Did you know this famous actor from The Walking Dead in The Bikeriders with Austin Butler and Tom Hardy?

What is it about? At a bar in town, Katie, a young woman with a strong temper, meets Benny, who has just joined the Vandal biker gang, and immediately falls under his spell. Like the whole country, the gang, led by the mysterious John, gradually develops…

While the bikers welcomed anyone who had trouble finding a place in society, the Vandals became a group of shameless thugs. Ben will then have to choose between his loyalty to Katie and the gang.

Original true story

The Bikeriders is inspired by a photo book of the same name, published in 1967 by Danny Lyon (played by Mike Feist), which was given to Jeff Nichols by his brother a few years ago. The director explains what interested him in these photos: “I have always tried to address universal themes in my films. Because if the story we’re telling has universal resonance, then it’s possible to make a very personal film that feels like it belongs to a very specific region and era. Unique and yet resonating with a wide and varied audience.

“He’s talking about American and masculine identity, but if we only judge it in those terms, we miss the larger picture. We’re all trying to form an identity for ourselves. I believe that’s one of the most powerful forces moving in our society. Today, people no longer define ourselves only through their work or the university where they study in our search for identity, we often turn to communities.

Note that in order to devote himself to Bikeriders, Jeff Nichols left the prequel Silently to be directed (it was taken over by Michael Sarnoski, to whom we owe The Strange Pig). The director also drew on two films to prepare The Bikeriders: Wild Team with Marlon Brando, the starting point for the Johnny character, and of course Dennis Hopper’s Easy Rider.

Survivor of “The Walking Dead”.

Norman Reedus, best known for his character Daryl in The Walking Dead, plays a biker from a different group, with an awesome look to say the least. He recalled during an ITW interview with Numéro Magazine: “I read the script and said to Jeff’There are too many good-looking guys in this movie. It’s just leather and tobacco and that’s all. Can I try something?” So I play the funny Sonny, a slightly crazy character with bad teeth, a wig and a big, itchy head!

Motorcycle in the blood

Austin Butler grew up in a biker environment, as his father and grandfather were riders before him. When his grandparents moved from California to Arizona, he and his father used to ride motorcycles and go to visit them all day, as the actor confides: “When I was 16, my dad thought it was time I learned to ride one of these machines, so he just asked me to ride a motorcycle in the parking lot.”

“I didn’t stop training with Jeff after I auditioned for the role of Ben. And when I was filming Elvis in Australia, I met a guy who restored old Harleys and I rode with him. “It was my first ride and an old bike helped me prepare.”

During filming, the actor and the director regularly went on two wheels together.

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Chicago reproduction

The Bikeriders is set in Chicago. However, the film was shot in and around Cincinnati. It’s a Midwestern city that produced both urban and rural settings, as well as neighborhoods reminiscent of 1960s Chicago that no longer exist in today’s city.

Collector Stuntman

Car stuntman Jeff Milburn shared his passion for motorcycles with the film crew and also made his collection of retro cars available, which was definitely not in his contract: “I own a lot of retro cars myself, as do a few of my friends, so we decided to round up a few bikes that I knew were available and show Jeff.”

Therefore, the stunt director and director jointly selected 45 vintage motorcycles that appear in the film. Milburn also recalls this anecdote: “Back in the ’80s, I used to ride a particular motorcycle to work: this is the one Carl Glusman uses, and he worked hard to deserve to ride it. He’s crazy, and I love it. I love it!”