The Road House remake has been making many headlines in recent weeks due to a lot going on behind the scenes, making it one of the more talked about films on the 2024 release schedule. Things have gotten so crazy that the movie itself has been largely overshadowed. But as we approach the film’s World Premiere (prior to it becoming available with an Amazon Prime subscription), Jake Gyllenhaal is thinking a lot about the original film's star, hoping he would have liked the movie they made.
Patrick Swayze starred in the original Road House back in 1989, the movie would go on to become a cult classic. He would then co-star with Jake Gyllenhaal in another cult classic, Donnie Darko, in 2001. Darko was one of Jake Gyllenhaal’s early starring roles, and in a post on Instagram, he says Swayze was very supportive of him when he was starting, which he has always appreciated. Gyllenhaal wrote….
I’ve been thinking back about my time working with Patrick on Donnie Darko, and rewatching this great man in the original Road House plus so many other films. I’ve never stopped being a fan. He was such a talent and I continue to have so much respect and admiration for what he put out and into the world. I’ll never forget his kindness to me when I was starting out— he didn’t have to take the time, but he always did. We’ve made a different RH this time around, but hoping it’s one he would’ve had fun watching!
The Road House remake details reveal some key changes to the story, Gyllenhaal's character is a former MMA fighter before he becomes a bouncer. The location of the bar he works in has been moved from Missouri to Florida. The core story about a bouncer who runs afoul of the local criminal enterprise does seem to be intact.
Road House will see its world premiere at the SXSW Festival this week, the only theatrical exhibition the film will see. A great deal has been made of the release plans of the movie. Director Doug Liman will not be in attendance at the premiere, as he has published an open letter explaining that he is protesting Amazon’s decision not to give the new Road House a theatrical release, a move that has led to its own controversy as some have suggested Liman is being disrespectful by airing these issues publicly. Amazon is also being sued over the film by the writer of the original.
One certainly hopes the new Road House will live up to the original. One can imagine that if Patrick Swayze were still with us he would have had a small role, or at least a cameo, in the remake. If the fans who loved the original appreciate the remake, there’s a good chance Swayze himself would. We’ll find out how those fans feel when the Road House release date arrives on March 21.
