Guy Ritchie Drops Out of Major Streaming Sequel Just Two Months Before Filming Starts

Nearly two months after signing on to helm the upcoming sequel to a controversial action remake, director Guy Ritchie has exited the project. The British director is so far still slated to direct Wife And Dog and In The Grey and there are persistent rumors of a third movie in his Sherlock Holmes franchise (though he may not direct), but for now, he’s cleared some time in his schedule. No reason has been cited for his surprise exit.

The news comes courtesy of Variety with the outlet revealing there’s no clear reason as to why the director decided to exit the sequel. Ritchie originally signed on to direct Road House 2 at the end of April. The Amazon MGM sequel is expected to enter production and start filming as soon as September and is being penned by Will Beall, who has worked on titles like Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Aquaman, and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.

With Ritchie exiting the project, it’s unclear how much this will impact the film’s development. Guardians of the Galaxy actor Dave Bautista signed on to the sequel in June, however, with Ritchie now out as director, it’s unclear if Bautista will remain attached to Road House 2. The actor was set to play a leading role in the sequel, although further details regarding his role remain unknown. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Dalton, a former UFC fighter struggling to get by. The actor serves as a producer on the project, via his Nine Stories Productions banner, alongside Josh McLaughlin. Also producing the sequel are Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and Alex Gartner.

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Road House 2 In the Works at Amazon MGM Studios

Amazon’s Road House reboot has had a bumpy, but successful journey to the small screen. While the reboot was seen as controversial in the beginning, as the original movie starring Patrick Swayze is viewed as a cult classic, it quickly became a hit for the streaming service upon its release. The film pulled in 80 million worldwide viewers in its first eight weeks, breaking records for Amazon’s Prime Video. Unfortunately, though, the reboot’s director, Doug Liman, was not happy with the film’s release as the film was originally meant to be released with some sort of theatrical run that ultimately did not happen.

The Road House reboot follows Gyllenhaal’s Dalton as he finds himself working as a bouncer for a bar in the Florida Keys as a means to get by. The former UFC fighter soon finds himself roped into a war that involves outlaws, bikers, and a developer who is set on building a lavish resort for the ultra-rich. The film also starred Daniela Melchior, Conor McGregor, Billy Magnussen, Post Malone, Jessica Williams, and Lukas Gage.

Ritchie’s directorial credits include the live-action Aladdin remake, which broke records for Disney, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Sherlock Holmes, RocknRolla, and Fountain of Youth. The busy director is attached to Aladdin 2, although it’s unclear what the status is on that sequel, as well as his next project, Wife & Dog, which will star Benedict Cumberbatch, Rosamund Pike and Anthony Hopkins.

The Road House reboot is currently streaming exclusively on Amazon’s Prime Video. It’s currently unclear when the sequel will debut on the streaming platform, especially now that the project is without a director. Fans wanting to revisit the original Road House film can stream the cult-classic now on HBO Max or Prime Video.