The trailer is here for Bono’s new film, “Bono: Stories of Surrender,” which is described as a “bold and lyrical visual exploration” of the U2 frontman’s one-man show of the same name.
Bono hit the road in fall 2022 and spring 2023 on a book/theatre tour called “Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief,” that was based on his memoir “Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story.”
The memoir — which is divided into 40 chapters, each named after a U2 song – tells stories from his incredible life including the challenges he’s faced as well as tales of the friends and family who have “shaped and supported him.” Bono details his journey as a son, father, husband, activist and rockstar, from growing up in Dublin, including losing his mother at age 14, to how U2 became one of the biggest rock bands on the planet and how he’s devoted more than 20 years of his life to helping fight against AIDS and extreme poverty.
The first leg of Bono’s book tour took place across 14 cities in North America and Europe, with Bono singing songs and telling stories, launching with a show at New York’s Beacon Theatre that sold 2,782 tickets and grossed $436,640. Due to popular demand, he returned to the venue in April and early May 2023 for eight more shows.
The film, which hails from RadicalMedia and Plan B Entertainment, is set to premier globally on Friday, May 30, 2025 on Apple TV+ and will include never-before-seen, exclusive footage from the Beacon Theatre shows – including Bono performing a selection of iconic U2 songs.
Today’s announcement notes that the “Bono: Stories of Surrender” marks the “first feature-length film available in Apple Immersive Video, a remarkable media format recorded in 8K with Spatial Audio to produce a 180-degree video that places viewers onstage with Bono and in the center of his story.”
The film is produced by Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning RadicalMedia’s Jon Kamen and Dave Sirulnick (“Summer of Soul,” “Hamilton,” “David Byrne’s American Utopia”) as well as Academy Award-winning Plan B Entertainment’s Brad Pitt, Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner (upcoming “F1,” “Moonlight,” “12 Years a Slave”). Bono executive produced the film with with Jennifer Pitcher (“Kiss The Future”) and Kelly McNamara (“V-U2 an Immersive Concert Film at Sphere Las Vegas”).
U2 graced the cover of Pollstar‘s 2023 year-end issue in celebration of the band opening the Sphere in Las Vegas. The band was also on the cover of Pollstar in 2019 as the top grossing artist of the last decade.
U2 is managed by Full Stop Management’s Irving Azoff and Jeffrey Azoff.
