Green Day on the Real-Life Shenanigans That Inspired the Band’s Film ‘Nimrods’: ‘There’s a Lot of Our Lives in There’

Longtime Green Day fans will find plenty of band lore throughout new film Nimrods. The film, which the band produced alongside Live Nation Studios, follows friends and bandmates Tommy (Mason Thames) and Fred (Kylr Coffman) as they trek across the country to open for Green Day and find themselves scrambling money together, staying in sketchy motels and stealing rides.

“There’s a lot of Easter eggs throughout the whole record of things that parallel things that happened to us when we were touring in a van back in the day,” says bassist Mike Dirnt. “That’s really fun for the fans to pick up on and cherry-pick those moments. But if you’re not a fan, there’s still interesting moments regardless of where it came from or not… there’s a lot of our lives in there.”

While the band appears in the film as themselves, the two main characters — as well as bandmate Chad (Ryan Foust) — comprise a struggling rock group trying to make it on the road, much like Green Day in the early stages of their career. For example, Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong tells Billboard that the movie reflects how the band has toured in all kinds of strange vehicles, from a tiny Dodge Omni to a converted bookmobile that served as its first tour van.

“If one of our friends had time to take us somewhere, they would. We didn’t have a vehicle. We would just hit them up for their car — and that’s in the movie,” says Armstrong. “And I did steal a limo once, so that’s what tied in the part where he steals his brother’s car.”

In the film, in theaters Aug. 14, Tommy’s brother and his friend trick the protagonist into believing Green Day listened to the fictional Analog Dogs’ demo, and asked for the band to open for them across the country on New Year’s Eve. With only days to make it to Los Angeles, the boys face car trouble and romantic entanglements, and play small gigs to make it to their opening slot.

“We played little shows to get us down the road, especially after getting robbed,” says Tré Cool. “Our van was broken into and robbed. We had no money. We were in New Orleans and we hung around in the South.”

“We had to play a show in Alabama in this guy’s house and people brought old t-shirts for us,” adds Armstrong. “And passed the hat to get us some cash.”

“They stole all of our clothes out of our van along with whatever money we’d made over the weekend for gas money or whatever,” add Dirnt. “We were stuck.”

“And sadly, Gravy, the puppet was real,” jokes Cool, referring to a tattered hand puppet that made its way into the film. Gravy was likely stolen in the robbery or, as Cool suggests, “maybe he made away with all the loot.”

In the spirit of supporting up-and-coming bands, both L.A.-based punk band The Linda Lindas and Atlanta pop-punk outfit The Paradox get shout outs in Nimrods, which is named after Green Day’s 1997 album. “We did a bunch of touring with The Linda Lindas, and the band The Paradox sort of matches the story in a lot of ways,” says Armstrong.

Armstrong had been in touch with The Paradox lead singer Eric Dangerfield after seeing footage of the band, and asked the young musicians to open for Green Day in real life. In the film, The Paradox plays a set at one of the gigs Tommy and friends perform at. “Without doing it on purpose, [adding The Paradox in the film] happened to be part of the story in a weird way.”

For younger bands trying to make it in the music business today, Armstrong says, “Follow your dream. Be a dreamer. Play music. If you can’t get a gig, create a gig. Invite people to your garage.”

Dirnt adds, “Don’t wait for life to come to you.”

Nimrods, in theaters Aug. 14, is written and directed by Lee Kirk with cast appearances from McKenna Grace, Jenna Fischer, Angela Kinsey, Fred Armisen and more.