The release date for Jeff Nichols’ The Bikeriders has been delayed indefinitely.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, New Regency and 20th Century Studios have decided to delay the release date for Nichols’ The Bikeriders because of the ongoing Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike. Originally scheduled to release in United States theaters on December 1, 2023, the movie now currently has no release date.
Per the strike’s rules, actors aren’t allowed to do any publicity or prohibition for upcoming films (unless they receive a special waiver for SAG-AFTRA), which is why the film’s release date was pulled. The strike, which began in July 2023, sees actors lobby for fair pay, protection against artificial intelligence, and more.
SAG-AFTRA and The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP) met last week to negotiate the potential end of the actors strike; however, the talks were abruptly suspended with no deal in place. SAG-AFTRA later issued a statement accusing AMPTP of using “bully tactics” to end the strike.
While The Bikeriders currently has no release date, the studio’s intention is to still qualify the movie for the 2023 awards race, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film previously premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in August.
What is The Bikeriders about?
“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,” the official synopsis reads.
Inspired by Danny Lyon’s photography book of the same name that was published in 1967, The Bikeriders is written and directed by Nichols. It stars Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Norman Reedus, Michael Shannon, Boyd Holbrook, Mike Faist, Damon Herriman, and Beau Knapp.
