Bruce Springsteen, the iconic New Jersey rocker known as "The Boss," is set to take center stage in a whirlwind series of events this fall, blending nostalgia, artistry, and fresh interpretations of his most haunting work. Fans of Springsteen will find plenty to celebrate as the legend returns to late-night television, releases a long-awaited expanded edition of his classic album Nebraska, and becomes the subject of a major biopic starring Jeremy Allen White.
Springsteen will appear on Jimmy Kimmel Live! during the show’s special Brooklyn week, running from September 29 through October 3, 2025, according to ABC Audio. This marks the seventh time host Jimmy Kimmel has brought his late-night program to Brooklyn, and Springsteen’s presence is a highlight for both longtime fans and newcomers. The week’s episodes will be taped before a live audience at the Brooklyn Academy of Music’s Howard Gilman Opera House, a venue steeped in the city’s cultural history.
Springsteen’s appearance is more than a simple talk show visit. He’ll be joined by Jeremy Allen White, the celebrated actor from The Bear, who is set to portray Springsteen in the upcoming film Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. The movie, opening October 24, 2025, dives into the making of Nebraska, the 1982 album that marked a seismic shift in Springsteen’s musical journey. The anticipation for both the film and Springsteen’s live television spot has been building for months, especially as the Brooklyn week lineup features an impressive roster of guests: Emily Blunt, Stephen Colbert, Tom Hanks, Josh Johnson, Spike Lee, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Kumail Nanjiani, Ryan Reynolds, and musical acts like Geese, Living Colour, Public Enemy, and Renée Rapp.
Springsteen’s unique ability to bridge generations and genres is on full display this season. On September 26, 2025, he released a filmed acoustic preview of “Open All Night,” one of the standout tracks from Nebraska. Filmed by longtime collaborator Thom Zimny at the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank, New Jersey, the performance is stripped down, raw, and deeply evocative. According to USA Today Network New Jersey, the theater was empty—no audience, no applause—just Springsteen, his guitar, and the ghostly ambiance of the stage, accompanied by Larry Campbell and Charlie Giordano. Zimny’s black-and-white cinematography, complete with smokey backgrounds and dramatic shadows, perfectly captured the noir mood and urgency of the song’s “last-chance power drive.”
Springsteen himself reflected on the project, saying, “The one thing that we didn’t do on the ‘Nebraska’ album was we didn’t play it live, so my first thought when we were talking about celebrating the record was there’s got to be a performance, singing these songs from top to bottom.” He added, “What I was concerned about was getting some of the spooky quality the record had. We’re lucky we got the great Larry Campbell and Charlie Giordano to assist in the very minimal instrumentation on the record, and Rob Lebret did a really nice job of mixing and maintaining the record’s integrity on that level.”
The filmed performance is just one part of a much bigger celebration. Sony Music is set to release Nebraska '82: Expanded Edition on October 17, 2025, a four-disc set that includes the long-mythologized electric version of Nebraska—a treasure fans have been clamoring for over decades. The release also features outtakes, live performances from the Count Basie Center, a 2025 remaster, and a Blu-Ray disc of the live show. The tracklist is a feast for aficionados, including alternate takes of classics like “Born in the U.S.A.,” “Downbound Train,” “Pink Cadillac,” and “Reason to Believe.”
Thom Zimny, who has worked alongside Springsteen and the E Street Band for 25 years, described his approach to filming the performance: “As a filmmaker, you want to enhance the performance without it being noticeable—to step into that music and really try to be an invisible partner in it, and carry along this presentation. There’s no introduction or explanation. Things just unfold. And that’s the beauty of Bruce as a storyteller, of his writing and of this album.”
While Springsteen’s music takes center stage, the upcoming biopic Deliver Me From Nowhere is generating its own buzz. Directed by Scott Cooper and based on Warren Zanes’ book Deliver Me from Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska, the film explores the creation of an album that’s now considered a touchstone for the lo-fi movement in rock. Jeremy Allen White, who plays Springsteen, will join the real-life Boss on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to discuss the project. Actor Jeremy Strong, who portrays Springsteen’s manager Jon Landau in the film, recently appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and shared his admiration for Springsteen, revealing, “Nebraska is an album I’ve always loved, so to give back even a modicum of something to give back to someone who has given so much to all of us was a real privilege.”
For those who crave the details, the expanded edition’s tracklist is a journey through Springsteen’s creative process. Disc one features Nebraska outtakes like “Losin’ Kind,” “Child Bride,” and “The Big Payback.” Disc two offers the electric versions of “Nebraska,” “Atlantic City,” and “Johnny 99.” Disc three captures the live spirit of the Count Basie Center performance, while disc four brings a fresh 2025 remaster of the original album. The Blu-Ray disc ensures that fans can experience the stark, powerful visuals of the live show in high definition.
Behind the scenes, the collaboration is a testament to Springsteen’s enduring relationships. Larry Campbell, known for his work with Bob Dylan and Levon Helm, brings seasoned musicianship, while Charlie Giordano, a touring member of the E Street Band, adds his signature touch—having previously worked with Springsteen on the Seeger Sessions Band project two decades ago. Rob Lebret, who’s been part of Springsteen’s studio team since the 2012 album Wrecking Ball, handled the mixing, ensuring the music’s integrity remained intact.
As the release dates draw near, the excitement is palpable. The intersection of live performance, archival treasures, and cinematic storytelling paints a vivid picture of Springsteen’s legacy—one that continues to evolve, inspire, and surprise. Whether you’re tuning in to see The Boss on late-night TV, queuing up the new box set, or heading to the theater for the biopic, this fall is shaping up to be a season-long celebration of an American legend.
With so many facets of Springsteen’s artistry coming to the fore, fans and newcomers alike have a rare opportunity to witness how a single album—born of solitude and stark honesty—can ripple across decades, mediums, and generations.