The Movie Was First Named “The Loners”
This movie took a while to write, film, and then edit. But one interesting fact about the writing process is that it didn’t start with the name “Easy Rider.” Peter Fonda had the idea for a modern Western film with a twist. Two bikers would travel around the country searching for the ultimate meaning of freedom, and they would call it “The Loners.” This name didn’t stick, though.
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After bringing in Terry Southern to help with the screenwriting, he came up with the name “Easy Rider.” I can see why The Loners would have been a great title as the two hippies who represented the counterculture did seem pretty lonely traveling around the South. However, Easy Rider does seem more fitting for this modern Western film with a twist.