20th Century Studios’ ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere̵…20th Century Studios’ ‘Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere’: Inhabiting a Rock Star’s Inner Life

On Friday, 20th Century Studios' Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere, starring Jeremy Allen White as the iconic rockstar Bruce Springsteen, hits theaters.

The film chronicles the making of Springsteen's 1982 Nebraska album. Recorded on a 4-track recorder in Springsteen's New Jersey bedroom, the album marked a pivotal time in his life and is considered one of his most enduring works - a raw, haunted acoustic record populated by lost souls searching for a reason to believe.

When producers Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and Eric Robinson set out to adapt Warren Zanes' acclaimed book Deliver Me from Nowhere into a feature film, their goal was clear: "The idea wasn't to do a Springsteen documentary, which has been done beautifully before, but to make a narrative film about this specific period," Goldsmith-Vein said.

Getting the Band Together

The search for a director led them to Scott Cooper, whose previous work had already demonstrated his ability to handle key themes - which Springsteen himself was looking for - with authenticity.

"I'd seen Crazy Heart, so I knew Scott knew how to handle music in a film. I'd seen Out of the Furnace, so I knew he could capture the blue-collar life and had real feel for it," Springsteen said. "He also knew he wasn't making a biopic, but a character-driven drama with some music… Outside of being a lovely man and an amazing director, he felt like the right guy for the job."

For Cooper, the project was about stripping away the mythology.

Jeremy Allen White and Scott Scooper on the set 20th Century Studios' Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere

"This isn't about 'The Boss,' the icon. It's about Bruce - alone, at a crossroads, staring inward," Cooper explained. "For me, this isn't a film about mimicry. It's a film about finding the essence of who Bruce is because there's only one Bruce Springsteen. I wanted to fully immerse the viewers in the intimate experience of how these now iconic songs came to be."

That begged an important question: which actor would be able to embody the essence of a rock 'n' roll legend?

The filmmakers, and Springsteen himself - quickly had one person in mind: Jeremy Allen White, the Emmy® Award winning star of FX's The Bear.

"It wasn't an immediate 'yes' for me," White admitted. "Not because it wasn't exciting, but because it's Bruce."

Jeremy Allen White and Bruce Springsteen attend the UK premiere of Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere during the 69th BFI London Film Festival in London.

However, when Cooper informed White that Springsteen himself wanted him for the role, the actor moved past any trepidations and dove head-first into the part. And the casting paid off, as White's performance invites audiences into the heart and mind of a legendary musician.

"Jeremy didn't try to do any sort of impression; he simply inhabited my inner life," Springsteen said. "The camera picked up on those complexities and that was essential in making the character completely believable. That's where he's performing his magic from, and he just did a beautiful job of it."

Jeremy Allen White stars as Bruce Springsteen in 20th Century Studios' Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere.

White's preparation was intense. Prior to signing onto the film, he had little experience singing or playing guitar.

"I at least needed to get to the place where I could feel as comfortable and as natural as possible, because Bruce is at his most comfortable when he's got a guitar in his hands," White said.

All of White's singing was recorded live, including "Born in the U.S.A.," filmed at the Power Station - the same studio where Springsteen and the E Street Band recorded Nebraska in January 1982.

Cooper described the scene as "as electric and spine tingling a moment as I've ever had in my life."

Bruce Springsteen's Personal Touch

Springsteen and his longtime manager Jon Landau - who is portrayed by Academy Award® nominee Jeremy Strong in the film - were deeply involved throughout the script's development.

Cooper recalled, "Both Jon and Bruce were remarkably generous throughout the script's development - offering insights, some never before shared - knowing I was striving for authenticity at every step. They weighed in on everything from production design to costuming, down to the smallest details. I also turned to them during casting, ensuring every choice felt true to the world we were creating."

Landau's trust in Cooper was significant: "Jon Landau actually said to me, 'Scott, this is the first time in 50 years that Bruce has ever handed the wheel over to somebody else.'"

Starring Jeremy Allen White as Bruce Springsteen, Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere is written for the screen and directed by Scott Cooper, based on the book Deliver Me from Nowhere by Warren Zanes. The film also features Jeremy Strong as Springsteen's long-time confidant and manager, Jon Landau; Paul Walter Hauser as guitar tech Mike Batlan; Stephen Graham as Springsteen's father, Doug; Odessa Young as Faye; Gaby Hoffman as Springsteen's mom, Adele; Marc Maron as Chuck Plotkin; and David Krumholtz as Columbia executive Al Teller. Arriving only in theaters October 24, 2025, the film is produced by Cooper, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Eric Robinson, and Scott Stuber. Tracey Landon, Jon Vein, and Zanes executive produce.