The 1969 film Easy Rider has been considered a true cinematic classic for decades now. As such, it looks like a reboot of Easy Rider is now in the works. Although the project is in the early stages of development, which means they’re still looking for a writer and director, the rightsholders already have their vision in mind.
As noted by Variety, the adaptation rights to Easy Rider are held by “a consortium of stakeholders and producers.” This includes Maurice Fadida’s Kodiak Pictures, Defiant Studios’ Eric B. Fleischman, and the Jean Boulle Group. Now they’ve come together to create the aforementioned reboot, which Variety states they wish “to update the project for modern times with the same fringe spirit” as the original film. Additionally, they add that the way Creed relates to the Rocky films as a comparison for what they hope to achieve.
Maurice Fadida also shared a statement to emphasize their goal with the reboot. As he puts it, they want “to build upon the counterculture and freedom narrative the original left us with,” and furthermore, to “give the youth of today a film that pays serious attention to their own countercultures and challenges.” He also added the following note to explain how they hope to assist in a modern cultural shift:
“What the young viewers of today are experiencing in their everyday lives may seem crazy to older generations, but it can very well become the societal norm, as was the case with the cultural shift of the late 1960s. We are hoping to play a part in that shift.”
In terms of counterculture, Easy Rider is certainly remembered as the peak for that movement cinematically. The film is said to have grossed $60 million at the worldwide box office with only a reported $400,000 budget. It helped boost the career of actor Jack Nicholson in addition to stars Peter Fonda and Dennis Hopper. In fact, Hopper directed the film, and it shows how much talent he had behind the camera as well as in front.
Hopefully, then, we’ll have some promising updates regarding the talent that will be attached to this upcoming Easy Rider reboot. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for additional updates as we have them.