Doug Liman’s upcoming “Road House” remake features some dramatic departures from its source material, moving the setting from Missouri to the Florida Keys and introducing a UFC-centric backstory for its bouncer protagonist. But no amount of creative changes could fully separate it from the legacy of original “Road House” star Patrick Swayze — something leading man Jake Gyllenhaal understands all too well.
In a post on his personal Instagram account on Sunday morning, Gyllenhaal paid tribute to Swayze and recalled their time working together on “Donnie Darko.” He recalled Swayze’s generosity as a mentor and expressed hope that the late actor would enjoy his new take on “Road House.”
“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,” Gyllenhaal wrote. “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 film is set to premiere as the opening night screening at SXSW this week, but its rollout has been shrouded in controversy. Original “Road House” screenwriter R. Lance Hill is suing Amazon for allegedly using AI to hurriedly finish the movie before the rights to the original film reverted back to him. And Liman has announced plans to boycott the premiere due to Amazon’s decision to forgo a theatrical run and immediately release the film on Prime Video.
Gyllenhaal recently defended Amazon over the decision, saying that he doesn’t feel the studio reneged on a deal because the film was always designed as a streaming release.
“I adore Doug’s tenacity, and I think he is advocating for filmmakers, and film in the cinema, and theatrical releases. But, I mean, Amazon was always clear that it was streaming,” Gyllenhaal told Total Film magazine. “I just want as many people to see it as possible. And I think we’re living in a world that’s changing in how we see and watch movies, and how they’re made. What’s clear to me, and what I loved so much, was [Liman’s] deep love for this movie, and his pride at how much he cares for it, how good he feels it is, and how much people should see it.”
