Walt Disney Pictures announced Friday that Jeff Nichols’ latest film, “The Bikeriders,” will debut in theaters in December under the 20th Century banner.
The film was previously announced as a period drama set in the 1960s and is inspired by Danny Lyon’s photography from his 1967 book from which the film derives its name. It follows the rise of a fictional, Midwestern motorcycle club. The club evolves over the course of a decade from a gathering place for local outsiders into a more sinister gang, threatening the original group’s unique way of life.
The film stars a bevy of A-list talent including Tom Hardy, Nichols alum Michael Shannon, Jodi Comer, Austin Butler, Norman Reedus and Body Holbrook.
Nichols is writing and directing the feature after a seven-year hiatus. His last feature was the Joel Edgerton/Ruth Negga-starring drama “Loving” in 2016. Nichols is also the director of “Midnight Special,” “Shotgun Stories,” “Take Shelter” and “Mud.” Sarah Green and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones are producing through Tri-State, the company they share with Nichols, alongside New Regency.
The film fills a vacancy initially listed for an untitled Disney movie. Despite questions of how the fall slate will look in a world where both WGA writers and SAG-AFTRA actors are on strike, Disney plopping this right in the middle of awards season is an interesting sign. “The Bikeriders” debuts a week after Disney’s major animated feature, “Wish,” and a week before the weirdly dual releases of the Emma Stone-starring “Poor Things” and the Jonathan Majors drama “Magazine Dreams.”
“The Bikeriders” hits theaters Dec. 1.
