20th Century Studios and Disney will produce and distribute Deliver Me From Nowhere, the feature film that explores the making of Bruce Springsteenâs classic 1982 album Nebraska. Based on the book Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteenâs Nebraska (Crown; May 2023) by Warren Zanes, the film will benefit from the involvement of Bruce Springsteen and his manager Jon Landau.
Scott Cooper (Crazy Heart, Hostiles) will write and direct the film. EmmyÂŽ winner Jeremy Allen White is in talks to star. The Gotham Groupâs Ellen Goldsmith-Vein (The Maze Runner trilogy) and Eric Robinson, Cooper, Zanes and Scott Stuber are producers. Production on the film is expected to begin this fall.
âIt is a once-in-a-lifetime honour to be collaborating with Bruce Springsteen, an inspiring and incomparable artist who represents so much to so many,â said David Greenbaum, president, Disney Live Action and 20th Century Studios. âThe deep authenticity of his story is in great hands with my friend Scott Cooper whom I am thrilled to be collaborating with once again.â
âWarren Zanesâ Deliver Me From Nowhere is one of the best books ever written about Bruce Springsteen and his music,â said Springsteenâs longtime manger Jon Landau. âBruce and I are thrilled that Scott Cooper has chosen to write and direct the film based on that book â we think heâs the perfect filmmaker for the job. Scott, with Producers Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and Eric Robinson at The Gotham Group, and Scott Stuber are bringing together a superb team to ensure that this project has the vision and soul that have been the hallmark of Bruceâs 55-year career. Weâre thrilled to have the wholehearted commitment and support of the entire team at 20th and Disney.â
âWhen we first read Warren Zanesâ brilliant book, we knew there was a beautiful film to be made that captured the portrait of an iconic artist as a human being at a crucial moment in his artistic life,â said Goldsmith-Vein and Robinson in a joint statement. âWe also knew there was only one filmmaker who could translate this story to cinema with verve and poetry, and that was Scott Cooper. Bruce Springsteen is the cultural chronicler for several generations and through his art heâs contributed so much to our understanding of the human journey. Working with Bruce and Jon Landau and master storyteller Scott Cooper in partnership with Scott Stuber and our friends at 20th and Disney to bring this tale to global audiences is a privilege beyond measure.â
âI once read that Nebraska is an album that moves you to the marrow of your bones. I couldnât agree more,â says Cooper. âBruce Springsteen, and Nebraska, in particular, have had a profound impact on me and my work. Through themes of despair, disillusionment, and the struggles of everyday Americans, Bruce has formed an unparalleled legacy, painting an unflinching portrait of the human condition. Yet, amidst the darkness, a sense of resilience and a sense of hope shines through, reflecting an indomitable spirit. Thatâs the Bruce Iâve come to know and love and will honor with this film. Warren Zanesâ wonderful telling of this chapter in Bruceâs life is ripe for cinematic adaptation. This film has the potential to be a transformative cinematic experience, offering audiences a window into the soul of Bruce Springsteen and the universal truths that bind us all together.â
In a guest column for The New York Times earlier this year, author Warren Zanes wrote âAs a teenager, I felt as if âNebraskaâ was telling me a few things, but one of them in particular stuck with me: âYou can do this, it saidââŚNebraska was dirty, kind of mumbled in sections, its hushed tones punctuated by a few screams; it told scary stories. But it felt so close to the world I lived in. It was a recording I listened to, and I never felt left out. There are times when we need that kind of art. Iâd say now is one of them.â
About Nebraska: The natural follow-up to Springsteenâs hugely successful The River was widely expected to be a rock album with The E Street Band. Instead, in 1982, Springsteen released Nebraska, a stark solo album recorded on a 4-track recorder. The book and the film tell the fascinating story of Springsteenâs artistic journey in the creation of the album, which is regarded as a landmark in his musical odyssey and a source of inspiration for a generation of artists and musicians.
Scott Cooper is repped by CAA and attorney Darren Trattner of Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner & Klein. The Gotham Groupâs Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and Eric Robinson are represented by CAA and attorney George Davis. Bruce Springsteen is repped by Landau, Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks; Warren Zanes by CAA. Scott Stuber is repped by attorney Craig Jacobson of Hanson, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller & Gellman.
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