Robbie Williams would have been left disappointed with the latest figures after he tried once again to crack the American market
Despite proving a UK success, Robbie Williams’ biopic has failed to impress at the US box office.
The Take That icon, 50, had hopes of cracking the American audience with his no-holds-barred movie. Better Man follows the singer as it tells his dramatic rise to fame, from huge boyband sensation to solo artist extraordinaire. His character is played by a CGI monkey.
The biopic shows a number of struggles the Rock DJ singer went through during the height of his fame. It looks at sensitive topics including substance abuse, mental issue issues, and a difficult relationship with his dad, who is played by Steve Pemberton in the production.
Directed by The Greatest Showman’s Michael Gracey, the production proved a success in the UK market. It quickly received a 90% score on Rotten Tomatoes as it opened with £1.5m to start and £3.8m to date. Many have called it one of the most unique and striking biopics in cinema history.
However, it hasn’t gripped the stateside audience. With just a $1.1million (£908k) made in the US so far, the film has fallen extremely short of its target. One reason speculated by many is Robbie’s initial struggle to break through as a performer – something he has always said he regrets.
Taking to Twitter/X, some followers said the movie’s flop over the water was to be expected. One user wrote: “‘Does anyone in America even know who Robbie Williams is?,” while another added: “I expected this film to flop simply because they were hyping up Robbie Williams as a bigger pop star then he actually is. Nobody outside the UK knows who he is on a household basis. Not even saying he’s a bad singer.. but an international release.. not gonna work.”
The premiere of the film in Los Angeles was cancelled due to the devastating California wildfires. Starting last Tuesday, a massive 1,200-acre brush fire tore through celebrity enclave the Pacific Palisades and an evacuation order has since been put into effect.
As fires continue to burn, 16 people have so far died, with a further 16 people currently missing. Additionally, more than 10,000 homes have been destroyed – including a number belonging to celebrities – with multiple people displaced as they were forced to evacuate ahead of the worsening fires.
Last week, in regards to Robbie’s premiere, a statement read: “Due to the dangerous conditions affecting Los Angeles we are canceling tomorrow’s premiere of Better Man. Our thoughts are with those impacted by the devastating fires resulting from these conditions, and we encourage everyone to stay safe and follow guidance and orders from local officials and government agencies.”
Other events such as the live nomination announcements for SAG-AFTRA were also postponed, as were premieres for Universal’s new flick Wolf Man at Hollywood’s TCL Chinese Theatre and Max’s medical drama The Pitt.
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