Jake Gyllenhaal will star in a new sports movie called ‘Play by Play’.
Chris McCoy wrote the script.
Amazon MGM Studios is backing the project.
It looks like Jake Gyllenhaal is becoming a company player for Amazon MGM Studios, as the company has bought yet another project for him to star in and produce via his Nine Stories production label.
Plot specifics about ‘Play by Play’ are largely under wraps (more on that below), but McCoy has a past in sports scripting and the potential movie will also be produced by a company called Religion of Sports’, co-owned by Tom Brady (yes, the one who has a little bit of sports experience himself) and Gotham Chopra.
Jake Gyllenhaal in ‘Presumed Innocent,’ premiering June 12, 2024 on Apple TV+.
As we mentioned, Deadline’s report on Gyllenhaal boarding the movie offers no details on the story, but a quick online check suggests it’ll feature the story of a popular pro sports newscaster gets involved in a seedy underworld on his road trips and becomes a marked man by a notorious gang. But we’ll have to wait and see if that is the actual plot.
This is just the latest Amazon MGM movie Gyllenhaal is involved in, following the ‘Road House’ remake and its upcoming sequel.
He’s also in business with the company on ‘Honeymoon with Harry’, a forthcoming dramedy where he’ll star opposite Kevin Costner, as well as ‘Code Black’, a political thriller based on a short story by Harrison Query that’s currently in development.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Dave Bautista about his work on ‘Trap House’, developing the project as a producer, balancing the action with the father/son story, his advice for young actor Jack Champion, fanboying over Bobby Cannavale, and his close working relationship with director Michael Dowse, as well as sword training to play The Kurgan in the upcoming remake of ‘Highlander’, and joining Jake Gyllenhaal for ‘Road House 2’.
(L to R) Dave Bautista and Bobby Cannavale in ‘Trap House’. Photo: Courtesy of AURA Entertainment.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about your work on ‘Trap House’ as a producer and the challenges of getting this movie made?
Dave Bautista: I’d have to go back to how this happened. So, a buddy of mine who works for the NSA now, but he’s kind of been around law enforcement. He was in the military, he’s been a cop, he worked for the DOD, and he worked for Federal law enforcement. Now he’s at the NSA. Anyway, he came to me with this idea. He said, “Hey, I got an idea. I wanted to run by you. It’s about a bunch of DEA agents and they’re seizing drugs and money from drug dealers. These kids, they’re just looking for a wild ride, so they start robbing the money from their parents. I said, “I don’t love that. I don’t love the kid stealing from the government. What about this?” So, I came up with the idea of the kids really needing the money, not just wanting the money or wanting to be on the wild ride but needing the money to help a friend. They start robbing drug dealers that their parents were investigating, because their parents of course they’re not going to suspect their kids. But I like the idea of turning into a three-way kind of cat and mouse. So that’s originally how it started. Then I’d done a film called ‘Final Score’ with the producer who I ended up producing ‘Final Score’ with, Marc Goldberg. So that’s how I pitched the idea to him, and he said, “I love that idea. Let’s a hire writer, and let’s do it”. So, that’s how it all initially started. When I read the first draft, it was very different from what I turned it turned out to be, because I it was originally more like ‘The Fast and the Furious’. I wanted it to be kind of that meets ‘Stand by Me’. I wanted it to be an adventure for the kids who kind of get in over their heads. But I wanted there to be some innocence to it and that’s kind of how it started. It took years to get the script to where we wanted it to be, and even then, there was still a rocky road after that. This was a hard film to make.
MF: Can you talk about balancing the film’s father and son story with the action and thriller aspects of the movie?
DB: That’s what we wanted it to be. We wanted it to be about strained relationships, but we always wanted it to be told from the kids’ point of view. I didn’t want the parents to be the star of this film. I wanted the kids to be the stars of the film. I also thought, I just wanted it to be fun, because sometimes, especially I found out with wrestling, you want the bad guy to get away with it. The kids, they’re not doing the right thing. They’re not doing the best thing. They’ve gotten themselves in way over their heads. But we went through drafts where one of the kids got shot, and I was like, “No, we can’t do that.” In one draft the kids got arrested, they went to prison, I was like, “No, we can’t do that.” It’s one of those things where it is just a fun film. This is not a documentary. We just want to have fun. We want kids to have fun watching this film. We want it to be a popcorn film. We want it to be entertaining. But it’s built a bridge between a father and his son who, where their relationship is strained and they’re trying to figure out how to bond. Then that’s how they got through all this mayhem. That’s the way my character was able to express his love to his son, which his son had never noticed before. He always thought he’d put his job first but Cody really knows that he’s sacrificing everything because he loves his son so much.
(L to R) Sophia Lillis, Jack Champion, Whitney Peak and Zaire Adams in ‘Trap House’. Photo: Courtesy of AURA Entertainment.
MF: Can you talk about creating that father and son relationship onscreen with Jack Champion?
DB: It was so easy. Jack and I bonded immediately. We’re kind of from the same neck of the woods, and he was really starting to get into boxing and stuff. So, we had something to talk about and it just happened organically. We went and trained before we started filming. We worked out together and you really get to know people if you work out together. So, we bonded immediately. I also thought, he’s just such a nice, cool, humble kid, and I’ve worked with people in Hollywood who started out young and I feel like they lose a connection with people. They kind of get sheltered, they get in a bubble, and they lose interaction with people. Jack didn’t have any of that. He was just super friendly and humble, and he really wanted to learn. I thought, man, this kid he’s a leading man. He kind of looked at me like a mentor on this film and to be honest with you, I kind of loved it. So, we had good conversations and I thought, he’s going to have a future in this business. I wanted to share with him some of the stuff that I learned along the way, and just hope he’s on the right path throughout his career and treats people great. I really believe in treating your crew great. They don’t make as much money as you do, and they don’t get the spotlight that you do, but they are working twice as hard as you do. They’re there before you get there, and they’re there after you leave. I believe that. I learned that from WWE. I’ve always carried that with me, and I try to pass that on to anybody who will listen. Since Jack is young in this business and impressionable, I wanted to share that with him, that sentiment, that’s the way I look at filmmaking. That’s the way. That’s the attitude I go to work with. Be nice to people, courteous to people, respect people and then build that kind of positive environment. In the hard days, that kind of environment, it pays off because it’s not like somebody’s working harder than somebody else. We’re all working. We’re all on it together. We’re in this fight because days on films get long and they get hard. You’re missing your family and you’re not sleeping well and you’re not eating right. So, if you build that relationship with people and keep it in a real positive environment, that starts from the top all the way down, then you get a good environment which will translate into good filmmaking. Hopefully, good filmmaking. But you know at least everybody’s on the same page and we’re trying to create a quality project. Everybody’s got their heart invested in it.
MF: What was it like working with Bobby Cannavale and what did you learn from watching the way he approaches a character?
DB: I was trying not to fanboy too much. Bobby’s a quiet guy. He’s not a big talker, and I have a thousand of questions to pick his brain about, especially his stage work. He’s a real guy’s guy. He’s super into sports and he’s super handsome, which is obnoxious. He’s a New Yorker, too, so he’s just a little rough around the edges. But he’s quiet and he’s to himself. He’s super low maintenance, doesn’t have an entourage with him, and he reads a lot. But I picked my spots and just kind of picked his brain about acting and stuff. I was such a big fan of his because I thought his portrayal of his character on ‘Boardwalk Empire’ was just so fearless. I just loved it so much, and so I wanted to pick his brain about that, but also about stage work because I aspire to do stage work. But I my relationship with him, it all built from a foundation of respect for what he’s done and the person he is, because he’s just a good solid dude, and super talented.
(L to R) Dave Bautista and Bobby Cannavale in ‘Trap House’. Photo: Courtesy of AURA Entertainment.
MF: I know that you have worked with director Michael Dowse in the past, what was it like reuniting with him on this film and what do you enjoy about the way he directs?
DB: We have a relationship. Michael and I go way back. We did a film called ‘Stuber’ together, which I’ve got a chip on my shoulder because I I’ve always felt like that film was super underrated. We just got smashed in the box office. I think people weren’t sure what the film was. It’s just my opinion, but I don’t think I was a big enough name to carry the film, but I still think it’s just a great film. It’s a fun film. We were also boxed between massive films like ‘Toy Story 4’, ‘The Lion King’ and ‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’. So, we just got smashed. But Mike saved us on this film because Mike stepped in last minute. We had a director and he dropped out weeks before we were supposed to start filming. So, I called Mike and I said, “Hey, we’re just in a jam.” He just jumped on it. Mike’s the type of guy who just knows what he wants. Again, he’s good to people and always has a good energy, but he’s just good at relaying what he wants. He makes things simple. He’s clearly the boss when he’s on set, he just has a vision. You never guess, who’s the boss? You’re never looking around, trying to figure it out. Like, who should I go to? Mike is the boss when he’s on set. So, people have a lot of respect for him, and I do as well. So, at that point, because we were behind and without a leader, we needed a leader and Mike stepped in and really kind of saved us. So, I always love him, and will be grateful for him for that, and other things as well, but most mostly that.
MF: What can you tell us about preparing for your upcoming role as The Kurgan in the remake of ‘Highlander’? Have you started sword training yet?
DB: I’ve been sword training for just about three months. It’s tough. This film is not going to be anything anybody’s seen before. I think this script is amazing. I don’t often get like super excited about scripts. I usually read scripts and then I start to think, how can we fix this? How can we make this better? There’s something there, but how can we elevate it? Not with this one. When I read it, I just got it. It was great. The characters were elevated, and there’s a lot of nods to the original, but it is very different. Also, the action on this is going to be ridiculous. I mean, it’s ‘John Wick’ amplified because it’s just never been done. Obviously, there’s going to be swords. I don’t think that’s going to a spoiler alert. There’s going to be swords, but it’s a lot of very stylized sword fighting. I mean, Chad (Stahelski) has been thinking about this for a very long time. Our ten-to-fifteen-minute meetings turn into two-hour conversations because I think he’s been obsessing over this film for years now. So, I think people are going to be really excited about this. I hope they are. I can’t wait for people to see the first trailer because I’ve seen mockups and I get goosebumps. I’m a fan of the original, and not every film should be remade, but this one had such a great and interesting premise. At the time, I don’t think it smashed box office records, but it’s got a bit of a cult following. But I want more people to be familiar with it and I’m sure this new film is going to be a box office smash, but I hope that it will bring attention to the original because I’m a massive fan of it and Clancy Brown. I got big shoes to fill, and I will be honest and say that I’m super nervous about it. I’m a little self-conscious because Clancy was in his 20’s when he played The Kurgan, and I’m over here in my 50s trying to fill his shoes. Those are big shoes to fill. So hopefully I do it justice, but I can say that it won’t be from lack of hard work because I’ve been working my butt off. I’ve been pursuing the role of The Kurgan for probably ten plus years, and so it is the dream role.
(Left) Dave Bautista stars in ‘In the Lost Lands’. (Right) Clancy Brown as The Kurgan in ‘Highlander’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
MF: Finally, what has it been like joining ‘Road House 2’ and working with Jake Gyllenhaal?
DB: It’s great. This is a dream. I always tell people, I kind of measure my career by who I’m working with. I’ve been a fan of Jake’s for a very long time, and I told him that years ago because we had a mutual friend and he stuck us together on a FaceTime call. I was like, “Man, I’m a huge fan. I went, long before ‘Road House’ was even a conversation, to see him in ‘Othello’ on Broadway with Denzel Washington. I went back and talked to him, and he just blows me away. He’s a real actor. He’s the real deal. So, to think that I can say that I I’m working with him, if not to anyone else, it says to me something personally about where my career’s at, and it means a lot to me. I’ve never been an accolades guy, but when I can get respect from my peers and peers that I hold on to a pedestal, that means more to me. Plus, he’s a good dude. He’s just a great guy. He’s super down to earth, funny and smart, and just super talented. We’re having in depth conversations about things we’re doing in scenes, looks, mannerisms, backstories, and that’s what I love about acting.
‘Trap House’ opens in theaters on November 14th.
What is the plot of ‘Trap House’?
In El Paso, Texas, an undercover DEA agent (Dave Bautista) and his partner embark on a game of cat and mouse with their own teenage children, who are using their parents’ tactics and intel to rob a dangerous cartel.
Doug Liman is developing his own ‘Road House’ sequel.
It would be based on a script by the 1989 movie’s writer R. Lance Hill.
This would be a rival for Amazon MGM’s sequel to the 2024 remake.
Here’s an intriguing twist on the ‘Road House’ saga.
Doug Liman, who directed the 2024 remake but ended up disagreeing with studio Amazon MGM over its release on Prime Video instead of theaters (more on that below), is developing his own new ‘Road House’ movie.
That would be a completely different project from the sequel to the remake that Amazon MGM has in the works even now.
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According to Deadline, Liman has acquired the rights to R. Lance Hill’s sequel script ‘Road House: Dylan,’ which follows up the events of the 1989 original, starring Patrick Swayze as bouncer Dalton (Hill wrote that movie too).
(L to R) Casey Affleck, director Doug Liman and Matt Damon on the set of ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.
Liman made a deal to direct what became the 2024 ‘Road House’ which starred Jake Gyllenhaal as a new version of Dylan, this one a UFC fighter who starts working at a roadside bar as a bouncer to stop the local thugs and corrupt businessman trashing the place.
The original plan –– and Liman’s agreement –– was for the movie to hit theaters. It tested well enough to be a sleeper theatrical hit, but Amazon decided it would be released directly to Prime Video.
While Liman and producer Joel Silver even screened the picture for Amazon chief Jeff Bezos and his now-wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos, Amazon creative execs would not yield.
There was even a PR conflict, as Liman placed a Deadline article complaining about the move, but did attend the premiere. And the movie became a streaming hit, the biggest film debut ever with a record-breaking 50 million worldwide viewers in its first two weekends on Prime Video.
This new potential sequel is fraught with its own issues, as there is disagreement over who owns the rights to Hill’s original ‘Road House’ script and anything spawned from it.
What’s the latest with Amazon’s ‘Road House’ sequel?
And there is another new recruit for the follow-up to the 2024 Prime Video release, as Deadline brings word that Aldis Hodge, recently seen as the star of the company’s ‘Cross’, is now also aboard.
The 1989 original, directed by Rowdy Herrington, starred Patrick Swayze in the story of a roadside dive called The Double Deuce, a sleazy music joint in the small town of Jasper, Missouri, “the kind of place where they sweep up the eyeballs after closing”.
The owner, tired of his place being wrecked by muscle-bound “power drinkers” and provocative bimbos, hires the best bouncer in the business (Swayze’s Dalton) to cool things down. Famously, he starts off charming but doesn’t hesitate to take extreme throat-ripping measures when pushed to his limit.
For the 2024 re-invention, with Doug Liman this time in the director’s chair, Gyllenhaal took on the slightly adjusted role of Dalton, this time a former UFC fighter looking to find new meaning in his life who finds work as a bouncer at a property owned by Frankie (Jessica Williams).
The movie became a big hit for Amazon, drawing 2.3 million households between March 21st, which is when it was added to the Prime Video library, and March 24th.
At Amazon’s Upfront presentation last May –– where it promotes its upcoming movies and shows to advertisers to encourage them to purchase pricey spots on its service –– the company announced that a ‘Road House’ sequel was in the early stages of development.
Will Beall is at work on the script for the sequel, which is a mystery for now –– though a mid-credits scene in the 2024 movie showed Conor McGregor’s villain Knox wreaking havoc at a hospital and escaping unscathed, so presumably that rematch is something that could well be picked up for the new movie, though that plan might be scuppered given that McGregor has recently been embroiled in some legal scandals.
When will the ‘Road House’ sequel be on screens?
Prime Video has yet to confirm when the new movie might arrive, but given the initial reboot’s success, we suspect this new one might also skip theaters and head instead straight to streaming.
The plot for this one has its roots in a novel by Bart Baker, which follows a man (Gyllenhaal) as he decides to go on a honeymoon with his would-be father-in-law (Costner) after his fiancée dies unexpectedly two days before their wedding.
Though the two men dislike each other, they find common ground in their shared grief.
But enough about the story. It’s the history of the project that’s interesting: this one has been in the works since 2004, when Baker’s novel was still unpublished (it finally saw shelves in 2012).
Producer Mike Karz first set up ‘Honeymoon’ at New Line Cinema 21 years ago, and the project attracted top name talent through the years, but nothing came to fruition. ‘Crash’ filmmaker Paul Haggis wrote a draft and was going to direct a version that had Vince Vaughn and Jack Nicholson circling.
Fogelman first came on board to write it in 2015, when New Line had Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro as the intended leads. And in 2017, Nick Cassavetes was attached to direct.
Finally, Karz has moved it to Amazon MGM Studios, which has attached its ‘Road House’ star Gyllenhaal and Costner, who has been ploughing much of his time, energy and no small amount of money into his epic ‘Horizon: An American Saga’ Western movies.
When will ‘Honeymoon with Harry’ be on screens?
While this project has seemingly been cursed with bad luck, its fortunes may finally be changing. Amazon has yet to announce a release date, though, so we’ll have to wait and see if this one finally makes it to either theaters or streaming.
‘Nobody’ and ‘Heads of State’ director Ilya Naishuller is in talks for ‘Road House 2’.
Guy Ritchie had the job but has since departed the sequel.
Jake Gyllenhaal is still aboard to star.
In April, it looked like Jake Gyllenhaal and Guy Ritchie were all set to keep their collaboration train chugging along as news landed that the director had signed on to handle ‘Road House 2,’ which would see Gyllenhaal back as MMA fighter-turned-bar security pugilist Dalton.
But it hasn’t quite worked out that way, with Ritchie departing the project for unknown reasons –– though his busy schedule of other movies and various TV series could well be to blame.
Never mind, though, since, per Deadline, Amazon MGM is close to locking down a replacement, in the shape of Ilya Naishuller.
The 1989 original, directed by Rowdy Herrington, starred Patrick Swayze in the story of a roadside dive called The Double Deuce, a sleazy music joint in the small town of Jasper, Missouri, “the kind of place where they sweep up the eyeballs after closing”.
The owner, tired of his place being wrecked by muscle-bound “power drinkers” and provocative bimbos, hires the best bouncer in the business (Swayze’s Dalton) to cool things down. Famously, he starts off charming but doesn’t hesitate to take extreme throat-ripping measures when pushed to his limit.
For the 2024 re-invention, Gyllenhaal took on the slightly adjusted role of Dalton, this time a former UFC fighter looking to find new meaning in his life who finds work as a bouncer at a property owned by Frankie (Jessica Williams).
Directing that one was Doug Liman, and behind-the-scenes drama, as producer Joel Silver was removed for aggressive behavior, Liman denounced the plan to release the movie direct to streaming (he’s since made peace with the idea) and a lawsuit from the writer of the original that claimed the new movie was simply a grab at keeping the IP.
Still, the movie became a big hit for Amazon, drawing 2.3 million households between March 21st, which is when it was added to the Prime Video library, and March 24th.
At Amazon’s Upfront presentation last May –– where it promotes its upcoming movies and shows to advertisers to encourage them to purchase pricey spots on its service –– the company announced that a ‘Road House’ sequel was in the early stages of development.
Will Beall is at work on the script for the sequel, which is a mystery for now –– though a mid-credits scene in the 2024 movie showed Conor McGregor’s villain Knox wreaking havoc at a hospital and escaping unscathed, so presumably that rematch is something that could well be picked up for the new movie.
When will the ‘Road House’ sequel be on screens?
There is no information yet as to a release date for the new movie.
But perhaps the more interesting question is, where will the ‘Road House’ movie be on screens? Given the success of the 2024 outing, there’s a big chance that Amazon could decide that the best place for a follow-up is to premiere right alongside it on the Prime Video streaming service.
Dave Bautista is circling a role in the ‘Road House’ sequel.
Jake Gyllenhaal will be back as Dalton.
Guy Ritchie’s directing.
We’re starting to learn more about the follow-up to last year’s ‘Road House’ remake, which saw Jake Gyllenhaal as a former MMA brawler who turned his skills to stopping drunken rumbles at the titular locale.
Gyllenhaal will be back, of course, and this time around, Guy Ritchie will be the one calling the shots (and the pints, presumably, since it’s set at a bar).
The 1989 original, directed by Rowdy Herrington, starred Patrick Swayze in the story of a roadside dive called The Double Deuce, a sleazy music joint in the small town of Jasper, Missouri, “the kind of place where they sweep up the eyeballs after closing”.
The owner, tired of his place being wrecked by muscle-bound “power drinkers” and provocative bimbos, hires the best bouncer in the business (Swayze’s Dalton) to cool things down. Famously, he starts off charming but doesn’t hesitate to take extreme throat-ripping measures when pushed to his limit.
For the 2024 re-invention, Gyllenhaal took on the slightly adjusted role of Dalton, this time a former UFC fighter looking to find new meaning in his life who finds work as a bouncer at a property owned by Frankie (Jessica Williams).
Anthony Bagarozzi & Charles Mondry wrote the new movie took place at a rough-and-tumble roadhouse in the Florida Keys, but “soon discovers that not everything is what it seems in this tropical paradise.”
Directing that one was Doug Liman, and behind-the-scenes drama, as producer Joel Silver was removed for aggressive behavior, Liman denounced the plan to release the movie direct to streaming (he’s since made peace with the idea) and a lawsuit from the writer of the original that claimed the new movie was simply a grab at keeping the IP.
Still, the movie became a big hit for Amazon, drawing 2.3 million households between March 21st, which is when it was added to the Prime Video library, and March 24th.
At Amazon’s Upfront presentation last May –– where it promotes its upcoming movies and shows to advertisers to encourage them to purchase pricey spots on its service –– the company announced that a ‘Road House’ sequel was in the early stages of development.
This is what Amazon film boss Jennifer Salke said at the event:
“As we saw this spring the world went crazy for a little movie called ‘Road House’. Nearly 80 million viewers globally have watched ‘Road House.’ We like to watch this these results like a baby.”
Will Beall is at work on the script for the sequel, which is a mystery for now –– though a mid-credits scene in the 2024 movie showed Conor McGregor’s villain Knox wreaking havoc at a hospital and escaping unscathed, so presumably that rematch is something that could well be picked up for the new movie.
There is no information yet as to a release date for the new movie.
But perhaps the more interesting question is, where will the ‘Road House’ movie be on screens? Given the success of the 2024 outing, there’s a big chance that Amazon could decide that the best place for a follow-up is to premiere right alongside it on the Prime Video streaming service.
But with the company’s much-vaunted commitment to theatrical releases, as touted during its CinemaCon presentation last week, perhaps having a Gyllenhaal movie in cinemas is no bad strategy –– especially if it drives people to then check out the movie on streaming. We’ve a feeling, though, that it’ll be the former option.
Jake Gyllenhaal is circling new thriller ‘Code Black’.
Harrison Query will adapt his medical-themed short story.
Amazon MGM Studios has the film rights.
Having smacked people around for Amazon MGM Studios’ ‘Road House’ remake (with a sequel in the works) and dealing with being accused of murder in Apple TV+ series ‘Presumed Innocent’, Jake Gyllenhaal is turning his attention to medical procedures.
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According to Deadline, the star has hopped aboard ‘Code Black’, which writer Harrison Query plans to adapt from his short story, the rights to which Amazon MGM has snapped up.
Right now, Gyllenhaal is developing the project as a potential starring vehicle, but he’ll wait and see how the script turns out before he commits beyond being involved with his Nine Stories company.
In the story, the country’s top heart surgeon is flown to D.C. to perform a high-stakes operation, finding himself led into a trap where his guile and genius become the only way to stop a plot that threatens both his family and the nation.
Scott Glassgold of 12:01 Films brought the package to Gyllenhaal’s company, while Lynn Harris and ‘The Batman’s Matt Reeves are also aboard for their 6th & Idaho team.
Where else can we see Jake Gyllenhaal?
Jake Gyllenhaal as Sgt. John Kinley in ‘The Covenant,’ directed by Guy Ritchie, a Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film.
Gyllenhaal most recently worked on extraction specialist action thriller ‘In the Grey’ for writer/director Guy Ritchie, and the pair –– who previously also collaborated on another military movie, ‘The Covenant’ are reuniting for the ‘Road House’ sequel.
And given his status as a star with a production company, there is naturally a huge list of other projects he is backing, including an adaptation of hit stage musical ‘Fun Home’ and one of video game ‘The Division’ (which is seemingly locked in development limbo).
‘Code Black’ is the second high-profile sale for Query in just two months.
In May, he set up drama series ‘Trigger Point’ with A24 after the company won a bidding competition, with ‘Rebel Ridge‘s Jeremy Saulnier coming on to direct and exec produce.
While we’re sure Amazon MGM Studios will want to develop this one stat, manage your expectations.
With no director aboard yet and the script only still in the works, we don’t predict seeing this for a couple of years yet, and no formal release is set.
Jake Gyllenhaal in ‘Presumed Innocent,’ premiering June 12, 2024 on Apple TV+.
The small screen version starred Jake Gyllenhaal as a prosecuting attorney whose life is thrown into chaos.
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For Season 2, however, the show is going the anthology route, with some brand new source material –– in this case, ‘Dissection of a Murder’, the debut legal thriller novel by Jo Murray.
It’ll follow Leila Reynolds (Brosnahan) who has just been handed her first murder case. She’s way out of her depth but the defendant only wants her –– and to make matters worse, her husband is the prosecutor.
What was the story of ‘Presumed Innocent’ Season 1?
(L to R) Jake Gyllenhaal and Bill Camp in ‘Presumed Innocent,’ premiering June 12, 2024 on Apple TV+.
‘Presumed Innocent’s first season starred Gyllenhaal as chief deputy prosecutor Rusty Sabich, as a horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorney’s office when one of its own is suspected of the crime.
The series explores obsession, sex, politics, and the power and limits of love, as the accused fights to hold his family and marriage together.
Brosnahan plays Lois Lane in director James Gunn’s ‘Superman,’ due in theaters on July 11th, and also has a lead role in Al Pacino’s new Shakespeare adaptation ‘Lear Rex,’ which has yet to lock down a release date.
When will ‘Presumed Innocent Season 2 be on screens?
Apple TV+ has yet to announce when the new season might premiere, but we’d have to guess 2026 at the earliest.
Rachel Brosnahan on Prime Video’s ‘The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.’
Movies and TV Shows Similar to ‘Presumed Innocent’:
Guy Ritchie has agreed to direct the ‘Road House’ sequel.
Jake Gyllenhaal will be back as Dalton.
Amazon MGM Studios is once more backing the movie.
There is increasing evidence that filmmaker Guy Ritchie has either cracked the secret of cloning, owns one of the Time-Turners from ‘Harry Potter’ or has simply given up on the idea of sleep or seeing his family.
This is, after all, the man who directed five films in the last four years, and has three films potentially set for release this year (‘Fountain of Youth,’ ‘Wife & Dog,’ and ‘In the Grey’), and that’s before mentioning the Paramount+ series ‘MobLand,’ which recently started streaming, and ‘The Gentlemen,’ renewed for season 2 at Netflix.
And if all that wasn’t enough, he’s also taking on another assignment, as Puck and World of Reel have confirmed that Ritchie will be behind the camera for Amazon MGM’s sequel to 2024’s ‘Road House’ remake, which will once again star Jake Gyllenhaal.
The 1989 original, directed by Rowdy Herrington, starred Patrick Swayze in the story of a roadside dive called The Double Deuce, a sleazy music joint in the small town of Jasper, Missouri, “the kind of place where they sweep up the eyeballs after closing”.
The owner, tired of his place being wrecked by muscle-bound “power drinkers” and provocative bimbos, hires the best bouncer in the business (Swayze’s Dalton) to cool things down. Famously, he starts off charming but doesn’t hesitate to take extreme throat-ripping measures when pushed to his limit.
For the 2024 re-invention, Gyllenhaal took on the slightly adjusted role of Dalton, this time a former UFC fighter looking to find new meaning in his life who finds work as a bouncer at a property owned by Frankie (Jessica Williams).
Anthony Bagarozzi & Charles Mondry wrote the new movie took place at a rough-and-tumble roadhouse in the Florida Keys, but “soon discovers that not everything is what it seems in this tropical paradise.”
Directing that one was Doug Liman, and behind-the-scenes drama, as producer Joel Silver was removed for aggressive behavior, Liman denounced the plan to release the movie direct to streaming (he’s since made peace with the idea) and a lawsuit from the writer of the original that claimed the new movie was simply a grab at keeping the IP.
Still, the movie became a big hit for Amazon, drawing 2.3 million households between March 21st, which is when it was added to the Prime Video library, and March 24th.
At Amazon’s Upfront presentation last May –– where it promotes its upcoming movies and shows to advertisers to encourage them to purchase pricey spots on its service –– the company announced that a ‘Road House’ sequel was in the early stages of development.
This is what Amazon film boss Jennifer Salke said at the event:
“As we saw this spring the world went crazy for a little movie called ‘Road House’. Nearly 80 million viewers globally have watched ‘Road House.’ We like to watch this these results like a baby.”
Ritchie certainly feels like the right person to handle this, as he’s used to tough-guy movies that have a little more going on under the surface.
And he and Gyllenhaal have a prior working relationship –– the actor starred in the director’s 2023 war movie ‘The Covenant’ and they’ve reunited for this year’s ‘In the Grey,’ which sees two extraction specialists having to chart a route of escape for a senior female negotiator.
Actor Jake Gyllenhaal (left) and director Guy Ritchie (right) on the set of ‘The Covenant,’ a Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures film. Credit: Christopher Raphael / Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures.
Given the subject matter and the established connection between director and star, hopes are likely high that things will go much more smoothly this time around.
Will Beall is at work on the script for the sequel, which is a mystery for now –– though a mid-credits scene in the 2024 movie showed Conor McGregor’s villain Knox wreaking havoc at a hospital and escaping unscathed, so presumably that rematch is something that could well be picked up for the new movie.
As for other cast members? No word yet on returning veterans or newcomers.
There is no information yet as to a release date for the new movie.
But perhaps the more interesting question is, where will the ‘Road House’ movie be on screens? Given the success of the 2024 outing, there’s a big chance that Amazon could decide that the best place for a follow-up is to premiere right alongside it on the Prime Video streaming service.
But with the company’s much-vaunted commitment to theatrical releases, as touted during its CinemaCon presentation last week, perhaps having a Gyllenhaal movie in cinemas is no bad strategy –– especially if it drives people to then check out the movie on streaming. We’ve a feeling, though, that it’ll be the former option.
Preview:
