New film 'The Bikeriders' shows motorcycle club, outcasts who evolve into organized crime syndicate

HOLLYWOOD (KABC) -- "The Bikeriders" is hoping to rev things up at box office. Some big names head the cast of this R-rated crime drama. The film is fiction but it's inspired by a photo book from 1967 that depicts the lives of a real Illinois motorcycle club.

It all started with some outcasts creating a surrogate family but over the years, it evolves into an organized crime syndicate far away from the club's original vision.

"And sometimes joining a group can give you a great identity, can be a really positive thing," said filmmaker Jeff Nichols. "Can also be a very negative thing. This movie is a little bit of both of those."

Tom Hardy plays the guy who runs this club.

"They use bikes as a conduit to freedom or feeling free. Then, later, slowly become something with rules and a structure that becomes much darker. He has to encapsulate heroic, wretched and pathetic--and some element of darkness, too," Hardy said.

Austin Butler and Jodie Comer play the leads here, which meant the British actress had to find her midwestern voice.

"I was so taken aback when I heard her speak for the first time and how much of an incredible storyteller she was but also just how interesting in her, kind of, inflections and stresses were," said Comer. "And started working with a dialect coach was, like, this is not a, you know, general Chicago, like, there's so many contradictions within this!"

"I love the story. I love the script. I love Jeff Nichols and every actor involved and--and I really wanted to ride a motorcycle," said Butler.

So, did he take any falls on that bike? Only once.

"I landed on my feet," Butler said.

"The Bikeriders" is rated R and is in theaters now.