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.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Jaz Sinclair, London Thor and Derek Luh about their work on ‘Gen V’ season 2, what happened to their characters at the end of the first season and where they are at the beginning of Season 2, how Thor and Luh work together to portray the same role, why Marie doesn’t trust Dean Cipher, and what it means to them to be part of this popular series.
(L to R) Derek Luh, Jaz Sinclair and London Thor star in ‘Gen V’ season 3.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Sinclair, Thor and Luh, as well as Lizzie Broadway, Maddie Phillips, Asa Germann, Hamish Linklater and Sean Patrick Thomas.
‘Gen V’ Season 2 premieres on Prime Video beginning September 17th.
Moviefone: To begin with, Jaz, can you talk about what happened at the end of Season 1 and where we find Marie when Season 2 begins?
Jaz Sinclair: I mean, at the end of season 1, I get lasered by Homelander. We think I might be dead. I’m not dead. We wake up in a facility, and then we cut to Season 2, where I’m on the run. So, we got captured, we got thrown in Elmira, and there’s a bit of a time jump. I think Maria is just grappling with that, and that the world is not what she thought that it was, and just being in survival mode at the beginning.
London Thor (Jordan Li) in ‘Gen V’ Season 2. Credit: Jasper Savage/Prime. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.
MF: London, can you talk about how Jordan is feeling at the beginning of season 2, especially being separated from Marie?
London Thor: I think Jordan’s going through a big crisis at the beginning of season 2. We’re at our lowest point. We’ve just spent 10 months in prison and all we know is that Marie has abandoned us. We don’t know if she’s okay, if she’s coming back or what’s going on. We don’t know if she made it out. So, it’s an all is lost moment for a lot of us at the top of Season 2.
Derek Luh (Jordan Li) in ‘Gen V’ Season 2. Credit: Jasper Savage/Prime. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.
MF: Derek, you have the unique acting experience of sharing this role as Jordan with London. Do you discuss together off screen what you are both doing in your separate scenes to create one seamless performance for the character?
Derek Luh: There’s conversations that are had and check ins from scene to scene like, “This is what transpired in the scene.” But also, to circumvent that, we would go and watch each other’s coverage to really see what the other person is doing on the day and the choices they’re going to make. Because the scene changes as you do it. You can plan one way and then it completely changes, and someone does something else and now you have to react a certain way. So going and physically getting to watch it and track it made it so much easier than having to recall what we did that day.
(L to R) Jaz Sinclair (Marie Moreau) and Hamish Linklater (Dean Cipher) in ‘Gen V’ Season 2. Credit: Jasper Savage/Prime. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.
MF: Jaz, can you talk about why Marie is suspicious of Dean Cipher and what is it like working with actor Hamish Linklater?
JZ: I do come in so suspicious at the beginning. I’m like, “I don’t trust you”. For starters, Cypher is at Elmira when we’re at Elmira. So, when I’m meeting Cypher, I’m not meeting Cypher. I’m like, “Bro, I know you’re involved with all this evil stuff. When are you going to tell me how and why?” So, I know he’s playing a game from the beginning. That’s why I’m suspicious, because I know he’s bad.
Hamish Linklater (Dean Cipher) in ‘Gen V’ Season 2. Credit: Jasper Savage/Prime. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.
MF: Finally, London, what does it mean to you personally to be part of this series and the overall ‘Boys’ franchise?
LT: It’s the best experience ever, honestly. I was such a big fan of ‘The Boys’ before booking ‘Gen V’ and it’s been such a life changing experience in getting to meet everyone in the cast and getting so close with everybody and being a part of such a unique show. I love superheroes. So being a part of such a unique superhero universe has been amazing.
‘Gen V’ Season 2 premieres on Prime Video beginning September 17th.
What is the plot of ‘Gen V’ season 2?
In the second season, while the US experiences Homelander’s reign, Marie (Jaz Sinclair) and the rest of the inmates return to Godolkin, with a dean who turns Supes into soldiers. On the brink of a war between humans and Supes, the team discovers a program that could change everything.
(Left) Sophie Turner in ‘Another Me.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox. (Right) Lara Croft from the ‘Tomb Raider’ video game.
Preview:
Amazon MGM has confirmed that Turner is officially aboard.
Chad Hodge is joining Phoebe Waller-Bridge to run the show.
The show will run on Prime Video.
We’ve known for nearly two years now that Amazon has plans for treasure hunting character Lara Croft and the series of ‘Tomb Raider’ games in which she appears.
Now, from the sounds of it, Waller-Bridge and Amazon have made their choice, as Deadline reports that Turner, who played Sansa Stark in the huge HBO fantasy series, will be strapping on a utility belt and shorts as Croft.
Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft in ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Launched in 1996 on Sony’s PlayStation console, the ‘Tomb Raider’ series has gone on to be a huge selling title across various platforms, earning more than $95 million by last year and spawning a massive amount of merchandising.
The series gives the player control of fictional British archaeologist Lara Croft, who travels around the world searching for lost artefacts and infiltrating dangerous tombs and ruins.
That most recent title came from MGM and Warner Bros., but though there had been talk of a sequel, with first ‘Meg 2: The Trench‘s Ben Wheatley and then ‘Lovecraft Country’s Misha Green attached to make it, development stalled.
Amazon, of course, bought MGM last year, but the rights to the ‘Tomb Raider’ games had already lapsed from the studio because of the lack of forward movement on the new movie.
With the rights in Amazon’s grip, the plans have now shifted to building out an interconnected Lara Croft universe boasting a new game release and what will probably be another movie reboot but is currently focused on a TV series (unrelated to the one already on Netflix).
What has Phoebe Waller-Bridge said about ‘Tomb Raider’?
Phoebe Waller-Bridge from ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’ at Star Wars Celebration 2023.
While Amazon MGM Studios Head Jennifer Salke has described the company’s plans for the show and other ventures as “epic” and “globe-trotting,” here’s what ‘Raider’ fan Waller-Bridge had to say:
“Lara Croft means a lot to me, as she does to many, and I can’t wait to go on this adventure. Bats ‘n all.”
When will the ‘Tomb Raider’ series hit screens?
With the show still at the casting stage (and Amazon as yet unwilling to officially confirm Turner, pointing to a deal that hasn’t closed right now), it’s far too early to speculate when it might be on Prime Video’s servers.
But we’ll go ahead anyway: 2026 at the earliest!
Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft in 2018’s ‘Tomb Raider.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Other Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Tomb Raider’ Franchise:
‘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.
Moviefone was in attendance at a virtual press conference featuring Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson, Keke Palmer, and director Tim Story. They shared behind-the-scenes details and lots of laughs while celebrating the upcoming release of their new film.
1) Pete Davidson Calls ‘The Pickup’ An Old School Comedy
Pete Davidson at the premiere of ‘The PIckup’. Photo: Prime Video.
When asked to describe ‘The Pickup’, Pete Davidson relates it to an early 2000s movie, emphasizing that it really leans in on the fun side of things.
Pete Davidson: I think it’s one of those fun, early 2000s old school action comedy, fast-moving. There’s not a dull moment. The story picks up literally from the jump, and it moves, and it’s an hour and 40 minutes of just fun. It’s just fun. You watch it with everybody. There’s someone in it for everyone to like, so I think it’s just a right down the middle fastball.
2) The Cast of ‘The Pickup’ Is A Dream Come True For Director Tim Story
(L to R) Pete Davidson as Travis Stolly, Eddie Murphy as Russell Pierce, and Keke Palmer as Zoe in ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video.
With a cast like Eddie Murphy, Keke Palmer, Pete Davidson, and Eva Longoria, you cannot go wrong. Tim Story gushes over them, admitting this is a dream cast.
Tim Story: It was like a dream come true. I want to say my career has a little bit been on trying to chase [Eddie Murphy] down and do a movie with him. And so when you get that, and then you can, you see him with Pete, and as many people have said, it’s the pairing that you didn’t realize you needed so much, and then you see them together, and then you had Keke. It was just a bag of riches that just kept coming out. It’s a movie of the 80s, and I’m an 80s comedy kind of kid, and I just felt like I had a dream come true.
3) Keke Palmer Was Excited To Work With Pete Davidson Again, This Time Face-to-Face
(L to R) Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson at ‘The Pickup’ virtual press conference.
Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson have worked together in the past, but because of the pandemic, ‘The Pickup’ was actually the first time they were able to work together face-to-face.
Keke Palmer: I worked with Pete before, so it was great to work with him again, and this time face-to-face because the last thing we did was a podcast during COVID. So we were really not near each other. It was during COVID, so they wouldn’t even let us say hi. We were just in between sheets of glass and so desperately wanting to do something, and this thing came along. I had a good time. It was really fun.
4) Keke Palmer Says Watching Eddie Murphy Work Was A Masterclass
(L to R) Eddie Murphy as Russell Pierce and Pete Davidson as Travis Stolly in ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video.
Keke Palmer, who is a comedic genuis herself, was extremely impressed watching Eddie Murphy work. She feels as if she has learned a lot from working alongside him.
Keke Palmer: I was happy because I asked him his favorite movie that he’s ever done, and I was like, it was the same movie of mine that he’s ever done, which is ‘Nutty Professor’, because those characters that he made were so real. For years, when I was little, I was like, is that really Eddie? That’s not a real mama? Every single character was so truthful. It was comedy, but it was truthful, and I really do feel like working on ‘The Pickup’ prepared me for one of them days because I got to watch a masterclass of him continuously playing the truth. Every improvisation, every joke, the situation was the comedy, and he just always knew how to add to it in just the right way. It was an honor. I can’t wait to do it again.
5) ‘The Pickup’ Script Is What Drew Eddie Murphy To The Film
(L to R) Paige Butcher and Eddie Murphy at the premiere of ‘The PIckup’. Photo: Prime Video.
Eddie Murphy is a legend. Because of this he can pick and choose what projects he wants to work on. He claims it was the solid script of ‘The Pickup’ that made him want to be a part of it.
Eddie Murphy: That the script was solid when I read it. Usually, these pieces take years to develop and you see a bunch of different drafts of the script. But this thing was like 90% there when I read it the first time. It was like, hey, this could work. Then we got Tim, and I was like, okay, well, we’re making this movie. It just came together really quick. The script being solid is why I jumped on it, so to speak.
6) Keke Palmer Says Her ‘The Pickup’ Character Is More Of An Anti-Hero Than A Villain
Keke Palmer as Zoe in ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video.
When asked if she was inspired by any other performances when crafting her character, Keke Palmer says that she wasn’t thinking about anyone in particular, and just wanted to be truthful to who she felt her character is.
Keke Palmer: I was just wanting to play who I thought this character was, honestly, truthfully. She’s a villain, but she’s somebody that has a reason. In my mind, I felt like she was a bit of an anti-hero, and she’s honestly trying to get these guys on board with what she’s trying to do. There’s a bit of a romance that’s happening with Pete’s character, even if she’s not fully admitting it. And then there’s this feeling of she’s wanting Eddie’s character to believe in her. She’s looking for somebody to validate what she’s doing.
7) Pete Davidson Explains There Was A Lot Of Improv While Filming – A Lot Of Which Did Not Make The Final Cut Of The Movie
(L to R) Keke Palmer and Pete Davidson at ‘The Pickup’ virtual press conference.
When asked about improvising on set, Pete Davidson admits that he and Eddie Murphy had a lot of moments where they just went off, saying random things. A lot of them did not make the final cut, but they still think about them.
Pete Davidson: Oh, a lot of stuff. I was saying some foul stuff. Some of it’s in there. Tim was very trusting to all of us. We would get one as scripted and then he would just let us have fun and go off. I think some of the best moments in the film are just us all messing around. That Marshawn Lynch one with the whole twin thing. Or Eddie when he was like, jiggle the back, make the back jiggle. That killed me. When you’re changing the tire, and you said like maybe to a passing car, I don’t read as white, that was hilarious. I just had a lot of fun, and I appreciated Tim’s trust. And it made the movie really easy and fun to film.
8) Tim Story Says Editing The Comedy Of ‘The Pickup’ Was Easier Than One Might Think
(L to R) Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson, director Tim Story on the set of ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video
With a comedy like ‘The Pickup’ there must be a lot of improv, especially because of the cast. While one might think this would make it harder to edit, Tim Story says that he just respected the comedy rules.
Tim Story: I’m a slave to the comedy rules. You put it together. If it works and an audience laughs, we keep it. If it doesn’t work, we get rid of it. That’s what’s fun. As you trim off all the fat, you end up with something that just makes it great. But that’s what’s also great about what you saw a lot between Eddie and Pete, and obviously Keke, is that they just give you these nuggets. But at the same time, what’s fun about it is they’re also very surgical. Once they lock into what makes the scene work, they just give you more of that.
9) Eddie Murphy Reveals His First Impressions Of His Costars
(L to R) Eddie Murphy and Tim Story at ‘The Pickup’ virtual press conference.
Eddie Murphy describes his first impressions of his ‘The Pickup’ costars, Pete Davidson and Keke Palmer.
Eddie Murphy: My first impression wasn’t on the set with Pete. I knew him from the show, from SNL. And Keke, I didn’t know all the different stuff that Keke did. I’d seen that Pimp series that she did. I was like, that’s the girl from Pimp. She’s good. So when she got on the set, it was like, oh, wow, yeah, this girl is good. Then it was like, oh, she hosts this game show, too. Then I watched the game show, and it was a totally different human being. She has a persona that she does for the game show, and it’s a great game show host, but she’s nothing like that. And then she’s nothing like she is in the movie. Off camera, she’s nothing like any of the stuff that she does. So I’ve been tripping off of her. And she sings and all that. Actually, I was like that when I was her age.
10) Eddie Murphy Praising Keke Palmer Makes Her Emotional
Keke Palmer at the premiere of ‘The PIckup’. Photo: Prime Video.
Hearing Eddie Murphy praise her like this, makes Keke Palmer extremely emotional.
Keke Palmer: I could cry, to be quite honest with you. There’s nothing better. Eddie is literally the blueprint. I remember watching ‘Trading Places’. Like I said, I’ve grown up on all his movies and his impact. He’s done things that they would never be done again. And to be around him and to also see how he’s had the longevities he’s had, and still reserve himself. When Eddie gets on stage, he’s performing. He’s giving you all he’s got. Then when he’s done, he’s got his family. He’s got his kids.
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What is the plot of ‘The Pickup’?
In the action-comedy The Pickup, a routine cash pickup takes a wild turn when two mismatched armored truck drivers, Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson), are ambushed by ruthless criminals led by a savvy mastermind, Zoe (Keke Palmer), with plans that go way beyond the cash cargo. As chaos unfolds around them, the unlikely duo must navigate high-risk danger, clashing personalities, and one very bad day that keeps getting worse.
(L to R) Pete Davidson as Travis Stolly, Eddie Murphy as Russell Pierce, and Keke Palmer as Zoe in ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video.
As a lifelong fan of Eddie Murphy, and especially his early action comedies like ’48 Hrs.’, ‘Beverly Hills Cop’ and ‘The Golden Child’, I was very excited to see ‘The Pickup’, which is the legendary actor’s return to the genre he helped create. And while ‘The Pickup’ is not on the same level as Murphy’s past buddy cop movies or even classics like ‘Lethal Weapon’ or ‘Rush Hour’, the film does offer laughs and great chemistry between Murphy and co-star Pete Davidson.
In a way, Murphy plays the opposite of what he played in previous buddy cop movies, no longer the young upstart (that’s Davidson now), he’s grown well into the older, grumpier role. He’s not exactly the straight man, and certainly has many funny moments himself, but works well reacting to Davidson, who brings his usual brand of humor. While we’ve seen Davidson play the “dumb but likable guy” in the past, his schtick still works and the actor has some very funny moments with Murphy.
However, the direction is mediocre, and the third act crumbles under its own weight. Director Tim Story can handle the characters and the humor, but the action is standard at best. Actress Keke Palmer also has great chemistry with Murphy and Davidson, but her character has so many different twists and reveals, that it’s hard to completely believe her in the role. While enjoyable, the film does nothing to elevate the buddy cop genre and its success hinges on the chemistry between the two lead actors, which thankfully works.
Story and Direction
(L to R) Eddie Murphy, Pete Davidson, director Tim Story on the set of ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video
The movie begins by introducing us to Russell Pierce (Eddie Murphy), a veteran armored truck guard who is looking forward to celebrating his anniversary later that evening with his wife Natalie (Eva Longoria). Once at work and hoping to have an easy day, his boss (Andrew Dice Clay) informs him that he will be doing the day’s most difficult deliveries. In addition, he must also break in a new partner, slacker Travis Stolly (Pete Davidson), who the day before accidentally pulled a gun on a woman named Zoe (Keke Palmer) in a bank, and now thinks he’s in love with her.
As Russell and Travis go about their deliveries, they are hijacked by thieves. While the two do their best to fend off the hijackers, they are eventually captured, and their kidnapper’s identity is revealed. Soon, Natalie is also captured, and Pierce and Travis are forced to work with the thieves to rob a casino. Now, Pierce and Travis must put their differences aside and work together to save Natalie, clear their names and stop the heist.
Tim Story is a veteran director with many big films under his belt including the ‘Barbershop’ and ‘Fantastic Four’ franchises, but he is a journeyman filmmaker at best. His work here is adequate, but Story doesn’t offer anything to elevate this from your standard buddy cop movie, other than assembling a terrific cast, which does most of the heavy lifting. Except for one very fun set piece that features an armored car chase, most of the action sequences seem generic and don’t add much to the overall movie.
The script from Matt Mider and Kevin Burrows works best when it is focusing on character and falls apart in the third act with all its twists and turns. If ‘The Pickup’ was just an homage to classic buddy cop movies, I think that would have worked, but the screenplay also pulls inspiration from Tony Scott’s ‘Unstoppable’ and heist movies like ‘Heat’ and ‘The Town’, and I think it was just too much for one movie to handle.
Cast and Performances
(L to R) Keke Palmer, Eddie Murphy, and Pete Davidson in ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video.
Eddie Murphy may have had one of the best runs in history of any actor’s early career. With hits like ’48 Hrs.’, ‘Beverly Hills Cop’, and ‘Coming to America’, Murphy was one of the biggest stars of his time. After a few movies that didn’t work, he was quickly back on top with ‘The Nutty Professor’ and ‘Shrek’ franchises and began making family movies, leaving the action-comedy genre behind. Which is what made his role in ‘The Pickup’ so appealing, because its Eddie Murphy returning to the genre he helped create.
But this is not the Eddie Murphy we once knew. This is an older, wiser, and calmer Eddie Murphy, but when given the right moment is just as funny as ever. After giving a career defining performance in the criminally underrated ‘Dolemite Is My Name’, Murphy has appeared in below average comedies like ‘Coming 2 America’, ‘You People’ and ‘Candy Cane Lane’, and while those movies lowered the bar quite a bit, I can honestly say this is the best work Murphy has done since ‘Dolemite’. Murphy is also quite good adjusting to the older partner role, it’s almost like he’s playing the Nick Nolte character and Davidson is playing the Eddie Murphy character, to use ’48 Hrs.’ as an example.
Murphy is at his best when he is playing the truthfulness of the moment and being funny without trying to be funny. He has great chemistry with all his co-stars including Longoria, but especially Davidson. As an old school Eddie Murphy fan, it was great to see him playing a cop again (sort of), and the actor is very good in his action and fight scenes.
As for his part, Pete Davidson certainly brings charisma and his own brand of charm to the role. The character was clearly tailor made for Davidson and he is completely believable in the role. The actor has a funny chemistry with Murphy, who he clearly looks up to and they make a great comedy team. Davidson’s “likable dumb guy” does begin to wear thin at times, but at least Murphy is there to even in out.
It’s very difficult to talk about Keke Palmer’s role in this movie without giving away spoilers. I’ll just say that she is a terrific and funny actress that was perhaps miscast here. Her role takes on many different forms throughout the film and because of that, her performance is uneven. She has a strong emotional monologue in the third act, but her character’s conclusion left me scratching my head.
Eva Longoria is a lot of fun as Russell’s feisty wife, and she is great opposite Murphy, but doesn’t have a lot to do till the third act. Finally, for 80’s stand-up comedy fans, you will not want to miss seeing Eddie Murphy share a scene on the big screen with fellow comedic legend Andrew Dice Clay!
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Eddie Murphy as Russell Pierce and Eva Longoria as Natalie Pierce in ‘The Pickup’. Photo: Prime Video.
‘The Pickup’ is your standard buddy cop movie but the performances and chemistry between Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson elevates it from being too generic. While not a home run, the movie is funny and filled with action, and will be enjoyable for fans of the genre and Eddie Murphy, who isn’t exactly at his all-time best here, but certainly his best in recent years.
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What is the plot of ‘The Pickup’?
In the action-comedy The Pickup, a routine cash pickup takes a wild turn when two mismatched armored truck drivers, Russell (Eddie Murphy) and Travis (Pete Davidson), are ambushed by ruthless criminals led by a savvy mastermind, Zoe (Keke Palmer), with plans that go way beyond the cash cargo. As chaos unfolds around them, the unlikely duo must navigate high-risk danger, clashing personalities, and one very bad day that keeps getting worse.
(L to R) Courtney Taylor, Maggie Q and John Carroll Lynch star in ‘Ballard’.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down in-person with Maggie Q, John Carroll Lynch and Courtney Taylor to talk about their work on ‘Ballard’. Q discussed introducing the character first on ‘Bosch: Legacy’, working with Titus Welliver, the team Ballard puts together and the future of the series, while Lynch talked about his character’s past with Ballard and his brother’s love for author Michael Connelly’s work, and Taylor talked about her character’s backstory and working with the cast.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Maggie Q (Renée Ballard) in ‘Ballard’. Photo: Greg Gayne/Prime Video.
Moviefone: To begin with, Maggie, coming off the introduction of Renée Ballard in ‘Bosch: Legacy’, what has it been like for you as an actress to have the opportunity to really explore not only her past and her present, but her future with this new series?
Maggie Q: I mean, how cool is it that we were able to introduce her in that way, and I was able to just feel out the world through the eyes of obviously the ‘Bosch’ community and universe who have been established and obviously have all known each other? It was just this club, right? I come into this club, and it’s so warm and welcoming and wonderful that it just gave me such a grounding in the universe. Without that cast, and the producers and their reaction to me and the welcoming that they gave me, I mean, I don’t know that I would’ve been as grounded going into ‘Ballard’, so that was a huge gift. I mean, the episode is fun, and our outro, Titus and I, maybe we have a future together, maybe we don’t. She thinks he’s kind of a dangerous guy, and I think it set us up for a nice friendship that allows for Bosch to dip in and out and be that person that she can confide in about high-level stuff, and someone who understands her. I mean, the only other person she really has that she has history with is Laffont. It provides her something that I think we wouldn’t have without his presence. I think, building and going to the future, we’re obviously making something very different from ‘Bosch’, similar but different, in that we really wanted to create a world that was honoring the past, but also building on what they obviously did so successfully. I think that everything they did successfully, if we were smart, we would nod to wherever we can.
MF: John, can you talk about Thomas Laffont’s past with Renée Ballard, and why he decides to come out of retirement and help her on this new journey?
John Carroll Lynch: It’s funny to think about that somewhere, while all these stories were told in the ‘Bosch’ universe with Harry Bosch, somewhere in the department, Tom Laffont’s working. It’s an interesting thing to play a character that you hadn’t met in a whole new light. He retired from the police force. He changed his life. Then I think he came back to help Renée because not only of the connection that they have and that she needs the help right now, but also, I think there’s a sense he has of a debt to pay, because he wasn’t truly himself with her and he wants to be. More importantly, he wants to support her through this. I think he wants to help a good cop that he knows is a good cop.
(L to R) Courtney Taylor (Zamira Parker) and Maggie Q (Renée Ballard) in ‘Ballard’. Photo: Greg Gayne/Prime Video.
MF: Courtney, just like Ballard, Parker has also had a bad experience working with the LAPD in the past. How has meeting Ballard and working with her team began to heal the trauma that she went through as a police officer?
Courtney Taylor: I believe for Parker, it allows her to see that the job that she loves did come with good people, and I don’t think she’s ever been able to lean on people the way that she’s always wanted to, and I think because of her bad experience, it made her go inward. When she meets Ballard and she meets Laffont and meets this team of passionate people on the cold case unit, I think it just reminds her of like, “Oh, that’s right. I got in this job for a reason, because not only do I love it, but I wanted to work with other people who loved it too.” I think that’s part of her healing journey, which is recognizing she’s not the only one who loves the job as much as she does.
MF: Maggie, can you talk about the team that Ballard puts together to help solve these cold cases and what it’s been like for you working with this ensemble cast?
MQ: It’s perfectly cast, right? Everybody brings something so unique to the table. What I love about that is how the writing is very clear with each character, what their journey is, who they are to the team, so that’s a huge leg up. A lot of times you’re having to create something out of thin air that doesn’t exist on the page, so having that was huge. I was able to know the whole entire arc from episode one to ten before I ever signed on. In knowing that, it was hugely invaluable to have the gift of going to be able to do character studies on each person and know really what I want to achieve with each person, and in doing that, what that would bring to the show. You don’t get that, because you’re not able to see it. I mean, people usually sign onto a show and it’s a Hail Mary, right? “I hope it’s good.” I knew that the arc of the season was great, and if the cast was going to come together correctly, that it was going to be great. I was betting on a horse that I knew was fast, thank goodness, and it doesn’t happen like that. You don’t get that gift, and so that was huge.
(L to R) John Carroll Lynch (Thomas Laffont) and Maggie Q (Renée Ballard) in ‘Ballard’. Photo: Tyler Golden/Prime Video.
MF: John, were you a fan of Michael Connolly’s books or TV shows before joining the cast of ‘Ballard’?
JCL: I was aware of the work, and I had seen the work. I really liked the ‘Bosch’ shows. I really liked ‘Lincoln Lawyer.’ I liked those shows and I thought they were good, and I also loved the feeling of different parts of the city. Truth be told, the person in my family who knew it was my brother. When I got the offer, he was like, “I’ve read every single book. I’m waiting for the next one.” He goes, “Oh, you got to take this.” Thanks, David.
MF: Courtney, what has it been like for you personally to join this world that Michael Connolly has created and to be joined by former ‘Bosch’ and ‘Bosch: Legacy’ actors, essentially giving their blessing for this new series?
CT: Well, I was always a fan of Michael Connelly’s stuff. I think ‘Lincoln Lawyer’ is great and the ‘Bosch’ series has done so well, and I think it’s an honor to be able to be a part of Michael Connelly’s legacy, which is this new ‘Ballard’ inspired series. I think just watching Titus and seeing him whenever he came to set and him not even tripping, just very much like, “You guys got it.” He was so supportive, and no giving us notes. He’s like, “You guys got it. You guys understand it. I don’t need to really say anything. I’m just here to read the lines they told me to do, to serve whatever you all need.” It was a very big support from his end, in a way where he was just like, “I don’t need to say anything. You guys have got it in the bag.” It was nice to feel that.
(L to R) Maggie Q (Renée Ballard) and Titus Welliver (Bosch) in ‘Ballard’. Photo: Tyler Golden/Prime Video.
MF: Finally, Maggie, what does it mean to you to have Titus Welliver reprise his role as Harry Bosch in season 1 of ‘Ballard’ and in a sense pass the baton of this franchise on to you?
MQ: Literally, and he was so generous. I say this to anyone who’ll listen. People who’ve had that amount of success for a decade, who look at the people who will carry the torch forward and carry the baton forward and give them their blessing and have graciousness in their spirit, in their heart, and want to contribute to good things for us, that is not normal, by the way. I wish it was, but Titus ends up being somebody very special because that is who he is to us, and that’s what he wants to do for the show. It’s awesome.
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What is the plot of ‘Ballard’?
Ballard continues to bring Michael Connelly’s bestselling novels to life, following Detective Renée Ballard (Maggie Q) as she leads the LAPD’s new and underfunded cold case division, tackling the city’s most challenging long-forgotten crimes with empathy and relentless determination. As she peels back layers of crimes spanning decades, including a serial killer’s string of murders and a murdered John Doe, she soon uncovers a dangerous conspiracy within the LAPD. With the help of her volunteer team and retired detective Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver), Detective Ballard navigates personal trauma, professional challenges, and life-threatening dangers to expose the truth.
(L to R) Maggie Q (Renée Ballard) and Courtney Taylor (Zamira Parker) in ‘Ballard’. Photo: Greg Gayne/Prime Video.
Based on a character created by author Michael Connolly and technically a spinoff of ‘Bosch: Legacy’, ‘Ballard’ is an adequate cop series but lacks the style and magic of its predecessor. While the title character was introduced in the final episode of ‘Bosch: Legacy’, the new series has almost nothing in common with the former other than a few mentions of past characters and an occasional appearance from Titus Welliver and other ‘Bosch’ actors.
It’s more akin to ‘The Closer’, ‘Cold Case’ or ABC’s ‘Highly Potential’ with Kaitlin Olson. Maggie Q does the best she can with the role but lacks the charisma or gravitas to truly lead the series. John Carroll Lynch and the supporting cast also do their best to fill in the gaps, but it’s not enough to pick up the pace and tone, which otherwise falls flat. The series does get better as it goes on, gaining momentum as the audience gets to know the cast of characters and their backstories, but it never exceeds the level of just your generic cop series.
Story and Direction
Maggie Q (Renée Ballard) in ‘Ballard’. Photo: Greg Gayne/Prime Video.
The series begins by reintroducing us to Los Angeles detective Renée Ballard (Maggie Q), who has recently gone through an internal affairs investigation after reporting misconduct by one of her colleagues and has now been assigned to lead her own cold case department, which she sees as a demotion. Ballard’s first case is to solve the murder of councilman Jake Pearlman’s (Noah Bean) sister, which leads to discovering other victims.
Ballard puts together a new team of her own including her former partner, retired detective Thomas Laffont (John Carroll Lynch), volunteer and possible psychic Colleen Hatteras (Rebecca Field), intern Martina Castro (Victoria Moroles), reserve policeman and Pearlman’s friend Ted Rawls (Michael Mosley), and former detective Samira Parker (Courtney Taylor), who was also forced out of the department because of accusing her co-workers of misconduct.
In addition to investigating the councilman’s sister’s murder, Ballard and her team take on several other high-profile cold cases, eventually leading to an investigation into a team of crooked cops, that is directly connected to both Ballard and Parker’s pasts. While carefully investigating the dirty police officers, Ballard confides in her old friend Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver) for advice, as he is a former LA detective turned private investigator who has had his own troubles in the past navigating the politics of the Los Angeles police department.
(L to R) Maggie Q (Renée Ballard) and Michael Mosley (Ted Rawls) in ‘Ballard’. Photo: Patrick Wymore/Prime Video.
I know that ‘Ballard’ is technically a spinoff of ‘Bosch: Legacy’, but the series tries to have it’s cake and eat it too by completely stripping the tone and style of its predecessor and yet still shoehorning in ‘Bosch’ characters as if to say, “Hey, remember this is still ‘Bosch’!” And it’s not just the great Titus Welliver who returns with almost nothing to do, but more on that in a moment.
The series jumps right in as if we are supposed to already care about these characters, with no backstory explaining how they got here. To be fair, the backstories unfold as the series progresses, and that’s when you begin to care about these characters and the team they have created, but its several episodes in before that happens, and I’m afraid the casual watcher won’t give the series that long to get going.
‘Ballard’ is also missing the style and substance of ‘Bosch’ and ‘Bosch: Legacy’, which is what made the show so compelling. Those series had a noir feeling that ‘Ballard’ just can’t replicate. Ballard lives on the west side of LA, by the beach, which is in stark contrast to the Downtown LA/Hollywood vibe of the original series and fails to create an intriguing atmosphere. While the series builds some momentum as the episodes progress, it’s not enough to transcend the standard cop show syndrome the series is stuck in.
With the character of Renée Ballard only introduced in the final episode of season 3 of ‘Bosch: Legacy’, it’s not like even ‘Bosch’ fans have a long history with her and the series does nothing in the first few episodes to show us why we should care about her or the show. Ballard’s catch phrase is “The past is always present”, which holds a different meaning through the prism of solving cold cases, but rings hollow in the context of the series and just seems like a substitute for Bosch’s famous motto, “Everybody counts, or nobody counts.”
Cast and Performances
(L to R) John Carroll Lynch (Thomas Laffont) and Maggie Q (Renée Ballard) in ‘Ballard’. Photo: Tyler Golden/Prime Video.
Maggie Q is a capable actress and has been quite good in action driven movies like ‘Mission: Impossible III,’ ‘Live Free or Die Hard’ and ‘The Protégé’ but lacks the charismas or gravitas to lead a series like this in the same way Titus Welliver did with the ‘Bosch’ franchise. Welliver became synonymous with the character, and it was hard to know the difference between Bosch and the actor playing him. Welliver also had a magnetic quality on screen, you couldn’t take your eyes off him, and Q does not possess the same characteristics as Ballard.
With popular series like ‘Nikita’ and ‘Designated Survivor’ under her belt, Q is more than qualified to lead her own series, but perhaps this was not the best marriage of actor and character, as she has difficulty being believable in the role. What should be a showcase for another complex and likable Michael Connolly character instead seems like a run-of-the-mill cop you would find on any network police procedural.
The supporting cast does their best including acclaimed actor John Carroll Lynch (‘Zodiac’ and ‘The Founder’), who plays Ballard’s former partner Thomas Laffont, who has come out of retirement to back up Renée. As their past together and the reasons why Laffont retired come to the surface, there is more for Lynch to work with, but his character is a standout from the very beginning of the season.
(L to R) Courtney Taylor (Zamira Parker) and Maggie Q (Renée Ballard) in ‘Ballard’. Photo: Greg Gayne/Prime Video.
Courtney Taylor’s Samira Parker has a big redemption arc in the first season and the actress is solid in the role. Having her past connect with Ballard’s was smart, if not also predictable, but works for the conspiracy plot and bringing Parker and Ballard closer together as friends.
Rounding out the cast are Michael Mosley, whose Ted Rawls is annoying at first but grows on you as time goes on, Victoria Moroles’ Martina, who’s not given much to do until the final episodes, and Rebecca Field’s possibly psychic Colleen, who is bubbly and funny, and is a standout the entire season.
Connections to ‘Bosch’
(L to R) Maggie Q (Renée Ballard) and Titus Welliver (Bosch) in ‘Ballard’. Photo: Tyler Golden/Prime Video.
While the series seems completely devoid of any connections or even a similar tone to ‘Bosch’ in the opening episodes, several characters, both big and small, make their return in ‘Ballard’. The most obvious is Titus Welliver as Harry Bosch. While Welliver’s appearance is always welcome, Harry seems out of place in ‘Ballard’, regulated to basically an advisory character.
Keep in mind, when ‘Ballard’ was first announced, it was assumed that ‘Bosch: Legacy’ would get a fourth season after she was introduced in season three, but after ‘Ballard’ got picked up, the decision was made to cancel the show. Unfortunately, Ballard was not introduced early in ‘Bosch: Legacy’s final season and given time to build, instead she was injected into the final episode, which always felt more like a backdoor pilot.
Let’s get this out of the way: ‘Bosch: Legacy’ never should have been canceled! Sadly, it was and while I want nothing more than to see Titus Welliver on screen as Harry Bosch once again, this was not the right way to do it. Major kudos to Welliver for being a class act and donating his time to appear on the new series, but why the showrunners would waste his appearance like this is beyond me. If you are going to bring Bosch back, make him part of the story. Give him some actions scenes and something to recite other than exposition, please!
Jamie Hector on Prime Video’s ‘Bosch.’ Credit: Hopper Stone. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
Hardcore ‘Bosch’ fans will be over-the-moon to know that Jamie Hector returns as Detective Jerry Edgar, but again, don’t get too excited. His appearances are nothing more than cameos, and a way of bridging the gap between the two series and making ‘Ballard’ feel more like it is part of the ‘Bosch’ world. But again, these attempts feel hollow and not only don’t work to connect it to the overall ‘Bosch’ universe but keeps it from standing apart as its own distinct series.
It’s also particularly disappointing as ‘Bosch’ fans were really hoping for J. Edgar to reunite with Harry on screen before the end of ‘Legacy’, which didn’t happen. So, seeing him here seems like another wasted moment. Speaking of wasted moments, Stephen Chang who was a series regular on ‘Legacy’ for three seasons as Mo Bassi returns for one scene where he has no dialogue and only walks out of a house. I appreciate the continuity, but why make Chang return for that?
Several other recognizable faces from the two previous series return, including Troy Evans as Barrel and Mimi Rogers as Honey “Money” Chandler. Just like Welliver and Hector’s returns, they don’t amount to much other than connecting ‘Ballard’ to the greater ‘Bosch’ universe. But since the show goes so far out of its way to establish that this show is not ‘Bosch’, it confuses me as to why they even bothered with the cameos. In all other ways, style, substance, tone, music, there are no connections to the previous shows, so these cameo appearances feel a bit off. But if you are going to bring back these excellent actors in the future, please give them more to do.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Maggie Q (Renée Ballard) and Courtney Taylor (Zamira Parker) in ‘Ballard’. Photo: Adam Rose/Prime Video.
While ‘Ballard’ is a fine cop show, it just can’t hold a candle to the previous two ‘Bosch’ series, which is probably an unfair comparison. But since ‘Ballard’ tries so hard to both be part of the ‘Bosch’ universe and something completely new, it fails on both counts. Maggie Q lacks the gravitas required for the role and the series fails to create any real urgency to watch. In the end, ‘Ballard’ is just another cop show and does not live up to the legacy of ‘Bosch’.
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What is the plot of ‘Ballard’?
Ballard continues to bring Michael Connelly’s bestselling novels to life, following Detective Renée Ballard (Maggie Q) as she leads the LAPD’s new and underfunded cold case division, tackling the city’s most challenging long-forgotten crimes with empathy and relentless determination. As she peels back layers of crimes spanning decades, including a serial killer’s string of murders and a murdered John Doe, she soon uncovers a dangerous conspiracy within the LAPD. With the help of her volunteer team and retired detective Harry Bosch (Titus Welliver), Detective Ballard navigates personal trauma, professional challenges, and life-threatening dangers to expose the truth.
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+.
