Road House 2 newcomer Dave Bautista revealed that he’s gotten “quite an eduction” from his co-star, Jake Gyllenhaal, in the action sequel. The upcoming Road House sequel will see Gyllenhaal return as Elwood Dalton, a former UFC fighter who becomes a bouncer for a bar in the Florida Keys. Bautista is joining the sequel in a major yet undisclosed role.
In an interview with ScreenRant‘s Grant Hermanns for his new action-thriller Trap House, Bautista explained how Gyllenhaal aided him in his preparation for Road House 2. Describing his co-star as incredibly approachable and dependable, Bautista explained how Gyllenhaal’s knowledge of the business side of the film industry has helped him gain a more educated perspective on the movie business:
ScreenRant: I really enjoyed Jake Gyllenhaal’s Road House, so I’m excited that you’re part of the sequel. I know Prime Video is trusting you to keep their secrets, but I’d love to hear what you can share about joining that world and getting back into the world of MMA for this film.
Dave Bautista: That’s interesting. I think people are expecting that, or they know they’re going to get that. What we really wanted to give them was some backstory and some relationships, especially with me and Jake. Jake’s kind of like Bobby [Cannavale], in that he could have chemistry with anybody. I haven’t known Jake for years, but we have a very close mutual friend. A few years ago, he was on a FaceTime with Jake. I said, “I’m a massive fan.” And then, even before I had the Road House part, I saw him on Broadway for Othello. I went backstage to talk to him, and I loved him immediately. When we started filming this, we started going through the script, and both of us were very much in agreement that we want to flesh more of these relationships out and give this film as much heart as we can. That’s what I’ve enjoyed, because we’ve been really fleshing out a lot of backstory stuff; a lot of relationship stuff. I think they’ve announced a lot of the fighters who are in the film, so fans know they’re gonna get a lot of ass-kicking in this film. The action is gonna be great; lots of brawling and fighting. It’s a Road House film. But I hope that what will separate us is the heart of the film that we’re kind of fleshing out. Jake has been a dream man. I will always say this: I measure my career by who I’m working with, and Jake is at the top of the totem pole. He’s not only been around for a long time, but he’s super respected. He is respected for a reason, because the dude is crazy talented, and not just based on what he puts on screen, but also behind the scenes. He knows his business. He knows how the machine works. He knows dialogue, he knows scripts, and he’s got a lot of insight. I’m really happy to be working with him, and I’m also getting quite an education from this guy. You can tell he’s been in this business for a minute. He’s great, and I’m learning a lot.
The end of Road House allowed for there to be more action-packed thrills with Dalton at the helm, something that seems to be the approach for its upcoming sequel. Road House 2 will be directed by Ilya Naishuller, who will be working from a script written by Will Beall. Alongside Bautista, the core cast will be adding six UFC fighters.
In addition, Jay Hieron will be coming back as Jax “Jetway” Harris, a fictional UFC fighter with connections to Dalton from the first movie. The film, which is going to be on a larger scale than the first, will shoot in the U.K., Malta, and Savannah, Georgia, U.S. As for the story, it remains under wraps, including what Bautista’s true role is.
Based on Bautista’s statement, it seems he and Gyllenhaal are working closely on the movie, the leading star sharing with him information that goes beyond the screen. It’s no surprise considering his lengthy tenure in Hollywood, alongside the number of projects he juggles in both acting and producing. This includes producing the sequel and executive producing the upcoming Presumed Innocent season 2.
There is still plenty of mystery left to be unpacked about the movie and what to expect from it. However, it seems like it’ll be a larger endeavor with plenty of talent both onscreen and behind-the-scenes. Bautista’s statement emphasizes this when he discusses the action involved, though while keeping the exact details close to the chest.
As development on Road House 2 continues, more specific details will likely be revealed in due time. For now, it seems Gyllenhaal and Bautista are working closely on the film, signifying just how central both of their characters, and their subsequent relationship, will be for the core story. How it will play out, though, remains a mystery.
- Director
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Ilya Naishuller
- Writers
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Will Beall
- Franchise(s)
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Road House