Posted in: 20th Century Studios, Movies | Tagged: 20th century studios, Austin Butler, the bikeriders

The Bikeriders: Austin Butler Says 1960s Bike Riding Is "A Real Love"

The Bikeriders star Austin Butler says that learning how to ride a motorcycle, specifically 1960s-era bikes, has become "a real love" for him.

Another film making its festival debut this weekend is The Bikeriders, which was a film that has been on the books for a while but also felt like it came out of nowhere. This one premiered at the Telluride Film Festival, and the early reactions also sound very positive for this one. That's lovely for 20th Century Studios, who have felt like the black sheep of the Disney family for the last few years with so many of its releases heading to streaming. It's good to see this one have a horse in the race that isn't a giant blue alien. Star Austin Butler recently did an interview with Vanity Fair, and he was asked what was the "most rewarding new skill" he had recently picked up from a project. It was pretty obvious which movie he was talking about with his answer.

"Definitely riding a motorcycle," Butler said. "I'd ridden a bit, but I had the opportunity to get to ride all these 1960s Harleys that I'd never had at my disposal before. So that's a real love for sure."

When asked what he rides now, Butler said, "A 1966 Harley," which means absolutely nothing to me, but those of you in the comments who know about bikes, feel free to school me [kindly] if that is a flex. The interviewer said, "Talk about a way to experience a sensory landscape," and Butler replied, "For sure. We were in Cincinnati, and we were also filming without helmets on. The wind in your hair as you are riding is just extraordinary." That does sound amazing, but maybe put a helmet on when you're not filming a movie. I might be a stick in the mud.

The Bikeriders: Cast List, Summary, Release Date

From writer-director Jeff Nichols (Loving, Midnight Special, Mud), 20th Century Studios, and New Regency, The Bikeriders is a furious drama following the rise of a fictional 1960s Midwestern motorcycle club through the lives of its members, starring Jodie Comer (Killing Eve, The Last Duel), Austin Butler (Elvis) and Tom Hardy (Mad Max: Fury Road, The Revenant).

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 (Comer), a strong-willed member of the Vandals who's married to a wild, reckless bikerider named Benny (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 (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.

The cast, most of whom did their own riding on an array of period-correct bikes, also includes Michael Shannon (Bullet Train), Mike Faist (West Side Story), Boyd Holbrook (Logan), and Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead). Sarah Green, p.g.a., Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, p.g.a., and Arnon Milchan are the producers. Yariv Milchan, Michael Schaefer, Sam Hanson, David Kern, and Fred Berger are the executive producers. The Bikeriders opens in U.S. theaters on December 1st.

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