20th Century Studios and Disney will produce and distribute Deliver Me From Nowhere, the feature film that explores the making of Bruce Springsteen’s classic 1982 albumNebraska. Based on the book Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen’s 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. Emmy® winner Jeremy Allen White is in talks to star. The Gotham Group’s 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.
“It is a once-in-a-lifetime honor to be collaborating with Bruce Springsteen, an inspiring and incomparable artist who represents so much to so many,” said David Greenbaum, president, Disney Live Action and 20th Century Studios. “The deep authenticity of his story is in great hands with my friend Scott Cooper whom I am thrilled to be collaborating with once again.”
“Warren Zanes’ Deliver Me From Nowhere is one of the best books ever written about Bruce Springsteen and his music,” said Springsteen’s longtime manger Jon Landau. “Bruce and I are thrilled that Scott Cooper has chosen to write and direct the film based on that book – we think he’s 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 Bruce’s 55-year career. We’re thrilled to have the wholehearted commitment and support of the entire team at 20th and Disney.”
“When we first read Warren Zanes’ 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,” said Goldsmith-Vein and Robinson in a joint statement. “We 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 he’s 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.”
“I once read that Nebraska is an album that moves you to the marrow of your bones. I couldn’t agree more,” says Cooper. “Bruce 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. That’s the Bruce I’ve come to know and love and will honor with this film. Warren Zanes’ wonderful telling of this chapter in Bruce’s 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.”
In a guest column for The New York Times earlier this year, author Warren Zanes wrote “As a teenager, I felt as if ‘Nebraska’ was telling me a few things, but one of them in particular stuck with me: ‘You can do this, it said’…Nebraska 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. I’d say now is one of them.”
About Nebraska: The natural follow-up to Springsteen’s 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 Springsteen’s 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 Group’s 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.
ABOUT 20TH CENTURY STUDIOS:
20th Century Studios is an Academy Award®-winning producer of theatrical feature films and critically acclaimed streaming releases. It is home to such iconic franchises as “Avatar,” “Alien,” “Planet of the Apes,” “Predator,” “Die Hard,” and “Kingsman” and creator of hit films including “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “The Greatest Showman,” “The Martian,” and “Ford v Ferrari” and “Free Guy.” It also launched the successful “Deadpool” and “X-Men” film series, Oscar®-winner “West Side Story” and 2022’s “Prey.” Recent releases include “The Creator,” “The Boogeyman,” and the Oscar-winning box-office smash “Avatar: The Way of Water.” Previously known as 20th Century Fox prior to becoming a part of The Walt Disney Company, 20th Century Studios is recognized for its incredible 80-year legacy. It is the studio that brought the world the first six “Star Wars” films, in addition to standouts from across the decades, including “Miracle on 34th Street,” “All About Eve,” “The King and I,” “The Sound of Music,” “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” “The Princess Bride,” “True Lies,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “Home Alone,” “My Cousin Vinny,” “Speed,” “Cast Away,” “Moulin Rouge!,” “Minority Report,” “Gone Girl” and “The Revenant.”
ABOUT THE GOTHAM GROUP
The Gotham Group is a global entertainment company founded by Ellen Goldsmith-Vein and currently celebrating its 30th Anniversary. The Gotham Group developed and is producing Juror No. 2, being directed by Clint Eastwood for Warner Bros; packaged the dystopian thriller By All set up at Warner Bros. with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II set to star and Steve Caple Jr. on board to direct. Gotham developed The Last Days of John Allen Chau, written by Ben Ripley with Justin Lin directing and producing, which is currently lensing in Thailand. Gotham produced the billion-dollar Maze Runner film franchise, the Stargirlfranchise at Netflix and the feature film adaptation of the global bestseller The Spiderwick Chronicles. Gotham produced the Netflix animated film Wendell & Wild from director Henry Selick and writer/producer Jordan Peele. The company produces the hit Disney+ series Percy Jackson and the Olympians and is in production on The Search for Wondla series for Roku and the Washington Blackseries on Hulu.