The Reimagining of Road House: Jake Gyllenhaal's 2024 Remake

The Original vs. The Remake

The new Road House film is not strictly a remake. Although Prime Video's upcoming release, Road House, has been referred to as a remake of the 1989 film starring Patrick Swayze, that statement might not be entirely accurate. The original Road House starred Swayze as Dalton, a bouncer in a New York City nightclub who ends up in charge of the security at a pretty dangerous Mississippi joint. The movie did not receive good reviews at the time of its release, but it grew to become a cult classic since then.

Jake Gyllenhaal shirtless and ripped, posing in a martial arts fighting ring surrounded by rabid fans, in a dramatic scene from Road House

This renowned status has repeatedly raised questions about remaking Road House with Jake Gyllenhaal as the star. A Road House remake has been in development since 2013 and will finally be released at some point in 2024 on Prime Video. In the streaming service's 2024 preview, the first Road House's teaser was revealed. This immediately sparked comparisons between the new movie and the 80s look, violence, sensuality, and Swayze's performance that all contributed to the original's sustained success. Based on what is now known about Jake Gyllenhaal's new version of Road House, the remake label might not be proper.

A Reinterpretation of the Original

The 1989 film is tightly entrenched in its time and, for that reason, Road House’s adaptation is challenging enough. Considering all that is already known about this new adaptation, it is fair to say that Jake Gyllenhaal's version will be more of a re-interpretation of the original film's premise. After all, Road House's charm lies in its 80s aesthetic and stereotypical characters that will hardly hold a movie together in the present.

Jake Gyllenhaal As Dalton lifts his arms in the Road Hose remake

Some adjustments in the tone and the visual appearance are already evident, as well as some character and plot elements that were revealed during the filming of the movie.

Changes in the Remake

The first footage revealed in Prime Video's 2024 teaser is an indicator that the movie will not evoke the 80s aesthetic and the tone will be slightly different. Even though 2024 Road House is rated R, which indicates that the violence from the original film will be maintained and maybe elevated, the violent approach seems to be accompanied by a comic tone. This can already be seen in Jake Gyllenhaal's performance as Dalton in the film's first images, which also suggest a slightly different lead character. Furthermore, while the movie's rating suggests that violence will be maintained, the level of nudity in the original film will be reduced.

However, tone and aesthetics are not the only things that have already proven to be different in this new adaptation. While in the 1989 film, Dalton's past was kept a mystery, in this installment, Jake Gyllenhaal's past is tightly attached to the UFC. This twist, besides being a marketing decision aiming to draw attention from a wider audience, also changes the character significantly. Furthermore, the 2024's Road House plot suggests that Dalton is a former UFC fighter who winds up working as a bouncer at a club in Florida instead of already being a bouncer who finds a new challenging job in Mississippi.