Ilya Naishuller in Talks to Direct ‘Road House 2’

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Preview:

‘Nobody’ and ‘Heads of State’ director Ilya Naishuller is in talks for ‘Road House 2’.
Guy Ritchie had the job but has since departed the sequel.
Jake Gyllenhaal is still aboard to star.

In April, it looked like Jake Gyllenhaal and Guy Ritchie were all set to keep their collaboration train chugging along as news landed that the director had signed on to handle ‘Road House 2,’ which would see Gyllenhaal back as MMA fighter-turned-bar security pugilist Dalton.

But it hasn’t quite worked out that way, with Ritchie departing the project for unknown reasons –– though his busy schedule of other movies and various TV series could well be to blame.

Never mind, though, since, per Deadline, Amazon MGM is close to locking down a replacement, in the shape of Ilya Naishuller.

The filmmaker behind 2021’s Bob Odenkirk-starring ‘Nobody’, Naishuller recently made action comedy ‘Heads of State’ for the studio.

Related Article: Dave Bautista May Clash With Jake Gyllenhaal in the ‘Road House’ Sequel

What’s the story of ‘Road House’?

(L to R) Lukas Gage and Jake Gyllenhaal star in ‘Road House.’ Photo: Laura Radford. Copyright: © Amazon Content Services LLC.

The 1989 original, directed by Rowdy Herrington, starred Patrick Swayze in the story of a roadside dive called The Double Deuce, a sleazy music joint in the small town of Jasper, Missouri, “the kind of place where they sweep up the eyeballs after closing”.

The owner, tired of his place being wrecked by muscle-bound “power drinkers” and provocative bimbos, hires the best bouncer in the business (Swayze’s Dalton) to cool things down. Famously, he starts off charming but doesn’t hesitate to take extreme throat-ripping measures when pushed to his limit.

For the 2024 re-invention, Gyllenhaal took on the slightly adjusted role of Dalton, this time a former UFC fighter looking to find new meaning in his life who finds work as a bouncer at a property owned by Frankie (Jessica Williams).

Directing that one was Doug Liman, and behind-the-scenes drama, as producer Joel Silver was removed for aggressive behavior, Liman denounced the plan to release the movie direct to streaming (he’s since made peace with the idea) and a lawsuit from the writer of the original that claimed the new movie was simply a grab at keeping the IP.

Still, the movie became a big hit for Amazon, drawing 2.3 million households between March 21st, which is when it was added to the Prime Video library, and March 24th.

And what of the sequel?

(L to R) Conor McGregor and Jake Gyllenhaal stars in ‘Roadhouse.’ Photo: Laura Radford © Amazon Content Services LLC.

At Amazon’s Upfront presentation last May –– where it promotes its upcoming movies and shows to advertisers to encourage them to purchase pricey spots on its service –– the company announced that a ‘Road House’ sequel was in the early stages of development.

Will Beall is at work on the script for the sequel, which is a mystery for now –– though a mid-credits scene in the 2024 movie showed Conor McGregor’s villain Knox wreaking havoc at a hospital and escaping unscathed, so presumably that rematch is something that could well be picked up for the new movie.

When will the ‘Road House’ sequel be on screens?

There is no information yet as to a release date for the new movie.

But perhaps the more interesting question is, where will the ‘Road House’ movie be on screens? Given the success of the 2024 outing, there’s a big chance that Amazon could decide that the best place for a follow-up is to premiere right alongside it on the Prime Video streaming service.