Austin Butler and Jodie Comer, who will wave the green flag to start the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge, are starring in the upcoming film “The Bikeriders.”
Pair To Play Lead in Next Focus Features Film “The Bikeriders”
At the 108th Running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 26 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Austin Butler and Jodie Comer—stars of the upcoming movie “The Bikeriders”—will wave the green flag as honorary starters.
“Jodie and Austin appear in a two-wheeled movie, but they’re about to experience the thrill of thirty-three of the quickest four-wheeled cars when they stand atop the flag stand and wave the green flag to officially start the world’s greatest race,” said J. Douglas Boles, President of IMS. “In all of sports, this is one of the most powerful and thrilling moments.”
“The Bikeriders,” a fictional Midwestern motorcycle club based on Danny Lyon’s book of the same name, is directed and written by Jeff Nichols. It depicts a revolutionary period in American history when people and culture were changing. Strong-willed Kathy (Comer) is captivated to Benny (Butler), the newest member of the Midwest motorcycle club the Vandals, which is commanded by the mysterious Johnny (Tom Hardy), after they meet by chance at a neighborhood pub. Like the surrounding country, the club starts to change as it goes from being a meeting spot for outsiders from the area to a violent underworld, forcing Benny to decide between his allegiance to the club and Kathy.
On June 21, 2024, Focus Features is scheduled to premiere “The Bikeriders” in theaters around the country.
One of the most in-demand actors in the business right now, Butler is nominated for an Academy Award. His extensive list of acting credentials attests to his rich and varied spectrum of believable characters. Austin’s most well-known performance was in the much sought-after part of Elvis Presley in the Baz Luhrmann movie “Elvis.” Launched by Warner Bros. on June 23, 2022, the movie brought in over $280 million at the box office globally, placing it in the top three highest-grossing musician biopics of all time. Butler was nominated for an Academy Award and a SAG Award, and he also won a BAFTA and a Golden Globe for his portrayal.
Butler was most recently featured in Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two” in March 2024, when she starred with an all-star cast that included Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Timothee Chalamet, Florence Pugh, and Christopher Walken. Butler also played the threatening Feyd-Rautha. Together with Barry Keoghan and Callum Turner, he can also be featured in the January 2024 Apple TV+ series “Masters of the Air.” Butler debuted on Broadway in “The Iceman Cometh” in the spring of 2018, costarring with Denzel Washington. The production received eight Tony Award nominations.
Comer is a British actress most known for playing “Villanelle” in the cult hit series “Killing Eve” on BBC America. The BAFTA Award for “Best Leading Actress” and the Emmy Award for “Lead Actress in a Drama Series” were both given to Comer in 2019. During the course of the show’s run, she was also nominated twice more for a Screen Actors Guild Award, a BAFTA Award, a Critics Choice Award, and an Emmy.
In Suzie Miller’s “Prima Facie,” Comer most recently debuted on Broadway at the John Golden Theatre and on the West End at the Harold Pinter Theatre. Through her portrayal, Comer won both the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Play and the 2023 Tony Award for Best portrayal by a Leading Actress in a Play. In addition, Comer’s performance earned her awards from Theatre World, the Drama Desk, and the Outer Critics Circle. In addition, she received a Drama League Award nomination.
At 11 a.m. ET, NBC, Universo, Peacock, and the INDYCAR Radio Network will begin airing live coverage of the Gainbridge-sponsored Indianapolis 500.
For additional details on the entire Month of May calendar at IMS and to get tickets for the 108th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 26, visit ims.com.