Patrick Swayze fans took to social media to blast the upcoming “Road House” reboot starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
On Thursday, Prime Video released the trailer for the remake, which was billed as an “adrenaline-fueled reimagining of the ’80s cult classic” that featured the late Swayze in the leading role. In the 2024 version, Gyllenhaal, 43, plays former UFC fighter Elwood Dalton, who “takes a job as a bouncer at a Florida Keys roadhouse, only to discover that this paradise is not all it seems.”
Fans of Swayze, who portrayed professional “cooler” (a term used for head bouncer) James Dalton in the original film, voiced their disapproval on X, formerly Twitter, with some social media users declaring they would boycott the new version.
“There is only one cooler? that’s Patrick Swayze,” one fan wrote. Another added, “A Road House remake? There’s only one Dalton, Go F yourself Hollywood!”
JAKE GYLLENHAAL DISCUSSES PATRICK SWAYZE’S ‘ROAD HOUSE’ REMAKE: ‘BIG SHOES TO FILL’
Patrick Swayze fans slammed the “Road House” reboot starring Jake Gyllenhaal. (Laura Radford/Amazon Prime Video/Alamy)
“This sacrilege will rightly flop on it’s face. Can you people not come up with a SINGLE original idea?” fumed one fan.
“I won’t watch it. I love the orig Road House Movie. Patrick Swayze shouldn’t be messed with,” wrote another user on X.
“This looks so bad why remake it,” one fan added.
Another wrote, “No one asked for a Road House remake.”
“Hollywood didn’t learn from the Point Break remake?” another user asked. “Who decided to remake Roadhouse? This is an abomination. Hands off Patrick Swayze movies….”
The late actor played the lead role in the 1989 classic action film. (Alamy)
“I would have some VERY negative things to say about this Road House remake, but Patrick Swayze gave me some good life advice: Be Nice,” one fan commented.
“Was quite keen on this until the trailer. Same scenes, same dialogue, same logo. Iike JG, but Swayze will always be Dalton. Maybe as a standalone film it would work, but not as Roadhouse,” observed another X user.
Some fans expressed excitement for the remake, which also stars Daniela Melchior, Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams, Joaquim de Almeida, Lukas Gage, Arturo Castro, B.K. Cannon, Beau Knapp, Darren Barnet and MMA fighter Conor McGregor in his acting debut.
“Why oh why does this look so freakin GOOD,” one X user wrote, with another adding, “This looks damn good. Gyllenhaal looking great as always.”
“Excited for the ROAD HOUSE remake! Can’t wait to watch it,” one fan enthused.
In the original “Road House,” Swayze’s character was hired to run security at the Double Deuce, “the meanest, loudest and rowdiest bar south of the Mason-Dixon Line.” The film also starred Sam Elliott, Kelly Lynch and Ben Gazzara.
Gyllenhaal stars in the reboot, which will premiere on Prime Video March 21. (Laura Radford © Amazon Content Services LLC )
“Road House” was a box office disappointment but became a success on home video and achieved a cult following.
The action-packed trailer for the reboot featured fistfights, speedboat chases and multiple clashes between Gyllenhaal and McGregor, who delivers a brutal headbutt in one scene.
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Disapproving fans won’t be alone in boycotting the remake. On Wednesday, the movie’s director, Doug Liman, announced he will not attend the “Road House” premiere at SXSW in March.
MMA fighter Conor McGregor makes his acting debut in the remake. (Laura Radford © Amazon Content Services LLC )
In a guest column he penned for Deadline, Liman explained he would be a no-show at the event in protest over Amazon MGM Studio’s decision to forego a theatrical release for the movie.
“When Road House opens the SXSW film festival, I won’t be attending,” he wrote in part. “The movie is fantastic, maybe my best, and I’m sure it will bring the house down and possibly have the audience dancing in their seats during the end credits. But I will not be there.
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“My plan had been to silently protest Amazon’s decision to stream a movie so clearly made for the big screen,” he added. “But Amazon is hurting way more than just me and my film. If I don’t speak up about Amazon, who will?”
Director Doug Liman announced he will boycott the film’s premiere due to Amazon’s decision not to give the movie a theatrical release. (Amazon Prime Video)
In his column, Liman wrote that he had signed on for a theatrical release for the movie, but the decision for a streaming-only debut came after Amazon bought MGM. He expressed his unhappiness that the actors and film would not be eligible for awards recognition and warned that the move could be “industry shaping for decades to come.”
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“If we don’t put tentpole movies in movie theaters, there won’t be movie theaters in the future,” he added.
“Road House” will be available to stream on Prime Video March 21.