Robbie Williams’ ‘Better Man’ Biopic Bombs In US And The UK

Film audiences on both sides of the ocean seemingly thought better of seeing Robbie Williams’ biopic, “Better Man,” during its opening weekend.

The glossy biopic, which revisits the rapid and rocky life and career of the “Rock DJ” performer – albeit with Williams portrayed as a CGI monkey – failed to attract fans, bringing in an estimated $10 million worldwide against an alleged $110 million budget.

In the days and weeks leading up to the release of Williams’ “Better Man,” critics praised the project as one of the better biopics in recent memory.

Directed by Michael Gracey (“The Greatest Showman”) with Williams himself narrating the amplified take of his life story, the film was noted as being both innovative and fun, partially due to its very human subject being presented as an anthropomorphic monkey, (Williams explained in several interviews that the animal is often how he sees himself).

One glowing review of “Better Man,” written by Liz Shannon Miller, the senior entertainment editor of Consequence with Sound, notes the film as one that “[saves] the music biopic.”

“Taking the ‘Paddington’ approach to its protagonist instantly imbues the movie with a cheeky energy,” she writes, “an energy that even newcomers to Williams’ story will come to find very apt.”

A shining example of the silly yet impressive vibe of “Better Man” resides in a scene themed on an early point in Williams’ long career.

After achieving an influx of new fame with Take That, the boyband that gave Williams his start, the group breaks into a lively performance of “Rock DJ,” one of the singer’s most notable hits, set on London’s famous Regent Street.

Though only a minute of the scene is available online, Consequence’s Miller says the full sequence is easily one of the best offerings of 2024 cinema.

Check out the clip above.

One common thread of why Williams’ “Better Man” failed to connect with American audiences alleges that the singer is not as famous here as elsewhere.

On X, several users claimed they were not surprised to learn the movie brought in around $1 million stateside on its opening weekend.

“Does anyone in America even know who Robbie Williams is?” one person asked.

Another X user shared, “A biopic about a singer who’s far from a household name in most parts of the world, portrayed as a lackluster CGI chimpanzee, is underperforming—what a shocker!”

Purportedly pushing the declaration of Williams’ lack of American notoriety was Kat Blaque, a YouTube personality and entertainment commentator. In a short video connected to a longer take on a separate subject, she responded to followers who called her out for stating America, as a whole, was unfamiliar with Williams.

“We just flat out don’t know who he is,” she specified via a text overlay. “I genuinely thought [‘Better Man’] was a film about a monkey who became a pop star with music by Lin-Manuel Miranda!”

While there is truth in Williams’ being a bigger draw in the United Kingdom, he has had some success on our shores.

In 1995, Take That’s single, “Back for Good,” would reach No. 7 on the BillboardHot 100 chart. It is now considered a staple of American adult contemporary radio.

About four years later, Williams’ solo hit, “Millennium,” would be pushed as the first single from “The Ego Has Landed,” a compilation for American audiences featuring songs from two of Williams’ albums. It would peak at No. 72 on our shores – an admirable feat for music released before the streaming era.

A second single, the ballad “Angels,” would become Williams’ most recognized American offering, hitting No. 53 on our shores. Five years later, in 2004, singer Jessica Simpson covered the inspirational tune for a re-release of her “In This Skin” LP.

To help push “Better Man” in America, Williams appeared on “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” via satellite, where he performed “Rock DJ.”

He was also shortlisted for an Oscar for Best Original Song – “Forbidden Road” from “Better Man.” Unfortunately, it was disqualified due to having “incorporated material” from another song unrelated to the project.

Though an exact date is uncertain, reports state that Williams’ “Better Man” should stream on Paramount + on or around February 11, 2025 (as the film is a Paramount release).

As of now, “Better Man” is still playing in theaters. See the trailer above.