‘The Bikeriders’ Moves Off Original Opening Date In Midst Of SAG-AFTRA Strike
The film held its world premiere at the 2023 Telluride Film Festival and will be campaigning for Best Original Screenplay at the 96th Academy Awards.
Austin Butler as Benny in 20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders'. Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Preview
- Who is in the cast of ‘The Bikeriders’
- The movie will campaign for Best Original Screenplay in the upcoming award season
- The studio is citing the SAG-AFTRA as the reason for the delay, as actors are currently prohibited from doing promotional work or publicity.
Jeff Nichols’ upcoming film has been moved off its original release date of December 1, 2023, with no new release date on the calendar.
’The Bikeriders’ will star Austin Butler (‘Elvis’) as Benny, Tom Hardy (‘Venom: Let There Be Carnage’) as Johnny, Jodie Comer (‘The Last Duel’) as Kathy, Michael Shannon (‘Amsterdam’) as Zipco, Mike Faist (‘West Side Story’) as Danny Lyon, Norman Reedus (‘The Walking Dead’) as Funny Sonny, and Boyd Holbrook (‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’) as Cal.
What Is ‘The Bikeriders’ About?
Austin Butler as Benny in 20th Century Studios' 'The Bikeriders.' Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2023 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, the movie is inspired by the photo and interview book by Danny Lyons. It was published in 1968 and is filled with black-and-white photographs and interviews with members of the Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club.
The official synopsis for the movie:
“The Bikeriders" is 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 Bikeriders" immerses you in the look, feel, and sounds of the bare-knuckled, grease-covered subculture of '60s motorcycle riders. Kathy (Jodie Comer), a strong-willed member of the Vandals who's married to a wild, reckless bikerider named Benny (Austin Butler), 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 (Tom 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.”
According to Variety, even though the film is based on Lyons’ book of the same name, the WGA has classified it as original work, and the studio will campaign for Best Original Screenplay for the awards season.
Related Article: 'The Bikeriders' Trailer
The SAG-AFTRA Strike Cite As Reason For Date Change
SAG-AFTRA on strike. Photo courtesy of SAG-AFTRA.
The studio is citing the actors’ strike for the change in the movie’s release schedule, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively. As actors are prohibited from doing any sort of promotional work or publicity during the strike, perhaps the right decision is to wait for the strike to end so the star-studded cast can talk about the movie.
However, with the talks between SAG-AFTRA and AMPTP halting, there’s no telling when this strike will be over.
‘The Bikeriders’ would have also shared an opening weekend with Beyoncé’s concert movie ‘Renaissance’, and given how successful Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras Tour’ movie is at the box office, it gives an additional reason for moving the film off its original release date.
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)
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