooper, coming out in theatres on October 22nd, 2025.