Jake Gyllenhaal unveiled his new character Elwood Dalton last week while filming the new Road House movie. Gyllenhaal stars in the “reimagining” of the 1989 cult classic, playing a former UFC fighter who takes a job as a bouncer when his pro fighting days are over. Last week, he filmed a scene at an actual UFC event in Las Vegas, Nevada, and he made a strong impression.
The clip shows Gyllenhaal taking the stage in character and being treated like any other fighter – even shaking hands with Dana White. The announcer said: “Official weight: 184 and a half for the challenger, Elwood Dalton,” and Gyllenhaal stayed in that character as he shouted and flexed for the crowd. Behind him came MMA world champion Jay Hieron who will play Dalton’s opponent, Jack Harris. He weighed in at 185 and then approached Dalton for the usual face-off. However, Dalton spoiled the moment by slapping him in the face.
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“I can’t even believe I trained six weeks for this s-, to fight this piece of s-. Just give me the belt now. Come on motherf-er. Let’s go,” Gyllenhaal said in character. The scene ended there and the real UFC fight was able to resume.
Although it was one of the last scenes filmed, this may be one of the first scenes in the new Road House movie. Filming on the series began in August of 2022 in the Dominican Republic, so presumably, much of the movie’s plot takes part outside of the UFC stadium. The movie is set in the Florida Keys, where Elwood Dalton must take on a security job at a roadhouse “where things are not as they seem.”
This is a twist on the original Road House starring Patrick Swayze. In that movie, Swayze played James Dalton, an infamous “cooler” from New York City lured away to a job in Missouri where he helps to repair the image of a dangerous roadhouse bar. In the process, he uncovers deep corruption within the town itself and helps to purge it, freeing the local people. So far it’s not clear how Gyllenhaal’s character will be related to Swayze’s character, if at all.
The new movie was written by Anthony Bagarozzi, Chuck Mondry and Sheldon Turner, and directed by Doug Liman. Liman issued a statement to PEOPLE last week saying: “I’m thrilled to put my own spin on the beloved Road House legacy. And I can’t wait to show audiences what Jake and I are going to do with this iconic role.”
Lots of questions remain about the new movie, and some fans are wary. The original Road House is streaming now on Netflix. The reimagined version is expected later this year, but no release date has been set yet. It will be released by Amazon Studios, but ther’s no word on whether or not it will go to theaters or straight to streaming.
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LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 19: Jake Gyllenhaal attends the "Strange World" Family Gala Screening – Arrivals at Picturehouse Central on November 19, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Dave J Hogan/Dave J. Hogan/Getty Images)
