After an agonizingly long hiatus from directing feature films, acclaimed filmmaker Jeff Nichols will finally return to the world of cinema with his latest film, The Bikeriders.

This may sound like hyperbole, but we mean it when we say that Jeff Nichols really has not made a bad movie. The director exploded onto the scene with his feature debut, Shotgun Stories, chronicling a deadly feud between two families in Arkansas. Nichols delivered a superb sophomore effort with Take Shelter, once again teaming the filmmaker up with actor Michael Shannon to tell the story of a man receiving prophetic visions of the apocalypse. The acclaimed filmmaker then hit a hat trick with Mud - a rural coming-of-age film so good that it boasted a perfect score on Rotten Tomatoes for quite some time. Midnight Special is another winner, being a compelling father-son story and a thrilling sci-fi adventure.

Jeff Nichols' last film was Loving, the critical darling and Oscar-nominated hit that told the true story of an interracial couple's struggles in 1960s Virginia. Nichols boasts a remarkable track record that even the most legendary filmmakers have struggled to achieve, with each and every one of his five feature films being bona fide marvels. However, it's clear that the filmmaker also prefers quality to quantity. Loving was released in 2016, and Nichols has not directed or written a film since then, instead focusing directed the music video for Lucero's "Long Way Back Home" and the podcast series Hank the Cowdog.

Thankfully, we won't have to wait much longer for Nichols to return, as his star-studded return to the genre, The Bikeriders, is just around the corner. To find out more about the upcoming film's cast, crew, and release date, here is everything we know about The Bikeriders.

Editor's Note: This piece was updated on March 4, 2024.

Does 'The Bikeriders' Have a Release Date?

Shortly after acquiring the film, Focus Features announced that the film would be released on Friday, June 21, 2024, over six months after its original release date. The movie will open up against Justin Baldoni's adaptation of It Ends With Us starring Blake Lively.

20th Century Studios previously had The Bikeriders scheduled to release on December 1, 2023. However, the film was been delayed, with Disney and 20th Century Studios taking the film off of their release schedule.

In November 2023, it was reported that Disney and 20th Century Studios would be dropping the film, with New Regency shopping the film around to other studios and streamers. A large reason for this shift was because of the financial failure of 20th Century Studios and New Regency's last collaboration, The Creator. Several days later, it was reported that Focus Features had picked up the film, having previously worked with New Regency on Robert Egger's The Northman.

The film had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on September 2, 2023, alongside other highly anticipated titles such as Alexander Payne's The Holdovers and Emerald Fennell's Saltburn. The film also screened at the London Film Festival, but Collider's Emma Kiely was left unimpressed by the film saying in her review:

"The Bikeriders could have been decent but it gets lost in its pursuit of an epic story that just isn’t there. While Comer makes a committed effort to carry the film, it falls flat in its excessive filler, undeveloped characters, and symphony of bonkers accents."

Will 'The Bikeriders' Be in Theaters?

Yes, while New Regency did shop the film to streamers as well as studios, the fact that The Bikeriders has landed at Focus Features means that it will be receiving a theatrical release. The film will eventually be made available on the Peacock streaming service.

Is There a Trailer for 'The Bikeriders'?

20th Century Studios released the official trailer for The Bikeriders was released on September 6, 2023, giving audiences their first real good look at the film. Focus Features released their version of The Bikeriders trailer on December 18, although not much changed from the original 20th Century Studio version of the trailer.

Focus Features released the second trailer for The Bikeriders on February 29, 2024.

Who Stars in 'The Bikeriders'?

Jeff Nichols is no stranger to working with big stars, but the cast of The Bikeriders may be the most impressive cast ever assembled or one of his films. For starters, fans of Nichols' filmography will not be surprised to learn that the director will once again be working with Michael Shannon, who will be playing the role of Zipco. Shannon has worked with Nichols on every feature film he's made, making this their sixth collaboration.

Also attached to the cast is Venom franchise star Tom Hardy as Johnny, the leader of the biker gang known as Vandals MC. Dune: Part Two star and Academy Award nominee Austin Butler, will play the role of Benny, a new member of the Vandals MC. Emmy-winning Killing Eve star Jodie Comer is also on board as Benny's girlfriend Kathy, continuing her impressive feature film streak after Free Guy and The Last Duel.

Finally, also attached to the cast of motorcycling protagonists are Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny star Boyd Holbrook and The Walking Dead fan favorite Norman Reedus as Cal and Funny Sunny. Also on the cast list is Mike Faist (West Side Story) as Danny Lyon, Damon Herriman (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) as Brucie, Toby Wallace (Finestkind) as The Kid, Emory Cohen (Brooklyn) as Cockroach, Beau Knapp (The Nice Guys) as Wahoo, Karl Glusman (The Idol) as Corky, and Happy Anderson (Bad Boys for Life) as Big Jack.

What Is 'The Bikeriders' About?

The upcoming film is based on the journalistic photography book of the same name by Danny Lyon. Lyon's novel is often credited as one of the best documentations of the biker culture of the 1960s, even predating one of the most famous feature films about the subject, Easy Rider.

The official plot synopsis via Focus Features reads:

The Bikeriders follows the rise of a midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals. Seen through the lives of its members, 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.

Who Is Making 'The Bikeriders'?

As mentioned, Jeff Nichols, the director of Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter, Mud, Midnight Special, and Loving, will be making his long-awaited return to filmmaking with The Bikeriders. Nichols will also be writing the film which is based on Daniel Lyon's book. The upcoming film also features editing by Julie Monroe (Only Murders in the Building), production design by Chad Keith (Scream), and costume design by Erin Benach (Birds of Prey). Adam Stone, who collaborated with Nichols on his past five films, will once again reunite with the filmmaker as the cinematographer.

Per a social media post from one of the film's crew members, The Bikeriders officially wrapped filming in December 2022.

Are Jeff Nichols' Previous Films Available to Stream Online?

Unfortunately, Nichols' feature film debut, Shotgun Stories is not currently available to stream online nor is it available to rent, so it's a fairly tough film to find. His four other films, however, are available online, and you can find out where by clicking the links below:

• Watch Take Shelter on Prime Video
• Stream Mud on Max
• Rent Midnight Special on Prime Video
• Rent Loving on Prime Video