New Regency Looking for New ‘The Bikeriders’ Distributor

Jeff Nichols’ “The Bikeriders” is now looking for a new home.

The 1960s motorcycle gang crime drama from producer and financier New Regency was meant to be distributed through Disney/20th Century Studios but is now being shopped by New Regency to other studios and streamers, IndieWire can confirm. The film was originally planned to be released December 1 following a Telluride premiere but was postponed and taken off the calendar back in October because actors were unable to promote the film during the now-concluded SAG-AFTRA strike.

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New Regency still believes in the movie and isn’t dumping it altogether, but having fully financed and produced, they’re carrying the full financial burden of it and want it to succeed. An individual with knowledge tells IndieWire that New Regency is being strategic and is hoping for a different release date or platform to serve it better.

A source also says that 20th Century/Disney was not prepared to offer the adult-skewing film the proper awards push that the filmmakers and New Regency believe “The Bikeriders” merits. Writer/director Nichols’ ensemble drama would be better supported at Disney-owned Searchlight for an awards campaign and fall release, but New Regency’s production deal terms may prevent such an in-house gearshift.

20th Century earlier this year released New Regency’s sci-fi “The Creator,” which struggled at the box office and made only $103.9 million worldwide on a budget of $80 million.

“The Bikeriders” stars Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Boyd Holbrook, and Norman Reedus. Reviews have been mixed but solid since its Colorado festival debut. The film’s planned December 1 release also fell on the same weekend when “Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé” will now occupy AMC venues globally.

A report by Jeff Sneider first shared the news on November 20.

Anne Thompson contributed reporting.

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