Jeff Nichols’ upcoming motorcycle gang drama The Bikeriders has roared back with a dangerous new trailer, showcasing the rise of the Vandals, a fictional Midwestern motorcycle club led by Tom Hardy’s Johnny. Hitting theatres on June 21, this gritty gangland drama takes you to the untamed streets of 1965 Chicago. After a well-received debut at Telluride Film Festival last year, The Bikeriders quickly found a new home at Focus Features following its departure from Disney.
Inspired by Danny Lyon’s photography book of the same name, the film charts the rise and fall of the notorious and fictional Midwestern Vandals motorcycle club, following the lives of its members, played by Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hardy, in a story of loyalty, love, and rebellion.
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The official synopsis for Focus Features’ The Bikeriders reads: “The Bikeriders follows the rise of a midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals. Seen through the lives of its members, the club evolves over a decade from a gathering place for local outsiders into a more sinister gang, threatening the original group’s unique way of life.”
Leading the pack and riding their own period-correct motorcycles are Tom Hardy as Johnny, Austin Butler as Benny, and the rest of the impressive ensemble cast: Jodie Comer (Kathy), Michael Shannon (Zipco), Mike Faist (Danny Lyon), Boyd Holbrook (Cal), Norman Reedus (Funny Sonny), Damon Herriman (Brucie), Beau Knapp (Wahoo), Emory Cohen (Cockroach), Karl Glusman (Corky), Toby Wallace (The Kid), and Happy Anderson (Big Jack).
Packed with action, the new trailer puts the spotlight on the contrasting dynamic between Tom Hardy’s charismatic leader, Johnny, and Austin Butler’s reckless rider, Benny. The trailer opens with Johnny outlining his vision for a new motorcycle club, a haven for those who feel like they “don’t belong anywhere.” However, as the club’s activities become increasingly violent, Benny is caught between his loyalty to Johnny and his growing concern for the safety of his wife, Kathy. This internal struggle threatens to tear him apart and redefine the club’s future.
While unveiling the new trailer for ‘The Bikeriders‘ to a gathering of movie journalists and film critics at the Bike Shed, a downtown L.A. motorcycle club, writer-director Jeff Nichols, declared his long-standing fascination with Danny Lyons’ photographs, saying, “Twenty years ago, I picked up Danny Lyons’ book of photographs and I’ve been obsessed with them ever since. I tried the best I could to make a movie that would make people feel the way that I felt when I picked up that book. … They’re just the coolest fucking photos in the world. And that’s the kind of movie I want to make”. The Bikeriders hits theatres on June 21.
