When it comes to cinematic cool, it’s hard to beat a leather jacket and a motorcycle. Think Marlon Brando in The Wild One. Arnie in Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Lisbeth Salander in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
If any film is going to fire you up to dig out an old black biker jacket and hit the road, it’s Jeff Nichols’ The Bikeriders. The currently undated film went down a storm at festivals including Telluride and London, and it’s not hard to see why it’s grabbing attention.
Nichols has assembled an ultra-cool cast including Jomie Comer, Austin Butler, and Tom Hardy for his ’60s set drama. Inspired by the work of photojournalist Danny Lyon - namely his seminal book of the same name - The Bikeriders is the fictionalised story of a Chicago biker gang, the Vandals, led by Johnny (Hardy). Kathy (Comer) narrates the story of how she met and fought for her husband, maverick gang member Benny (Butler), as the Vandals' easy-wheeling ethos descends into violence…
The Bikeriders is on the cover of the new issue of Total Film magazine, which hits stands on Thursday, November 9, and here you can see some exclusive images from the film. As well as the black-and-white shot above, below there’s a fresh look at the cast in action:
Nichols has never been a biker. Or interested in motorbikes. Hell, he doesn’t even own one. But the Mud and Take Shelter writer-director knows what cool looks like. He knew it when he saw Lyon’s book of photos on his brother’s bedroom floor decades ago: ‘It was the most complete view of a subculture I’d ever seen – it honestly felt like ingredients or instructions to go and make a movie,’ he tells Total Film in the new issue.
Alongside Butler, Comer, and Hardy, the scorching cast also features Nichols’ regular collaborator Michael Shannon, West Side Story’s Mike Faist, plus Norman Reedus, Boyd Holbrook, and more.
The Bikeriders is currently undated with a cinema release date to be confirmed. For much more on the film, don’t miss the new issue of Total Film when it hits shelves and digital newsstands on Thursday, November 9. Check out the covers below:
Pre-order the issue here to bag your copy, or click here to subscribe to Total Film and never miss another exclusive. With our latest offer, you can get a JOBY Magnetic Wireless Charger worth £29.95 when you take out a print subscription. Plus, you'll get exclusive subscriber-only covers like the one below delivered to your door, before it's in shops.
