"Road House 2": Guy Ritchie To Direct As Jake Gyllenhaal Returns

Dan Lalonde
Apr 4
2 min read

Updated: Apr 5

If your like me and waited years on pins and needles for Conor McGregor to make his cinematic debut in Road House you were probably left wondering why he didn't win the MTV Movie Award for Best Actor on Drugs and Red Bull.

Guy Ritchie is officially stepping into the ring for Road House 2, taking over directing duties from Doug Liman after the original film's controversial streaming-only release. Jake Gyllenhaal will return as the gritty yet charming bouncer, with screenwriter Will Beall (known for Aquaman and Gangster Squad) penning the sequel’s script. No word yet on McGregor who was seen at the end of the movie walking out of the hospital.

The first Road House reboot proved to be a streaming juggernaut for Amazon MGM Studios, drawing nearly 100 million viewers globally and becoming the platform’s most-watched produced film debut. Despite its success, the film's rollout wasn’t without conflict. Original director Doug Liman publicly criticized Amazon’s decision to skip theaters, stating the film was made for the big screen. His grievances culminated in a fiery op-ed, but Amazon stood by the data: Road House was a perfect fit for the living room.

Enter Ritchie—a director with an unmistakable style and a work ethic that borders on relentless. He’s helmed five films in the last four years, and 2025 looks to be another packed year for him, with Fountain of Youth, Wife & Dog, and In the Grey all possibly dropping, not to mention his new Paramount+ series, Mobland.

With Ritchie’s knack for stylized action and sharp banter, Road House 2 is poised to double down on the first film’s mix of brawn and bravado. Gyllenhaal's portrayal of Dalton, a washed-up UFC fighter turned barroom enforcer, was knowingly over-the-top and magnetic. And who could forget McGregor's unhinged villain, Knox, who seemed to revel in every absurd moment?

While the first film was labeled “low-IQ filmmaking” by some critics, audiences embraced it as big, dumb, fun—the kind of movie you enjoy with a beer in hand and expectations lowered. With Ritchie steering the sequel, fans can likely expect a slicker, snappier ride.