Robbie Williams’ ‘Better Man’ Becomes 2025’s First Box Office Bomb

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The biographical film about Robbie Williams, titled “Better Man,” was bound to be a challenging proposition due to its unique concept featuring a CGI monkey as the subject. However, it’s impressive that they dared to take such bold steps, which not everyone appreciated during its release over the weekend. Despite receiving positive feedback for its originality, “Better Man” has marked the first box office flop of 2025.

According to Collider, the film “Better Man” debuted to a paltry $1.05 million across 1,291 cinemas, translating into an unpromising $813 per-screen earning. To put this into perspective, Pamela Anderson’s movie “The Last Showgirl,” which premiered in only 870 theaters, managed to earn $1.4 million and boasted a more impressive per-screen average of $1,673. However, there is some positivity to be found: the audience who have watched “Better Man” appear to adore it, as evidenced by its 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, surpassing even its critically acclaimed 88% score.

Indications that the movie “Better Man” might struggle at the box office became apparent when it had an exclusive release during the holidays and only made $3,000 per theater. Usually, a film like this would generate buzz among its intended audience early on, but perhaps the unconventional concept was too unusual even for more adventurous moviegoers. Another concerning factor was that in the U.K., where Williams is more recognized, the movie has only managed to earn $5 million. If it can’t find success in a place where he’s better known, the prospects for this film’s performance in the U.S. aren’t likely to be much brighter.

Is Robbie Williams Well-Known Enough For This Kind of Biopic?

In social media discussions, there’s been debate over why the movie might succeed, considering many Americans aren’t familiar with Williams. However, it’s worth noting that some exceptional music biopics resonate most when viewers are unacquainted with the subject. This allows a fresh audience to discover and connect with them through the film.

It’s rather preposterous to insinuate that Williams lacks musical talent or isn’t well-known, given his past as a member of the renowned U.K. boy band Take That and subsequent solo career since 1997. Five of his albums have achieved top 100 sales in the U.K., and he set a Guinness World Record for selling 1.6 million tickets in one day during his Close Encounters Tour in 2006. Therefore, while he might not be George Michael, it’s clear that Williams has a dedicated fanbase.

Paramount Pictures acquired the $110 million project for only $25 million and had enough faith in it to present it at film festivals and campaign for awards consideration. Preliminary feedback indicated that the movie could become a breakout success. However, the original song “Forbidden Road” was eliminated from the Academy’s shortlist, preventing it from being nominated for Best Original Song. If the film had received more attention during the festival season, it might have attracted Oscar voters more, but its unusual nature may have deterred them initially.

It appears highly likely that “Better Man” will eventually become a much-loved film among specific groups of viewers, perhaps not initially drawing large cinema audiences, but garnering significant attention once it becomes available for digital and streaming platforms. You might find its viewership numbers impressive on Paramount+ when it’s released there. For now, “Better Man” may face a less-than-stellar opening weekend at the box office, but I have confidence that its fortunes will improve when viewers can watch it from home.

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      2025-01-13 20:31