Apple TV+ has debuted an official trailer for the upcoming concert film Bono: Stories of Surrender, which premieres on the streaming service on May 30. As previously reported, the film was inspired by the one-man show the U2 frontman took on tour in 2022 and 2023 to promote his then-new memoir, Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story.
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The promo features high-def, black-and-white footage of Bono singing some U2 classics backed by a small collective of musicians, interspersed with segments of him sharing intimate recollections and confessional statements about his life.
The tunes performed during the trailer are “City of Blinding Lights,” “Where the Streets Have No Name,” and “Beautiful Day.”
Early in the video, Bono quips, “These are the tall tales of a short rock star.” A bit later, he says in a voice-over, “Something to know about performers: In pursuit of truth, we are capable of more untruth than most.”
Addressing the audience, Bono shares, “Turns out, the most extraordinary thing about my life is the people I’m in relationships with. I met my wife, Ali, the same week I joined U2.”
In another segment, the singer recalls some emotional moments involving his parents.
“Last time I saw my mother alive, was at her own father’s funeral,” he says. “It sounds almost too Irish, I know. My father’s response to this tragedy was to never speak of her again.”
Bono also confesses, “I craved my father’s attention, so I sang louder and louder.”
As the trailer comes to an end, the Irish rock legend declares, “I was born with my fists up. Surrender does not come easy to me.” He adds, “This is my story. I’m stuck with it.”
More About Bono: Stories of Surrender
As reported in the original announcement about the film, Bono: Stories of Surrender offers “a vivid reimagining of Bono’s critically acclaimed one-man stage show.” During the show, dubbed “Stories of Surrender: An Evening of Words, Music and Some Mischief…,” the Rock & Roll Hall of Famer told stories and anecdotes about his life and music that appeared in the book. He also performed a variety of classic U2 songs.
For the musical performances, the singer was joined by Gemma Doherty on harp, keyboard, and vocals; Kate Ellis on cello, keyboard, and vocals; and Jacknife Lee on keyboards and percussion. Lee also served as the show’s musical director.
The movie also features previously unseen, exclusive footage shot during Bono’s 2023 run of “Stories of Surrender” performances at the Beacon Theatre in New York City.
The film was directed by Andrew Dominik, whose credits also include Chopper, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, and Blonde.
About the Immersive Version of the Film That’s Also Premiering in May
Also on May 30, an immersive version of Bono: Stories of Surrender will premiere via the Apple Vision Pro spatial computer. The film will be the first feature-length movie made available in the Apple Immersive Video format.
The 8K media format features Spatial Audio, which offers a 180-degree video experience. Viewers will feel like they’re onstage with Bono and in the center of the performance.
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