The Bikeriders Director Jeff Nichols Talks Working With Michael Shannon

Jeff Nichols explains why Michael Shannon doesn’t ride a motorcycle in The Bikeriders.

The Bikeriders is the latest film from Jeff Nichols who previously directed films such as Mud, Midnight Special, and Take Shelter. The upcoming movie is based on the photography book of the same name by Danny Lyon and follows a motorcycle club in the 1960s. The movie features a star-studded line-up of actors, including Michael Shannon, who has worked with Nichols on all of the director’s films. In the upcoming movie, Shannon plays Zipco, a member of The Vandals. ComicBook recently had the chance to chat with Nichols about The Bikeriders, and we asked about Shannon’s involvement in the project and pointed out that he never actually rides a motorcycle in the movie.

“So around 2012, I was stalking Danny Lyon’s website. It’s called Bleak Beauty, and one day these QuickTime files showed up and they were some of the original audio recordings, and one was of Zipco, and it sounded just like Michael Shannon,” Nichols shared. “Mike has a tricky voice, but he spent time growing up in Chicago, and if you’re lucky enough if you get to know him well enough, he’ll fall into the Chicago accent. And this guy, Zipco, sounded just like him. And I then find these incredible monologues in the book where he’s talking about Pinkos and he’s talking about the draft board, and it was like, ‘This is what we need. We need Michael Shannon sitting around giving these monologues.'” 

“When we made Midnight Special, which was a car chase movie, he didn’t have a driver’s license,” Nichols added. “And so we knew Mike wouldn’t be on a bike, but I had this thought way too late in the process. I was like, ‘Man, what if we could have gotten one of those tricycle choppers for him?’ But I had that thought too late. So no, Mike wasn’t allowed. He was barely allowed to lean on a bike, much less ride a bike.” 

You can watch our interview with Nichols at the top of the page.

What Is The Bikeriders About?

In addition to Hardy, The Bikeriders stars Austin Butler (Dune: Part Two), Jodie Comer (Killing Eve), Michael Shannon (Midnight Special), Mike Faist (Challengers), Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead), and Boyd Holbrook (Logan) as Cal. You can read the official synopsis below: 

“THE BIKERIDERS captures a rebellious time in America when the culture and people were changing. After a chance encounter at a local bar, strong-willed Kathy (Jodie Comer) is inextricably drawn to Benny (Austin Butler), the newest member of Midwestern motorcycle club, the Vandals led by the enigmatic Johnny (Tom Hardy). Much like the country around it, the club begins to evolve, transforming from a gathering place for local outsiders into a dangerous underworld of violence, forcing Benny to choose between Kathy and his loyalty to the club.”

The Bikeriders is heading to theaters on June 21.