Directors, when they get the chance in these days of increasingly franchise-happy movie marketplaces, will always happily pivot to projects about which they are passionate.
And Jeff Nichols, who has brought us such movies as ‘Mud’, ‘Loving, ‘Take Shelter’ and ‘Midnight Special’, decided turn down the opportunity to direct ‘A Quiet Place’ spin-off ‘A Quiet Place: Day One’ (though he still has credit for writing it) to instead focus on new outing ‘The Bikeriders’, which has enjoyed some mixed, but mostly positive reviews at the Telluride Film Festival, and is likely to hit the awards track this season.
That’s perhaps not surprising, since it blends drama with a starry cast that includes Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer and ‘Elvis’ Austin Butler (here breaking free of the King’s drawl, albeit for something similar, just a little more James Dean).
What’s the story of ‘The Bikeriders’?
Austin Butler as Benny in 20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders'. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
‘The Bikeriders’ is described as “a furious drama following the rise of a fictional 1960s Midwestern motorcycle club through the lives of its members.”
Inspired by Danny Lyon’s iconic book of photography, The movie follows Kathy (Comer), a strong-willed member of the Vandals who’s married to a wild, reckless rider named Benny (Butler), as she recounts the Vandals’ evolution over the course of a decade, beginning as a local club of outsiders united by good times, rumbling bikes, and respect for their strong, steady leader Johnny (Hardy).
Over the years, Kathy tries her best to navigate her husband’s untamed nature and his allegiance to Johnny, with whom she feels she must compete for Benny’s attention. As life in the Vandals gets more dangerous, and the club threatens to become a more sinister gang, Kathy, Benny and Johnny are forced to make choices about their loyalty to the club and to each other.
Jodie Comer as Kathy in 20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders'. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Related Article: Actor Austin Butler Talks Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Elvis’
Who else is in ‘The Bikeriders’?
Michael Shannon as Zipco in 20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders'. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Nichols has gathered quite the gang for this one. Around the central trio we have the likes of Michael Shannon (a regular collaborator for the director), Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook and Norman Reedus. What does that guy know about motorbikes? Oh, that’s right –– beyond his ‘Walking Dead’ throttle jockeying, he also has his own show about them.
According to the studio, the cast did almost all their own riding on period-authentic bikes.
Norman Reedus as Funny Sonny in 20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders'. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Jeff Nichols on ‘The Bikeriders’
Tom Hardy as Danny in 20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders'. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
The movie is already drawing comparisons with TV series ‘Sons of Anarchy’ (which followed a California motorcycle club) and ‘GoodFellas’ (with its description of a rising star in a specific, not always legal, world)
Here’s Nichols explaining what he was aiming for to Vanity Fair:
“When I watch ‘Goodfellas’, when I watch certain films, I just drop into these films. I just want to sit and absorb that feeling. That’s kind of what I was doing with this. What fascinates me about ‘Goodfellas’ is if you look at the narrative structure the first hour, it’s wild because there’s no plot. That movie is about what it felt like to be a gangster and this period in this very specific place. That’s what I look to ‘Goodfellas’ for. The filmmaking mechanics don’t interest me as much as the narrative mechanics.”
‘The Bikeriders’ is on the festival road right now, following up Telluride with a stop at the London Film Festival before driving into theaters here on December 1st.
Austin Butler as Benny in 20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders.' Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
(L-R) Austin Butler as Benny and Jodie Comer as Kathy in 20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders.' Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
(L to R) Jodie Comer as Kathy and Austin Butler as Benny in 20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders'. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
(L to R) Austin Butler as Benny and Tom Hardy as Danny in 20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders.' Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
(L to R) Damon Herriman as Brucie and Tom Hardy as Danny in 20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders'. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Mike Faist as Danny in 20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders'. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
(L to R) Damon Herriman as Brucie and Tom Hardy as Danny in 20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders'. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders' opens in theaters on December 1st.
20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders' opens in theaters on December 1st.
Movies Similar to ‘The Bikeriders':
- 'The Wild One' (1953)
- 'Rebel Without a Cause' (1955)
- 'The Wild Angels' (1966)
- 'Electra Glide in Blue' (1973)
- 'Deuces Wild' (2002)
- 'Biker Boyz' (2003)
- 'Torque' (2004)
- 'Ghost Rider' (2007)
- 'The Place Beyond the Pines' (2013)
- 'Outlaws' (2017)
