Best and worst music biopics as Bruce Springsteen movie set to hit theaters
Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere stars The Bear's Jeremy Allen White as American rock and roll legend Bruce Springsteen, which is set to hit theaters on October 24
Biographical films about musicians, known as music biopics, have been a hit-or-miss genre of movies for decades.
Because the subjects are real people, the stakes are high for actors to live up to the legacy of the person they are portraying, especially if the artist has a passionate fan base. Actors who star in biographical dramas tend to disappear into the part to fully embody who they are playing, which, if done well, can result in an Academy Award, but if done poorly, can result in disaster.
Jeremy Allen White is the latest star to take on the challenge by starring as legendary singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen in the upcoming biopic 'Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.'
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'Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere' hits theaters on October 24 after screening at the 63rd New York Film Festival.
1 of 14 Selena
The 1997 film Selena, directed by Gregory Nava, catapulted Jennifer Lopez into stardom for her incredible portrayal of Tejano singer Selena Quintanilla, who was shot and killed in 1995 at the age of 23.
2 of 14 Back to Black
Back to Black is regarded as one of the worst music biopics of the last few years. Directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson and starring Marisa Abela as the inimitable Amy Winehouse, this 2024 film fails to capture the complexities of Amy's struggle with addiction and troubled past.
(Image:StudioCanal)3 of 14 Straight Outta Compton
This 2015 biopic, which details the origins of hip hop legends N.W.A., stars Ice Cube's real-life son, O'Shea Jackson Jr., and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
(Image:Sunday Mirror)4 of 14 Bohemian Rhapsody
This 2018 biopic about Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, starring Rami Malek in cartoonish prosthetic teeth, was an affront to Freddie's legacy as a queer man and one of the most iconic singers in modern history.
(Image:Publicity Picture)5 of 14 Walk the Line
Widely considered to be one of the greatest music biopics of all time, this Johnny Cash biopic starring Joaquin Phoenix garnered Reese Witherspoon the Oscar for Best Actress for her portrayal of June Carter.
(Image:20th Century Fox)
6 of 14 Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody
While Naomi Ackie does a fantastic job embodying the late great Whitney Houston, this biopic offers a sanitized version of the incomparable diva's life.
(Image:Emily Aragones)7 of 14 La Bamba
This 1987 biopic about Chicano rock pioneer Ritchie Valens, starring Lou Diamond Phillips, was added to the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress, deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and recommended for preservation in 2017.
(Image:Getty Images)8 of 14 Better Man
This bizarre jukebox musical biopic, in which British singer Robbie Williams is portrayed as a CGI monkey, received a mixed response from viewers.
(Image:Paramount Pictures/Better Man AU Pty Ltd. All Rights Reserved)
9 of 14 Get On Up
Get On Up tells the story of James Brown, with the late Chadwick Boseman starring as the Godfather of Soul in an unforgettable performance. The film subverts biopic tropes by telling the story through a non-linear narrative that occasionally breaks the fourth wall.
(Image:Universal Pictures)10 of 14 The Runaways
This 2010 music biopic tells the story of all-girl rock band The Runaways, with performances from Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett and Dakota Fanning as Cherie Currie. The film received mixed reviews from critics.
(Image:Publicity Picture)11 of 14 Nowhere Boy
Nowhere Boy depicts the teenage years of future Beatle John Lennon, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson in his breakout role. Four Beatles biopics are currently in development from director Sam Mendes, with Harris Dickinson starring as John Lennon.
12 of 14 Nina
This 2016 Nina Simone biopic drew controversy over Zoe Saldaña's portrayal of the singer, which included using makeup to darken her skin tone. The actress later expressed regret for starring in the film, which holds an abysmal 2% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes.
13 of 14 A Complete Unknown
Timothée Chalamet was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Bob Dylan in this 2024 biopic. While his portrayal of the singer-songwriter was praised, some critics panned the film as generic, superficial and conventional.
(Image:Searchlight Pictures/Macall Polay. All Rights Reserved)14 of 14 The Doors
Oliver Stone's 1991 biopic about The Doors stars Val Kilmer as frontman Jim Morrison, who passed away in 1971 at the age of 27. The film was criticized for including several historical inaccuracies.