Disney Removes The Bikeriders From Its Release Date

A month and a half before its planned release date, Disney is now delaying The Bikeriders. On Tuesday, it was announced that The Bikeriders will no longer be have its wide release in theaters on Friday, December 1st. For the time being, The Bikeriders now does not have a release date. This seems to be a result of both the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, which would prevent the ensemble cast from promoting the film, and the already-planned December 1st release date of Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé.

Despite this change, The Bikeriders already had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival, as well as a screening for Academy members. The film is directed by Jeff Nichols, and is based on the photography book of the same name by Danny Lyon.

What Is The Bikeriders About?

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 (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 ensemble cast of The Bikeriders includes Austin Butler as Benny, Jodie Comer as Kathy, Tom Hardy as Johnny, Michael Shannon as Zipco, Mike Faist as Danny Lyon, Norman Reedus as Funny Sonny, and Boyd Holbrook as Cal.

What Are Austin Butler's Upcoming Movies?

In addition to The Bikeriders, Butler is set to appear as Feyd-Rautha Harkonnen in Dune: Part Two, which has been delayed into spring of 2024.

"[We] really try to dig into the humanity of [the character]. It's that thing of the bad guy in the world doesn't feel like he's the bad guy," Butler explained in an interview last year. "He feels like he's the hero of his own story. And that can be a hard thing with certain characters; with others, it's easier, but you have to not judge the character, and you have to find a way to feel the motivation towards anyone of your actions. So, we had a lot of conversations and crafted that together."

"Denis is so thoughtful, he doesn't miss anything, and his attention to detail is remarkable," he said. "Denis is amazing; he's such an incredible director. The energy on his sets is amazing, everyone trusts him so much, and it's such a well-oiled machine, and he's a master of the craft."

What do you think of The Bikeriders no longer having a release date? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!