The sequel to Jake Gyllenhaal’s Prime Video hit action movieRoad Househas lost its director. The 2024 remake of the 1989 original movie of the same name stars Gyllenhaal as ex-UFC fighter Elwood Dalton, who takes a job as a bouncer at a roadhouse and fights to protect the local community and the bar.
Within the first two weekends of its release, the Doug Liman-directed movie attracted 50 million viewers andbroke Prime Video’s viewership record as the studio’s most-watched produced film debut. Its success has led tothe confirmation ofRoad House 2, with a script from Will Beall and Guy Ritchie at the helm. Gyllenhaal is expected to return as Dalton.
According toDeadline,Ritchie is no longer directing the plannedRoad House 2.At this time, it’s unclear why he left the project, which remains an important property for Amazon MGM Studios. Production is expected to start this fall. Casting will continue while the film searches for a new director.
Ritchie came on board amidLiman’s public feud with Amazon MGMover the film not getting a theatrical release. TheEdge of Tomorrowdirector boycotted the film’s premiere and called out the studio for not sticking to their initial agreement. The fallout also resulted inLiman not returning to direct the planned sequeldespite the 2024 action movie’s massive success.
No reason was given for theFountain of Youthdirector’s exit from the project. However, with casting underway and production aiming to kickstart this fall, this means thatthere’ll likely be an announcement about who will take over the project very soon. While Ritchie’s exit is a setback,Road House 2is still a priority at the studio.
Our Take On Guy Ritchie’s Exit
Details aboutRoad House 2’s plot are under tight wraps. So far, the movie hasn’t received an official release date. The 2006Road House 2revolves around an undercover DEA agent who went to extreme lengths to save his uncle’s bar from merciless drug runners, but with the upcoming sequel again featuring Gyllenhaal’s Dalton, it’s safe to say that the new Prime Video movie has little to do with the 2006 flick.
While Ritchie’s exit casts some uncertainty on the planned sequel, his departure isn’t necessarily negative. In fact,many iconic films changed directors mid-production. Danny Boyle was originally scheduled to directNo Time to Diebut exited the project alongside co-writer John Hodge, which led to Cary Joji Fukunaga filling the director’s chair.
Similarly, Steven Spielberg wasn’t the first choice to directJaws, which became a cultural touchstone. Hopefully, it won’t be long until the studio provides some updates onRoad House 2and sticks to the schedule even with this setback.
