The Bikeriders includes some special photos during the credits that bridge the movie and the true story. The 2024 film centers around the Vandals MC biker group in Chicago, and Benny (Austin Butler) figuring out how loyal he should be to Johnny (Tom Hardy) or Kathy (Jodie Comer). The evolution of the bikers plays out over the course of the film, building up to The Bikeriders‘ ending and the big decisions that Benny has to make.

Jeff Nichols’ adult drama is not meant to be the start of any new franchise revolving around Benny, as it is instead inspired by real-life events and individuals. By tackling The Bikeriders‘ true story in this manner, there is no expectation that a post-credits scene would be included that sets up the next chapter of Benny and Kathy’s lives together. There might not be a traditional mid-credits or after-credits scene, but The Bikeriders‘ credits do include some surprises. Instead of teasing another movie about the Vandals or Benny, the film ends by highlighting the true story that inspired the movie.

The Bikeriders’ Credits Include Danny Lydon’s Photos From The True Story

The Images Come From The 1968 Book

Anyone who watches The Bikeriders and sits through the credits is treated to seeing several photos of the real story. The movie is based on the book of the same name by Danny Lydon, which was first released in 1968. Lydon’s The Bikeriders includes stories about and photos of members of the Chicago Outlaws Motorcycle Club. This club and its members are the direct inspiration for the movie. The photos can be seen throughout The Bikeriders‘ credits and give viewers a glimpse at the true story and how closely, at times, the movie brings Danny Lydon’s images to life.

Ending The Bikeriders with Danny Lydon’s photos is a great touch on Jeff Nichols’ part to introduce audiences to the original works. The movie includes a role for Danny Lydon, as Mike Faist plays the photojournalist as he is working on interviewing the Vandals. Including some of Lydon’s actual photos is a better way for the movie to honor his work than simply including a line crediting him for the original book. Now, audiences can see some of the photos he took decades before the movie came out.

Which Photos Inspired Certain Scenes In The Bikeriders

The Movie Directly Recreates Several Of Lydon’s Photos

By showing Danny Lydon’s photos in the credits, The Bikeriders shows which scenes were directly inspired by his original work. This included recreating the photo on the cover of Lydon’s book in the movie. As for the photos in the credits, a few images of the woman Kathy is based on are direct inspirations for scenes in the film. One of these images shows the woman standing in the bathroom. Another image showed the people Benny and Kathy are based on in the bar where the characters meet and the Vandals use as their primary spot to meet up.

Another image in The Bikeriders‘ credits that is brought to life in the film is of Cockroach’s interview. The Vandals member is interviewed in front of his house at one point while his wife and child stay behind the fence before eventually walking away. The credits include Lydon’s photo of a real-life member of the Outlaws standing in front of his house with his wife and kid behind him. It is through these various scenes that The Bikeriders‘ credits become a reflection of how Nichols worked to recreate several of Lydon’s photos, adding to the film’s realism.

Danny Lydon’s The Bikeriders Book Includes More Photos The Movie Didn’t Show

There Are A Lot More Photos To See

The photos shown in The Bikeriders‘ credits are only a portion of what Danny Lydon captured and published in his book. These photos were taken from his years of being part of the Chicago Outlaws MC and interviewing different members. Lydon originally published the book in 1968 and included 48 photos from his time over the course of 94 pages. The Bikeriders was eventually republished with an expanded edition that added 29 new photos.

The few images included as part of The Bikeriders‘ post-credits photos only scratch the surface of what Lydon photographed. The book then works as a great expansion of what is shown in the credits for anyone wanting to see even more of the true story and real people. Seeing more of Lydon’s images and reading his interviews can even add more insight and depth to The Bikeriders. It makes the book a potential must-have for viewers who love the movie and want to see more of Danny Lydon’s photos or just have physical copies of them in book form.