Tom Hardy and Austin Butler's crime drama The Bikeriders finds new home after Disney drop

(Image credit: 20th Century Studios)

The Bikeriders has found a new home after reportedly being dropped by Disney and 20th Century Studios.

Per Deadline, Focus Features has acquired global distribution rights to the film in partnership with New Regency. Universal will handle distribution overseas. After being removed from Disney's release calendar and delayed indefinitely from a December 1, 2023 release date, the movie is now seemingly set to hit theaters in 2024.

The previous indefinite delay was at least partly due to the SAG-AFTRA actors' strike, as the studio was apparently concerned that the film wouldn't do well at the box office without promotion from its stars.

"This film exemplifies our commitment to collaborate with the industry’s best filmmakers and production partners, and we can’t wait to build upon its early success to draw audiences into this poignant film bolstered by powerful performances from an incredible cast," Focus Features Chairman Peter Kujawski said in a statement.

Directed by Jeff Nichols, Kathy (Jodie Comer) recounts the story of her marriage to wild biker Benny (Austin Butler) and how she tried, in the name of love, to navigate his violent nature and loyalty to gang leader Johnny (Tom Hardy). The central story is inspired by the 1968 photo-book of the same name, which features photographs and stories from the members of the Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club. The film currently holds an 85% Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Lauren Milici is a Senior Entertainment Writer for GamesRadar+ based in New York City. She previously reported on breaking news for The Independent's Indy100 and created TV and film listicles for Ranker. Her work has been published in Fandom, Nerdist, Paste Magazine, Vulture, PopSugar, Fangoria, and more.