Director Of Acclaimed Movie Set To Be 2025’s First Box Office Flop Reportedly Put His Own Money Into The Budget

Better Man director Michael Gracey reportedly put his own money into the production budget for the box office bomb. Conceived in 2021, and released theatrically in the United States on December 25, 2024, Better Man is a biographical musical film, chronicling the life and career of British popstar Robbie Williams. The movie is unusual in that Williams is portrayed by a CGI chimp, performed by Johnno Davies via motion capture, and voiced by Davies and Williams. The film has proven to be a box office bomb, grossing just $12 million globally to date, against a production budget of $110 million.

Per reports in Puck, Gracey was one of six main investors, recruited by producer Paul Currie, CAA Media Finance, and Australian company Elevate Production Finance, who invested some of their own money into the project. It seems Gracey had a very hands-on role in the movie, serving as director, co-writer, co-producer, and co-financier, and it is likely that the success of his directorial debut, The Greatest Showman, allowed him to achieve this.

What This Means For Better Man & Gracey

Flops Happen But This One Is More Personal

It is unclear how much money Gracey put into the project, but it feels unlikely that he would be making any kind of return from the movie. A director financing their own movie is considered taboo outside independent productions, but it also suggests that the movie represents something of a pᴀssion project for Gracey, so there is a good chance he will not be particularly bothered that the movie has tanked financially, as long as he is happy with the finished outcome.

But the biggest stumbling block, I believe, was the choice to cast Williams as a chimp; this made it less appealing for fans of the former Take That singer, and harder for audiences to invest.

Better Man certainly takes risks, and the decision to not have Williams himself appear in the film, as well as having him played by a computer-generated chimp was a quirky gamble that has clearly not paid off. How much this factor alone has affected the box office is anyone’s guess, but it’s bound to have contributed. This process will be a learning curve for Gracey, who is still only on his second feature film – discounting 2021 documentary Pink: All I Know So Far – and may be reluctant to finance future projects himself.

Our Verdict On Better Man’s Box Office Flop

Casting Decisions Meant The Movie Failed To Connect With Audiences


Robbie Williams in front of a seated crowd in Better Man

Multiple factors can lead a movie to struggle theatrically, and Williams’ failure to break America will have contributed to Better Man‘s failings, coupled with the fact the star is also in the twilight of his career. But the biggest stumbling block, I believe, was the choice to cast Williams as a chimp; this made it less appealing for fans of the former Take That singer, and harder for audiences to invest. It’s nice to see Gracey thinking outside the box and trying something unique with Better Man, but it feels unlikely he will use an animal subsтιтute in subsequent movies.

Source: Puck

Related Posts

Thunderbolts* Posters Prove Marvel’s New Team Look Cooler Than The Avengers

Thunderbolts* Posters Prove Marvel’s New Team Look Cooler Than The Avengers

Marvel Studios unveils a new set of Thunderbolts* posters that showcase every member of the MCU anti-hero team. The MCU’s Thunderbolts team is composed of former villains…

Friday 4 Finally Moving Forward As Ice Cube Closes Deal To Return

Friday 4 Finally Moving Forward As Ice Cube Closes Deal To Return

Ice Cube closes a deal for the fourth Friday movie, тιтled Last Friday, to be developed by New Line and Warner Bros. The rapper, actor, and director…

After Confirming Channing Tatum’s Gambit Return In Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel Needs To Answer A Glaring Question From A ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine Deleted Scene

After Confirming Channing Tatum’s Gambit Return In Avengers: Doomsday, Marvel Needs To Answer A Glaring Question From A ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine Deleted Scene

Channing Tatum’s Gambit will return to the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday, but there is still an unanswered question from his last appearance in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine. Tatum…

Dwayne Johnson’s A24 Wrestling Movie The Smashing Machine Sets Fall 2025 Release Date

Dwayne Johnson’s A24 Wrestling Movie The Smashing Machine Sets Fall 2025 Release Date

Dwayne Johnson’s A24 wrestling movie, The Smashing Machine, has set a fall 2025 release date. Written and directed by Benny Safdie, the upcoming A24 film stars Johnson…

Jurᴀssic World Rebirth Teaser Details Reveal Thrills Reminiscent Of Original Jurᴀssic Park Movies

Jurᴀssic World Rebirth Teaser Details Reveal Thrills Reminiscent Of Original Jurᴀssic Park Movies

New Jurᴀssic World Rebirth footage has been shown at CinemaCon. Previous trailers have shown the new characters, including Zora Bennett (Scarlett Johansson), Duncan Kincaid (Mahershala Ali), Dr….

Live-Action How To Train Your Dragon 2 Confirmed, Gets 2027 Release Date

Live-Action How To Train Your Dragon 2 Confirmed, Gets 2027 Release Date

A live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon 2 has been announced, with a 2027 release date revealed ahead of the first remake’s theatrical debut. The…