Robbie Williams’ ambitious biopic Better Man has crashed and burned at the US box office, sparking ridicule from American audiences.

The film, which portrays the British pop icon’s rise to fame using a CGI monkey as Williams’s on-screen persona, has failed to connect with viewers across the Atlantic, grossing a disappointing $1.1 million (£908k) overseas so far.

Produced independently with a hefty budget of $110 million (£90.8m), the project’s financial struggles highlight the disconnect between Williams’s superstar status in the UK and his near-anonymity in the US.

Directed by The Greatest Showman’s Michael Gracey, Better Man delves into the highs and lows of Williams’ life, including his boyband days in Take That, his solo success, battles with substance abuse, struggles with mental health, and his tumultuous relationship with his father Pete, played by Steve Pemberton.

Gracey described the film as a raw look at Williams, capturing how he felt “less evolved than other people”.

Despite the personal and creative risks taken in the production, the film’s reception in the US reflects Williams’s longstanding inability to crack the American market.

Many Americans have taken to social media to mock the film and its subject, with users questioning the decision to push the biopic in a country where Williams remains largely unknown.

One X user said: “I expected this film to flop simply because they were hyping up Robbie Williams as a bigger pop star than he actually is. Nobody outside the UK knows who he is on a household basis. Not even saying he’s a bad singer… but an international release… not gonna work.”

Another user echoed the sentiment, asking bluntly: “Does anyone in America even know who Robbie Williams is?”

A third added context for unfamiliar American audiences, writing: “Not many people know who Robbie Williams is in the USA. It’s a UK-only type of thing. For those of you who don’t know who he is, he is a singer from a 90s boy band Take That. They are Beatles status in the UK, but in the USA it’s like they never existed.”

While many dismissed the film due to their unfamiliarity with Williams, some users defended it, urging Americans to give it a chance.

A fan wrote: “I’m not kidding, America. Go watch Better Man, it’s really good. You don’t have to know Robbie Williams.”

Similarly, another argued: “‘I don’t know who Robbie Williams is, so why would I see the movie?’ Aside from all the other reasons that’s dumb, you also don’t know who any fictional character is until you see their movie lol. That’s how watching movies works. John Wick? I don’t know that guy! Why would I see it?”

While Better Man has fared better in the UK, its numbers remain underwhelming considering the budget, earning £1.5 million in its opening week and £3.8 million to date.

David A. Gross, head of Franchise Entertainment Research, told Variety: “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.

“The risk-taking is excellent, but $110m is not realistic for the genre and for this musical artist. $25 to $30m would have made more sense.”

Despite its box office struggles, Better Man has received glowing reviews, with many critics calling it one of the most unique and striking biopics in recent history.