The Bikeriders becomes a hit on streaming after a disappointing run at the box office. Directed by Jeff Nichols and based on Danny Lyon’s photo book of the same name, The Bikeriders stars Austin Butler as Benny, a young biker who finds himself torn between his loyalty to his new club, the Vandals, and Kathy (Jodie Comer), his girlfriend. The film, which stars Tom Hardy as Johnny, the violent leader of the Vandals, was released earlier this year and grossed only $35.8 million worldwide.
New data from Reelgood reveals that The Bikeriders ranks as the tenth most popular movie on streaming for the week of August 22 – 28. The film, which is available to stream on Peacock, falls behind titles like Incoming (2024), Alien (1979), and The Killer (2024). Check out the full top 10 chart below:
The Bikeriders’ Streaming Success Explained
Why The Tom Hardy Movie Disappointed In Theaters
Made on an estimated budget of $40 million, The Bikeriders failed to break even in theaters despite positive reviews and an impressive cast. The film currently enjoys a respectable 80% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 75% Popcornmeter score (formerly called the audience score). A major reason for the film’s underperformance is its budget, as mid-budget movies that lack the spectacle of big-budget blockbuster fare can be a harder sell in theaters these days. The film’s biker gang subject matter and historical setting probably also gave the project more niche appeal.
Using the standard Hollywood rule of thumb,
The Bikeriders
was likely looking at a break-even point of roughly $80 million to $100 million.
That being said, Butler, Hardy, and Comer are evidently enough to draw audiences on streaming. Hardy has been a reliable talent for years now, and, in addition to playing Venom, he’s made a name for himself in the mid-budget thriller space in which he often plays unique, highly flawed characters. Butler, too, is very much a star on the rise as he recently starred as Feyd-Rautha in Dune: Part Two, which was critically acclaimed, as well as Apple TV+’s 2024 miniseries, Masters of the Air.
Though The Bikeriders‘ reviews and cast may not have been enough to drive the film to success in theaters, these two factors can evidently be powerful benefits on streaming. Audiences these days are more picky about what movies are worth seeing in theaters, often turning to big-budget blockbuster fare, but the streaming landscape means that movies like Nichols’ 2024 crime thriller can still find success in the months and years after their releases. While The Bikeriders may have struggled in theaters, it’s clear that the film is now finding its audience.
Source: Reelgood