Robbie Williams’ $198m biopic Better Man becomes first box office bomb of 2025

Jonno Davies as Robbie Williams in Better Man. Photo / Paramount Pictures

Robbie Williams’ new blockbuster biopic movie has failed to make an impression at the box office, becoming the year’s first major flop.

Williams’ blockbuster biopic Better Man performed disastrously at the US box office over the weekend, becoming the first bomb of the year.

The bizarre flick, in which the popular British pop star is portrayed by a CGI chimpanzee, has received glowing reviews from critics.

However, despite a warm reception from reviewers, the film – produced for a whopping $198 million – failed to make an impression upon its release.

Despite its huge budget, which doesn’t include global marketing costs, the movie grossed just $1.99m over the weekend.

To make matters worse, the film has failed to make an impression in Williams’ home country of the UK too.

Robbie Williams’ new biopic has flopped at the box office. Photo / Getty Images

Better Man faltered with $3.4m on its first weekend of release and has only managed to make a paltry $8.5m to date.

“Robbie Williams played by a digitally animated chimpanzee [is] an outlandish choice. For anyone complaining that the industry plays it too safe, this is your movie,” David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, told Variety. “The risk-taking is excellent, but [US]$110 million is not realistic for the genre and for this musical artist. $25 to $30 million would have made more sense.”

Created and directed by Australian filmmaker Michael Gracey, the creative mind behind The Greatest Showman, the film shows Williams’ harrowing descent into alcohol and drug abuse.

The pop star, who is cast as a performing monkey in Better Man and narrates much of the film, said he had been overwhelmed by the film’s warm reception from critics.

“I’m existing on the fumes of this movie being greeted so warmly,” he told news.com.au. “And for something that is not an altruistic decision to make but very, very careerist, it’s having a therapeutic value. Worry not, I’m in the best mental shape that I’ve ever been in my life. I am in the most namaste way ever ... I’m f**king grateful.”

Robbie Williams is characterised as a chimpanzee in his biopic Better Man. Photo / Paramount Pictures

The Melbourne-shot movie created 2,920 jobs and generated $157m for the Victorian economy.

Williams said in a statement he was “so grateful to Victoria, to Melbourne, the incredibly talented cast and crew, the writers, the producers and director Michael Gracey”.

“I’m delighted to have had the opportunity to make this extraordinary film here.”