In 1988, U2 sought to extend its success beyond conventional rock touring by releasing the film and album project Rattle and Hum. Manager Paul McGuinness said the ambition was to make music that could “capture the imagination of the whole world”, echoing the global reach associated with Elvis Presley’s manager Colonel Parker and the Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein.

The project combined concert footage with studio recordings and followed U2’s 1987 Joshua Tree tour, with Phil Joanou directing the film. Rattle and Hum was released in November 1988 and sold strongly, but its critical response was mixed; the project later came to be seen as an overly grand moment that prompted the band to reassess its direction.