ROAD HOUSE
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- Films
- Main cast and characters
- Additional production and crew details
- Reception
- Stage
- References
Road House (franchise)
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Road House | |
|---|---|
 Official franchise logo | |
| Based on | Road House by David Lee Henry |
| Starring | Patrick SwayzeJohnathon SchaechJake GyllenhaalVarious actors (See below) |
| Distributed by | United Artists (1)Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2)Amazon MGM Studios (3) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $100 million (2 films) |
The Road House franchise includes American action installments, including theatrical, straight-to-home video, musical stage, and streaming releases. Based on an original story written by David Lee Henry, the plot centers around main characters hired to enforce security at small-town bars, that despite being troubled by their own pasts must heroically devise protective measures for the community against the machinations of criminal syndicate organizations. Through the course of their actions the lead characters work to overthrow the crime, and create a better community for its citizens.
The franchise as a whole has received mixed response from critics, though it has been a success amongst its audience. Years after its original release, the original movie ultimately earned its status as a 1980s action-cult classic,[1][2][3][4][5] despite its initial mild critical reaction and meager box office performance.[6][7] Its sequel which released through home video media received a negative reception from critics who noted its inferiority to its predecessor,[8][9][10][11] while its monetary totals were not publicly made known.[6]
The 2024 streaming exclusive film was met with a mix of approval,[12][13][14] and disparaging remarks from critics.[15][16][17] The 2024 film resulted in controversy directed at the studio’s development of the project; though some of its reviews declare the remake as a superior improvement,[18][19] while others preferred the original.[16][17] Praise was given to its director, cast, action sequences, and reveration of its source material;[20][21][13][22] while criticism was directed at its script and its use of CGI special effects.[21][17] Analysts estimated that if the project debuted through movie theaters it could have earned a $50 million debut,[12][21] while Amazon has named it as its most in-house viewed movie release of all-time.[23]
Films
Road House (1989)
Main article: Road House (1989 film)
James Dalton, a mild-mannered and effective bouncer in New York, is regularly troubled by memories of a time where his actions of self-defense resulted in the death of his attacker. Despite his self-doubt, a businessman hires Dalton for a security job at a club called Double Deuce in Jasper, Missouri, which is known notoriously for its ill-natured clientele. In his new position, Dalton is determined to use his professional skills to help clean up the bar and provide a better environment for its recurring customers. In the process of completing his job, he finds himself in opposition with a wealthy crime lord named Brad Wesley whose business practices directly influence the corruption in town. Wesley orchestrates repeated strategic assaults on the community with intentions to close what he perceives as a rival club, and to have Dalton removed by any means necessary.
After beginning romantic relationship with Dr. Elizabeth Clay, the niece of Red Webster, the owner of the local auto parts store that was burned down by Brad Wesley’s henchmen, Dalton finds himself at a greater conflict with the crime as Wesley had intentions to court Elizabeth. When an aggressive assassin named Jimmy Reno is sent to end his life, Dalton once again uses his fight training in self defense and kills the assailant. Dalton continues his pursuits and determines that in order to end all corruption in the surrounding area, he must defeat the criminal organization with some help of friends new and old, but is ultimately faced with the difficult decision of whether he allows Wesley to survive.[24][25][26]
Road House 2 (2006)
Main article: Road House 2 (2006 film)
Shane Tanner is known to those around him as the son of the successful and legendary, yet deceased security specialist James Dalton. Once a state trooper, Tanner advanced through his career and now works as a D.E.A. agent in New York. Through his time with the DEA, Tanner has found success of his own while trying to honor his father’s reputation. After learning that his uncle Nate Tanner was ambushed by criminals and is hospital-bound, Shane travels to Louisiana to help care for him. Upon arrival he learns that the attempted murder was a result of his uncle’s refusal to sell his local bar the Black Pelican, to resident drug and crime organizations. Shane determines to investigate while also running the company in addition to caring for his uncle, during Uncle Nate’s recovery. As he becomes romantically involved with a regular customer, a schoolteacher named Beau Hampton, Shane learns that the disgruntled former security specialist for the bar named William “Wild Bill” Decarie is linked to violent battery of his uncle.
As he continues his investigation, Shane discovers that Wild Bill’s boss is the Miami crime lord Victor Cross, and finds connections to the murder of his father James Dalton years before. Though they are impossibly outnumbered, Shane resolves to end all crime in the surrounding area with the help of his new friends and allies by permanently removing Victor, Bill, their men and their organizations from the state.[10][27][28][9][29]
Road House (2024)
Main article: Road House (2024 film)
Former-UFC fighter Elwood Dalton, is troubled by the tormented memories of accidentally killing his friend during a fighting match. As he finds himself enwrapped in underground fighting scams and plans to take his own life, Dalton is presented with the opportunity to redeem himself and is hired by Frankie, the owner of a saloon called The Road House to serve as head of security. When Dalton begins to train the bar’s staff in self-defense, a wealthy resident criminal named Ben Brandt sends groups of his thugs to remove Dalton from the town, but is repeatedly thwarted by his expertise in various fighting styles. Dalton begins a romantic relationship with Ellie, a medical official and daughter of the corrupted town Sheriff named Big Dick, who sees goodness in Dalton despite his troubled past.
Frankie explains to Dalton that Brandt and his incarcerated father, plan to build a large resort and have attempted various tactics to coerce her into selling her property as part of the expansion. Following continued failures, the Brandt family crime syndicate resorts to hiring an aggressive and unpredictable assassin named Knox to finish their competition. Just as he had resolved to leave the town and its corruption behind, Knox abducts Ellie and holds her hostage. Now more determined than ever, Dalton races against time to defeat unlawful wrongdoers.[30][15]
Future
Road House 2 (TBA)
Main article: Road House 2 (upcoming film)
In March 2024, Gyllenhaal expressed interest in reprising his starring role and developing a sequel to the 2024 movie.[31] By May of the same year, a sequel was officially announced to be in development with Gyllenhaal reprising the lead role. The CEO of Amazon MGM named Jennifer Salke stated that work on the project is ongoing.[23] In June, Gyllenhaal stated that the sequel will expand the franchise.[32]
By April 2025, Guy Ritchie joined the production as director. In addition to reprising the starring role, Gyllenhaal will serve as producer alongside Josh McLaughlin, Charles Roven, and Alex Gartner. The project will be a joint-venture production between Amazon MGM Studios, Nine Stories Productions, and Altas Entertainment.[33] By July 2025, Ritchie stepped down from his role,[34] while Ilya Naishuller was hired to replace him as director, from a script written by Will Beall. Principal photography was scheduled to commence in the fall of the same year.[35]
Road House: Dylan (TBA)
In October 2025, it was announced that Doug Liman had purchased the rights to a separate installment in the Road House franchise. Written by franchise creator R. Lance Hill, the project is intended to serve as a legacy sequel to the original film. Production is intended to commence, on the basis that Hill wins his lawsuit in accordance with Section 203 of the U.S. Copyright Act.[36]
| Film | U.S. release date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road House | May 19, 1989 | Rowdy Herrington | Hilary Henkin & David Lee Henry | David Lee Henry | Joel Silver |
| Road House 2 | July 18, 2006 | Scott Ziehl | Miles Chapman, Richard Chizmar & Johnathon Schaech | Miles Chapman | Yoram Pelman |
| Road House | March 21, 2024 | Doug Liman | Charles Mondry & Anthony Bagarozzi | Charles Mondry, David Lee Henry & Anthony Bagarozzi | Joel Silver |
| Road House 2 | TBA | Ilya Naishuller | Will Beall | Alex Gartner, Charles Roven, Jake Gyllenhaal & Josh McLaughlin | |
| Road House: Dylan | TBA | Doug Liman | R. Lance Hill | Doug Liman | |
Main cast and characters
List indicators
This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in the franchise in main roles.
- An empty grey cell indicates the character was not in the film, or that the character’s official presence has not yet been confirmed.
- C indicates a cameo role.
- V indicates a voice-only role.
| Character | Films | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Road House (1989) | Road House 2 (2006) | Road House (2024) | |||
| Principal cast | |||||
| James Dalton | Patrick Swayze | Referenced | |||
| Shane Tanner | Johnathon Schaech | ||||
| Elwood Dalton | Jake Gyllenhaal | ||||
| Dr. Elizabeth “Doc” Clay | Kelly Lynch | ||||
| Wade Garrett | Sam Elliott | ||||
| Brad Welsey | Ben Gazzara | ||||
| Jimmy Reno | Marshall Teague | ||||
| Beau Hampton | Ellen Hollman | ||||
| Nate Tanner | Will Patton | ||||
| Victor Cross | Richard Norton | ||||
| William “Wild Bill” Decarie | Jake Busey | ||||
| Ellie | Daniela Melchior | ||||
| Ben Brandt | Billy Magnussen | ||||
| Knox | Conor McGregor | ||||
| Supporting cast | |||||
| Frank Tilghman | Kevin Tighe | ||||
| Red Webster | Red West | ||||
| Pat McGurn | John Doe | ||||
| Dep. Garland Hendricks | Louis Herthum | ||||
| Luther Keyes | Lawrence Varnado | ||||
| Chubby D’Costa | Corey Hart | ||||
| Sands Cooper | William Ragsdale | ||||
| Jim Monyihan | Grover Coulson | ||||
| S.O. Mr. “Big” Dick | Joaquim de Almeida | ||||
| Carter | Austin Post | ||||
Additional production and crew details
| Film | Crew/Detail | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Composer | Cinematographer | Editor(s) | Production companies | Distributing companies | Running time | ||
| Road House (1989) | Michael Kamen | Dean Cundey | John F. Link & Frank J. Urioste | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, United Artists, Silver Pictures | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer/United Artists | 1 hr 54 mins | |
| Road House 2 | Amotz Plessner | Thomas L. Callaway | Edgar Burcksen | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Manyana Films | Sony Pictures Home Entertainment | 1 hr 26 mins | |
| Road House (2024) | Christophe Beck | Henry Braham | Doc Crotzer | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Silver Pictures | Amazon MGM Studios, Amazon Prime Video Films | 2 hrs 1 min | |
Reception
For more details on the reception of each film, see the “Reception” section in each film’s article.
Box office and financial performance
| Film | Box office gross | Box office ranking | Total home video sales | Budget | Worldwide net total income | Ref. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | Other territories | Worldwide | All-time North America | All-time worldwide | |||||
| Road House (1989) | $30,050,028 | —N/a | $30,050,028 | #2,979 | #4,311 | Information not publicly available | $10,000,000 | $20,050,028 | [6][7] |
| Road House 2 | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | Information not publicly available | Information not publicly available | Information not publicly available | [37][38] |
| Road House (2024) | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | —N/a | Information not publicly available | $85,000,000 | Information not publicly available | [39][40][41] |
Critical and public response
| Film | Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | CinemaScore |
|---|---|---|---|
| Road House (1989) | 44% (50 reviews)[42] | 36/100 (16 reviews)[43] | —N/a |
| Road House 2 | TBD (4 reviews)[11] | —N/a | —N/a |
| Road House (2024) | 60% (208 reviews)[44] | 57/100 (46 reviews)[45] | —N/a |
Stage
Written/directed by Timothy Haskell as an Off-Broadway play adaptation of the original movie, starring Taimak Guarriello in the lead role as James Dalton. The show debuted on October 30, 2003 in the circuit known as the Lower East Side. Positive reviews resulted in the production earning a residency at the La Tea from December 14, 2003 through February 8, 2004 playing at the Barrow Street Theatre; while an additionally performance was created for later dates in February at the same location. Haskell adapted the stageplay directly from the script of the 1989 film, with the creator stating: “…this is not a musical, we’re calling it a ‘brawlsical’… Trust me, I know what kind of film this is. I want to get to the bottom of why so many seemingly smart people can quote lines from this film.” Early reviews categorized the satire stage adaptation as a “fightsical”. Comedically, the official full title of the production was Road House: The Stage Version of the Cinema Classic that Starred Patrick Swayze, Except this One Stars Taimak from the 80’s Cult Classic ‘The Last Dragon’ Wearing a Blonde Mullet Wig.
The production was noted for its action sequences and explosions being created through miniature sets, with a videographer projecting the film in real-time for the audience on a screen, while foley performers provided sound effects live alongside the stage actors. Guarriello additionally served as fight choreographer, while Rebeca Ramirez developed additional choreography. Haskell, Tanya Bershadsky, Michael Voyer, and Andrea Ciannavei were producers for the adaptation.[46]
References
- Collins, Sean T. (July 12, 2019). “‘Road House’ on Netflix: A Guide to the Greatest Bad Movie of All-Time”. Decider. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- Collins, Sean T. (March 21, 2024). “How the New Road House Updates the Bizarre, Beer-Sluggin’ Best Bad Movie of All Time”. Time. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- Weisholtz, Drew & Philip Caulfield & Scott Stump (March 22, 2024). “Loved ‘Road House’? Check out these 10 action movie cult classics”. Today. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- Truitt, Brian (March 21, 2024). “‘Road House’ revisited: How Jake Gyllenhaal remake compares to Patrick Swayze cult classic”. USA Today. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- Walsh, Savannah (February 28, 2024). “The Behind-the-Scenes Brawling of Road House, Explained”. Vanity Fair. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- “Road House (1989)”. The Numbers. Nash Information Services LLC. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- “Road House”. Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- Lindsay, Cam (December 31, 2005). “Road House / Road House 2: Last Call”. Exclaim!. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
…overacting on the part of Jake Busey and some appallingly sidesplitting action scenes in slow motion, it’s best to just ignore its existence…
- Hunter, Rob (August 3, 2018). “Surprise! ‘Road House 2: Last Call’ Lacks The Original’s Spirit”. SlashFilm. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- Maglio, Tony (March 7, 2024). “There Was Already a ‘Road House 2,’ and It Did Not Kick Ass”. The IndieWire. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- “Road House 2”. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- Gleiberman, Owen (March 8, 2024). “‘Road House’ Review: Jake Gyllenhaal Takes Command in an Ultraviolent Retread That Makes Slumming Look Artful”. Variety. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
…infectiously stylish…
- Langmann, Brady (March 21, 2024). “Road House Returned All the Testosterone to My Body: This is how you do a remake”. Esquire. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
…is not only extremely good but it’s also so honest-to-God thrilling…it’s very much a they-don’t-make-movies-like-this-anymore movie. …quality set pieces…improves upon the original’s forgettable antagonists…McGregor is a genuinely compelling screen presence. …That said, the movie truly succeeds because of Gyllenlegday’s deliciously manic performance. …This is how you do a remake.
- Hilton, Boyd (March 9, 2024). “Road House (2024) Review”. Empire. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
Expertly handled by director Doug Liman, wittily scripted, and boasting a wonderfully original take on the action hero archetype, this new Road House is a total riot.
- Tallerico, Brian (March 9, 2024). “Road House”. RogerEbert.com. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
Punches and their reactions look like cut scenes in a video game far too often, especially a long bar brawl and a boat sequence in the end that have CGI so janky that I wonder if the reason that Prime didn’t want this on a big screen was because people would be less likely to notice on a small screen.
- Eoin (2024). “Road House (2024) Review”. The Action Elite. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
Overall, Road House will be forgotten in a matter of weeks for most viewers as the target audience for this grew up with the superior original…I’d suggest just watching the original instead.
- Donato, Matt (March 22, 2024). “‘Road House’ Review: Jake Gyllenhaal Can’t Punch His Way Through This Mess”. Collider. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
Everything feels … off. The shoddy digital effects are unappealing, all of the action tracking feels weirdly calibrated (think motion smoothing meets animation), and the performances are a mixed bag. Road House is the worst thing a remake like this could be: Boring.
- Kenny, Glenn (March 22, 2024). “‘Road House’ Review: This Remake Amps Up the Action”. The New York Times. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
…the J. Robert Oppenheimer of lunatic action set pieces…contemporary tuneups…
- Cotter, Padraig (March 30, 2024). “Road House 2024 Corrects The 1989 Original Movie’s Odd Ending Mistake”. ScreenRant. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
Road House 2024 Fixes The Original’s Mistake By Giving Dalton A Worthy Opponent …Dalton vs Conor McGregor’s Knox is the movie’s standout setpiece.
- Zacharek, Stephanie (March 22, 2024). “Jake Gyllenhaal’s Road House Remake Crackles With Glorious, Unruly Energy”. Time. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
Liman orchestrates it all with both precision and vitality—no wonder he’s bummed that people won’t be able to watch his movie, with other like-minded souls, in a movie theater. Gyllenhaal, too, would have been a smashing big-screen special effect. …Gyllenhaal and Swayze were friends, and his performance here honors Swayze’s without in any way parroting it, in a movie that’s a model of what a remake can be.
- Serba, John (March 21, 2024). “Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Road House’ on Amazon Prime Video, a Highly Enjoyable Remake Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and His Abs”. Decider. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
…would it have been a box office hit? (Probably!) …Liman directs action sequences with style and visual wit …This new Road House is better than it needs to be. STREAM IT – and enjoy it better by avoiding the logical fallacy inherent in comparing it to beloved past favorites.
- Lawson, Richard (March 21, 2024). “Jake Gyllenhaal Happily Punches in Road House“. Vanity Fair. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
Doug Liman’s needless remake of the Patrick Swayze movie is unexpectedly good.
- Maas, Jennifer (May 14, 2024). “‘Road House’ Sequel in the Works at Amazon Starring Jake Gyllenhaal”. Variety. Retrieved May 15, 2024.
- James, Caryn (May 19, 1989). “Review/Film; One Against the Villains, in ‘Road House'”. The New York Times. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- Ebert, Roger (May 19, 1989). “Road House”. RogerEbert.com. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- Tunney, Tom (January 1, 2000). “Road House Review”. Empire. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- Eion (2006). “Forgotten Sequel: Road House 2 (2006)”. The Action Elite. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- Smart, Jack (March 24, 2024). “Road House 2: All About the Forgotten 2006 Straight-to-Video Sequel Starring Johnathon Schaech”. People. Retrieved March 1, 2024.
- Cotter, Padraig (March 30, 2024). “Road House 2024 Continued A Bizarre Release Trend (& Suggests The Next Movie Won’t Arrive Until 2041)”. ScreenRant. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- Gyarkye, Lovia (March 8, 2024). “‘Road House’ Review: Jake Gyllenhaal Compels in Doug Liman’s Brashly Entertaining Remake”. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
- Weintraub, Steven & Tamera Jones (March 23, 2024). “Jake Gyllenhaal Thinks He Knows Who Would Win a Fight Between Him and Patrick Swayze”. Collider. Retrieved April 1, 2024.
- Mitovich, Matt Webb (June 5, 2024). “Road House Sequel Will Be ‘Bigger’ and ‘Expansive,’ Says Jake Gyllenhaal”. TV Line. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
- Kit, Borys (April 30, 2025). “‘Road House 2’: Guy Ritchie to Direct Sequel to Amazon MGM’s Hit Action Movie”. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 24, 2025.
- D’Alessandro, Anthony (July 10, 2025). “Guy Ritchie Exits Amazon MGM Studios ‘Road House 2′”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 10, 2025.
- Grobar, Matt (July 24, 2025). “Ilya Naishuller In Talks To Direct ‘Road House 2′”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved July 24, 2025.
- Fleming Jr., Mike (October 29, 2025). “Mike Fleming Jr: ‘Road House’ Round 2 Pits Doug Liman Vs Amazon MGM In Dueling Sequels; As DEI Wanes, David Oyelowo Leans In”. Deadline. Retrieved November 1, 2025.
- “Road House 2: Last Call (2006)”. The Numbers. Nash Information Services LLC. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- “Road House 2: Last Call (2006)”. Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- “Road House (2024)”. The Numbers. Nash Information Services LLC. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- “Road House (2024)”. Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- Morrison, Sean (March 30, 2024). “How Much Would Road House 2024 Have Made At The Box Office If It Released In Theaters?”. Variety. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- “Road House”. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- “Road House (1989)”. Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- “Road House (2024)”. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- “Road House (2024)”. Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved March 31, 2024.
- Jones, Kenneth (December 9, 2003). “Mullets and Martial Arts: Road House, Inspired by the Movie, Starts Off-Bway Dec. 9″. Playbill: a Trusted Theatre Resource Since 1984. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
