A Road House remake is coming to Amazon Prime Video later this year, but there’s a lot more to it than just your average remake.
Besides a seemingly new plot and new location, the film has also been embroiled in drama in recent months, from casting choices to producers.
Here’s everything we know about the reboot of Road House and the drama involved in making the movie.
Why Are They Remaking Road House?
The reason why they decided to remake the 1989 cult classic remains unknown, but talks of the remake have been going on for nearly ten years.
In 2015, Variety reported that Ronda Rousey would be taking on the classic role of the bouncer, previously played by Patrick Swayze.
At the time, MGM was ready to start production in 2016, having already done other cult classic spinoffs, such as the Rocky spinoff Creed.
Rousey went as far as asking Swayze’s widow, Lisa Niemi, for her blessing to take over the iconic role, but Rousey never ended up in the role at all.
The project was eventually put on hold until November 2021, when it was revealed that Road House would return with a new cast that did not feature Ronda Rousey.
Road House, the Original Movie with Patrick Swayze
In the original Road House, Patrick Swayze plays the lead role of Dalton, a bouncer hired to take over security at the Double Deuce, a club in Jasper, Missouri.
The club is tormented by a rough crowd and the crime syndicate that has a hold on the town, and at the same time, Dalton is tormented by his past of killing a man in self-defense by ripping out his throat.
Dalton is continuously thwarted by crime boss Brad Wesley, who does everything in his power to stop the Double Deuce from functioning properly.
However, Dalton has his own connections and makes things work for the club the best way that he can.
The cult classic includes several martial arts scenes, which we would love to see in the remake, but we aren’t sure that the same techniques were used.
In the film, Wesley continues to terrorize the town and Dalton until the very end, when Dalton seeks revenge for the life of his friend and takes out Wesley’s henchmen.
However, Dalton doesn’t kill Wesley, deciding not to give in to his anger.
The townspeople, however, do end up killing Wesley, though no one will admit what happened when the police show up.
In the end, the Double Deuce is successful, and Dalton gets the girl, proving that even those with troubled pasts can make amends.
The Road House Remake has a New Plot
Not much is known about the plot of the Road House remake, but there are a few key differences.
One of the biggest differences is the location of the film. Rather than taking place in Missouri, this version of Road House takes place in the Florida Keys.
Another key difference is that Dalton is now a former UFC fighter, not just a bouncer.
There are some similarities in the plot, such as the fact that Dalton ends up working at a roadhouse where things are not as they seem.
This seems to be a modern take on the original story, given that nearly 40 years have passed since the release of the original Road House.
Along with the differences in the plot, there seems to be a much bigger cast in the remake.
Road House Remake Cast
Jake Gyllenhaal is taking on the role of Dalton in the remake of Road House, and he is joined by several other cast members.
Notably, UFC champion Conor McGregor will be in the movie as well, though his specific character hasn’t been revealed. Deadline reports that he will not be playing himself but will be playing an original character.
There are several other people joining the cast of the movie, including Billy Magnussen, Daniela Melchior, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Lukas Gage, Hannah Love Lanier, Travis Van Winkle, B.K. Cannon, Arturo Castro, Dominique Columbus, Beau Knapp, and Bob Menery.
Road House Release Date
Road House’s world premiere is scheduled for March 8, 2024, at South by Southwest as the opening night film.
For everyone else, it is to be released by Amazon MGM Studios via Prime Video on March 21, 2024.
Will Road House Have a Theatrical Release, or is it Streaming Only?
Although the film will premiere at South by Southwest, this film will not be on the big screen.
Road House is set to stream on Amazon Prime, foregoing the release in theaters.
Who is Making Road House?
Road House was directed by Doug Liman, with the script by Anthony Bagarozzi and Charles Mondry.
Joel Silver produced for his company, Silver Pictures, until he parted ways with Amazon MGM.
JJ Hook, Alison Winter, and Aaron Auch served as executive producers.
Where did Road House film?
Although the film is set in the Florida Keys, that’s not where it was filmed.
In fact, it wasn’t filmed in Florida at all.
The movie was filmed in the Dominican Republic, with a handful of scenes filmed in Las Vegas.
Road House 2024 Drama: A Look at the Controversy
Despite the fact that Road House is expected to be one of Prime Video’s most-watched films this year, there was a lot of drama behind the scenes of the movie.
One of the biggest points of contention is the fact that the movie won’t be released in theaters; it will only be available on Prime Video.
Initially, MGM planned to have a theatrical release of the movie as they hadn’t gone into streaming territory at the time. However, when Amazon acquired MGM in March 2022, that changed.
After the film was nearly lost but salvaged by Amazon, the crew was given a choice to make the film for $60 million and get a theatrical release or to take $85 million and do streaming only.
“They all took the money,” one source revealed to Variety.
In August 2022, Amazon released a press release that erased any question about the film’s distribution plans. Road House was named an Amazon Prime Video movie, with Liman and Silver both signing off on the release.
At the time, Liman gushed, “I’m thrilled to put my own spin on the beloved Road House legacy,” and Silver noted that he was “so excited to bring this newly imagined version to audiences around the world.”
However, Silver continued to push for a theatrical release and argued so much that the studio threatened to cut ties with him. Ari Emmanuel, CEO of WME parent Endeavor, lobbied on Silver’s side, begging for SIlver not to be fired.
Apparently, Emmanuel hired a private investigator to help Silver keep his job, but Silver was booted in late 2023 due to verbal abuse of several staffers, including Amazon Studios and MGM Marketing head Sue Kroll and Amazon film head Courtenay Valenti.
However, it was noted that SIlver parted ways amicably and that he was not fired, just that there were “disagreements with creative concerns.”
Similarly, there were concerns when it was announced that McGregor was joining the cast, as he was facing multiple sexual assault and violence against women allegations at the time.
Finally, as things were dying down and getting back to normal, Liman came out with an open letter on January 24, noting that he would boycott the film and making claims that “Amazon has no interest in supporting cinemas.”
The drama and the open letter didn’t sit right with many people, as one person involved shared, “It’s so disrespectful to everyone who worked hard on it. It’s a great big fun streaming movie.”
Watch the Road House Trailer
Despite the drama, Road House is coming to Amazon Prime Video in March, and it’s still anticipated to be a smash hit.
The trailer shows Gyllenhaal in his role as Dalton, a polite but dangerous man who can fight anyone and win despite the fact that he says there are no winners in a fight.
What do you think of the Road House reboot?
Will you be tuning in or boycotting it like Liman?
Let us know in the comments below.
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Devin Piel, an entertainment news writer from the Midwest with a passion for true crime and binge-streaming the latest Netflix series, is a staff writer for TV Fanatic. You can follow her on X.
