Short answers, pulled from the story.
The Hitcher was directed by Robert Harmon, making his feature directorial debut. Harmon was a still photographer and cameraman before taking on the project, which he envisioned as a Hitchcockian thriller rather than a slasher film.
Dutch actor Rutger Hauer plays John Ryder, the murderous hitchhiker. Hauer was cast after Terence Stamp, Sam Elliott, and others declined the role. Writer Eric Red told Hauer he had Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards in mind when writing the character.
The Hitcher grossed $5.8 million in North America against a $7.9 million budget, making it a commercial disappointment on release. It opened in 800 theaters on the 21st of February, 1986, earning $2.1 million in its first weekend.
Writer Eric Red got the idea from The Doors song "Riders on the Storm" while driving cross-country from New York City to Austin, Texas. He spent seven months in Austin driving a taxi cab before completing the script, which he sent to Hollywood producers in 1983.
Roger Ebert argued that the film's identification of the hero with the killer was hollow because the killer, John Ryder, had no backstory or motive. Gene Siskel also gave the film zero stars, calling it a more gruesome version of Steven Spielberg's Duel.
A 4K restoration supervised by director Robert Harmon was completed by British label Second Sight Films using original film elements held by Warner Bros. Pictures. The restored version was released in the UK on the 30th of September, 2024, and in North America on the 22nd of October, 2024.