The word “reboot” is usually associated with major film franchises, but Variety uses it to announce a new version of Easy Rider , Dennis Hopper ‘s masterpiece that marked the imagination of an entire generation.
The rights are in the hands of a consortium of investors and producers, which includes Maurice Fadida of Kodiak Pictures , Eric B. Fleischman of Defiant Studios , and the Jean Boulle Group : they are the ones who want to make this reboot for the new generations.
Released in 1969, the original Easy Rider marked the beginning of New Hollywood, and became the symbol of rebellion against bourgeois conformism. Wyatt ‘s ( Peter Fonda ) and Billy ‘s ( Dennis Hopper ) motorcycle ride across the United States explored the changes within Western society, where countercultures proposed a very different world view from that of the “fathers”. It was the first great film of the post-1968 era, as well as the emblem of a new type of commercial success: a work that traveled on the roads of the real country, intercepting the desires, tendencies and tastes of young people.
Well, the producers are looking for “courageous writers and/or directors” to update Easy Rider to the contemporary era, with the same “radical spirit”. To illustrate, they cited the way Creed updated the Rocky franchise (although perhaps that’s a bit out of place as an example, since Easy Rider has a completely different cultural value and historical prestige).
Maurice Fadida’s statement
Fadida explained the intent of the reboot.
Our aim is to build on the counterculture and narrative freedom that the original left us, and give today’s youth a film that takes seriously their countercultures and challenges. What today’s young viewers are experiencing in their daily lives may seem crazy to the older generations, but it could become the [new] social norm, as happened with the cultural shift of the late 60s. We hope to play a role in that shift.
Easy Rider
Written by Dennis Hopper , Peter Fonda and Terry Southern , the film won the Best Debut Film award at the Cannes Film Festival. It was a huge commercial success: against a budget of 400,000 dollars, it earned 60 million worldwide.
We will keep you posted.