Sixth feature film directed by Jeff Nichols, “The Bikeriders” is approaching our theaters at high speed. Here’s everything you need to know about this story of bikers in 1960s America.
We have long feared that the sixth feature film directed by Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special, Loving) would miss our theaters, when Disney, its then distributor, abandoned it at the end of 2023. But all’s well that ends well, and here’s what you need to know about The Bikeriders.
Release: when is The Bikeriders released? Where can we see it?
The French release of The Bikeriders has been set for Wednesday June 19. Facing Vice Versa 2, Maria ou Hors du temps by Olivier Assayas. And it will be visible in cinemas thanks to Universal, which recovered it after Disney abandoned it.
Cast: who stars in The Bikeriders?
In 2024, they have in common having been alongside Zendaya on the big screen: one in Dune 2, the other in Challengers. But not only. Because Austin Butler and Mike Faist also play opposite each other in The Bikeriders: Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis plays the leader of the biker gang on which the story focuses, and the revelation of Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story the journalist who chronicles their daily.
And there are some great people with them: Jodie Comer plays Benny’s (Austin Butler) wife. Tom Hardy is Johnny, the creator of the biker gang. Boyd Holbrook, Damon Herriman (the Charles Manson of Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood and Mindhunter) and Emory Cohen play three of the group members.
Just like Michael Shannon, who collaborates with Jeff Nichols for the sixth time (in six films!). Finally, to name only the most famous names, Norman Reedus is also there, as a biker from another group, with a look that could be that of Daryl if The Walking Dead had lasted ten more seasons.
Universal Pictures International France Norman Reedus
An impressive cast to say the least brought together by Jeff Nichols, who abandoned the prequel to Quietly That He was to direct, to direct this film instead. And because chance sometimes does things well, the two feature films will come face to face on June 26 in theaters, the release day of the opus helmed by Michael Sarnoski (Pig).
The story: what will The Bikeriders tell?
“In the 1960s. The rise of a Midwest motorcycle club seen through the lives of its members from a gathering place for local misfits to a more dangerous gang” : that’s the official synopsis. Which seems light and very complete at the same time.
Because the film will tell the birth of this gang with a structure in two parts: the luminous and almost enchanting side when everything goes well at the beginning, then an innocence which comes up against a few hard blows (here the context of the time, with the Vietnam War), bringing the initial dream towards its end.
A pattern that we find in several films (like Goodfellas, among other examples) and that Jeff Nichols adopts to delve, once again, into America’s past, after the 50s and 60s of Loving.
Is this based on a true story?
Yes. The Bikeriders is inspired by the photo book of the same name, published in 1967 by Danny Lyon (played by Mike Faist here), given to Jeff Nichols by his brother a few years ago. Being able to base himself only on clichés, which he sometimes reproduces in images, the director draws inspiration freely from them to create a story in line with his favorite themes.
But you should know that the gang inspired by The Bikeriders still exists. And that he remains one of the rivals of the famous Hell’s Angels.