For much of her career, Maggie Gyllenhaal has gravitated toward complicated women. In her best films, from Secretary to The Deuce to her Oscar-nominated turn in the wonderful country music film Crazy Heart, and now as the writer-director of the ambitious 2026 calendar release The Bride!, she has built a body of work centered on women with interior lives that don’t fit neatly into boxes. But in a revealing new conversation, she turned that same introspection inward, revealing that early in their careers, she deliberately tried to stay ‘separate’ from her brother.

In a wide-ranging interview with The New York Times, Gyllenhaal reflected on everything from envy and artistic rage to what it meant to direct Jake for the first time in the upcoming The Bride!. And in doing so, she candidly addressed why she once felt the need to define herself separately from him, even though the two were never estranged. In her words:

Both siblings began acting as teenagers, but Jake’s rise to leading-man status happened quickly. While Maggie steadily built a respected and eclectic career of her own, she now acknowledges that the early years carried feelings she didn’t entirely recognize at the time.

One of those feelings was envy, an emotion she finds deeply compelling, both personally and artistically. It’s something she’s returned to repeatedly in her work and in her own self-examination. She explained:

In an industry fueled by comparison and quiet competition, those feelings can easily intensify. But with time and perspective, Gyllenhaal says she came to understand something she couldn’t fully grasp when she was younger: success isn’t finite. Reflecting on those early years, she added:

She described asking her brother as an emotional moment, a genuine invitation “with love.” And while she emphasized they were never estranged, she acknowledged that true closeness has grown more recently:

As the The Dark Knight actress developed her artistic voice, first as a performer drawn to provocative, boundary-pushing material, and now as a filmmaker unafraid to explore violence, rage and female power, she needed space to define herself outside the shadow of a famous last name.

Now, years later, that early distance appears to have made space for something deeper: a relationship built not on comparison, but on conscious connection. In fact, Jake has recently spoken openly about how much he admires his sister, even describing her as an “artistic north star” in his life, a sentiment that’s genuinely heartening to see.

Audiences will get to witness their collaboration firsthand when Maggie Gyllenhaal directs Jake Gyllenhaal for the first time in her upcoming horror film The Bride!, arriving in theaters on March 6, 2026.

Easily my most anticipated 2026 movie release whose title boasts an exclamation point, among many other metrics, Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! is closer than ever to bringing Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale’s monstrous coupling to audiences. As the upcoming horror film’s latest trailer was released, co-star Jake Gyllenhaal took to social media not only to share the bonkers preview, but also to heap a bunch of loving praise onto his filmmaking sister.

The Road House star recently filmed with two internationally beloved directors in Guy Ritchie (for the action-drama In the Grey opposite Henry Cavill) and M. Night Shyamalan (for the psychological thriller Remain), but one can assume that getting to work on his older sibling’s second movie meant just a little bit more on an emotional level. Speaking to that, Gyllenhaal hit up Instagram with only kind words, as seen below:

Well now the question has to be, "Who does Jake Gyllenhaal look up to more than Maggie?" Hopefully the answer to that isn't "Victor Frankenstein," because yikes.

More seriously, though, that message is as sweet and supportive as could be, and he no doubt would have been just as braggy about it even if he wasn't in the movie at all. The Presumed Innocent vet does show up in the latest action-filled trailer, though it doesn't exactly bode well for his character Ronnie Reed's survival, as Buckley's Bride is holding him at gunpoint in front of a bunch of other fancily dressed people.

If his character does get killed off, I bet it's in a spectacular fashion. One cannot just simply kill a sibling off quietly with zero pizzazz.

This of course won't be the first time that the Gyllenhaal siblings have worked on the same project. They first shared the screen in 1993's A Dangerour Woman, starring Debra Winger and Barbara Hershey, as that was actually directed by their father Stephen, who also helmed 1998's Homegrown, which also featured the duo. They later played on-screen brother and sister in 2000's cult classic Donnie Darko, and Jake co-starred in Maggie Gyllenhaal's directorial debut, 2021's psychological drama The Lost Daughter (which also co-starred The Bride!'s Jessie Buckley).

Check out the latest trailer for The Bride! below.

Beyond The Bride! and the two aforementioned movies from Ritchie and Shyamalan, Jake Gyllenhaal has Road House 2 on the docket, and is reportedly in the midst of filming that currently. In the last year, he was attached to a TV adaptation of comic scribe Mark Millar’s series Nemesis (with the Russo brothers producing), as well as the quirky thriller Collision.

Before any of that, though, catch him opposite two of horror cinema’s most celebrated monsters when The Bride! finally hits theaters on March 6, 2026. Hopefully the previous premiere date delays were totally worth waiting through!

The Jake Gyllenhaal-led Road House reboot debuted to Amazon Prime Video subscription holders in March 2024, and along with receiving a decent amount of positive critical reception (our own Eric Eisenberg gave it 4 out of 5 stars in his Road House review), it was a massive hit for the streaming platform. So it was hardly shocking when it was announced that Road House 2 was happening, but apparently that’s not the only Road House sequel in the works. Doug Liman, who directed the reboot, reportedly wants to make his own separate follow-up to the original Road House.

You may recall how Liman criticized Amazon for scrapping Road House’s theatrical run and made it a streaming-only release, saying that “nobody got compensated” for the shift. Now, along with him not returning to helm Road House 2, Deadline reports that the filmmaker has secured the sequel rights for the 1989 Road House, which starred Patrick Swayze and was written by R. Lance Hill. Liman is planning to make Road House: Dylan, though no plot details were revealed.

It’s worth noting that in 2006, a direct-to-video Road House 2 was released starring Johnathon Schaech as DEA Agent Shane Tanner, the son of Patrick Swayze’s James Dalton. Assuming Doug Liman is successful in getting his Road House follow-up off the ground, needless to say it would get a significantly bigger release. As for how it would be possible to have two separate Road House movies be made, that stems from R. Lance Hill filing a federal lawsuit over ownership of the franchise.

Doug Liman met with Hill when he was beginning work on the Road House reboot and, as Deadline put it, “sympathized with his plight” regarding the ownership issues. Hill’s lawyer argued that his client lawfully reacquired the rights to his script on November 11, 2023, 35 years after he sold it to United Artists. Amazon-MGM, however, is arguing that Hill wrote the script as a “work for hire,” meaning he wouldn’t have legal standing to get those rights back. Basically, the Road House property is currently in a weird limbo that allows a sequel to the original and a sequel to the reboot to be pursued separately.

It’s reminiscent of what happened with the James Bond franchise in 1983 with the release of both Roger Moore’s Octopussy, but it's still wild. In that case, the 007 flick is part of the official Bond film series, and separately Sean Connery returned for Never Say Never Again, his second go at a Thunderball adaptation, which was released by Warner Bros.

Maybe Amazon-MGM will eventually reach a number that meets with R. Lance Hill’s approval and convinces him to relinquish his claim over the original Road House script. For now though, we live in a world where both the original Road House continuity and the reboot continuity can continue onwards under supervision from different parties.

As far as Jake Gyllenhaal’s Road House 2 goes, Ilya Naishuler is taking over directorial duties, and the cast also includes Dave Bautista and Leila George. Production has begun on the sequel, but a release date hasn’t been set yet.

Jake Gyllenhaal has officially wrapped filming on his upcoming 2026 movie release and it’s not just any project. The film marks a rare collaboration with M. Night Shyamalan and carries an extra twist: it’s a story conceived with bestselling author Nicholas Sparks, which the two then adapted separately into a novel and a screenplay.

The actor took to Instagram to celebrate the news, sharing a behind-the-scenes image and calling the experience “one of the most joyful & inspiring” of his career. You can check out the post below.

The movie, titled Remain, is directed by Shyamalan and produced by Warner Bros. While Sparks is best known for romantic movie dramas like The Notebook and A Walk to Remember (did you know these ten things about the flick?), this project promises something quite different. Remain blends the author’s trademark emotional storytelling with supernatural elements, which is an unexpected genre twist that could pair well with Shyamalan’s signature sense of mystery and suspense. The actor didn’t reveal plot details, but reportedly Sparks’ original novel combines themes of love and loss with an eerie, otherworldly layer.

According People's report about the synopsis, Gyllenhaal stars as New York architect Tate Donovan, who retreats to Cape Cod to design a summer home for a friend after grappling with depression and the loss of his sister. There, he meets Wren (Phoebe Dynevor), a woman who disrupts his carefully ordered world. The setup carries Sparks’ signature blend of grief, love, and renewal, but with Shyamalan’s involvement, audiences can expect a supernatural undercurrent that makes this much more than the next Notebook.

The supporting cast includes Dynevor, Ashley Walters, Julie Hagerty, Jay O. Sanders, and Maria Dizzia, among others. Production took place across Rhode Island, with locations ranging from Newport’s Washington Square to the Cranston Street Armory, which was converted into a soundstage for the shoot. Filming wrapped on August 8, with Warner Bros. already slated to distribute.

Gyllenhaal has been on a busy streak, juggling projects that stretch across genres. He recently starred in the courtroom drama Presumed Innocent, available to stream with an Apple TV+ subscription, which became the streamer’s most-watched drama ever and earned him Emmy and Golden Globe nominations. He also has Maggie Gyllenhaal’s gothic horror The Bride! and another unexpected pairing, Kevin Costner’s dramedy Honeymoon With Harry, on the way. Teaming with Shyamalan adds another fascinating pivot to his already eclectic filmography.

The collaboration is also a big deal for Sparks. His novels have long been box office staples, but pairing his romantic sensibility with a filmmaker known for supernatural tension could give his work a fresh edge. Between Gyllenhaal’s dedication, Shyamalan’s knack for crafting chilling atmosphere, and Sparks’ emotional core, Remain is shaping up to be more than just another upcoming book-to-screen adaptation. It’s a genre-bending project that could surprise audiences who think they know exactly what a Nicholas Sparks or Shyamalan story should look like. And if that's not something to get excited about, I’m not sure what is.

The novel, Remain, is set to hit shelves on October 14 and is available for preorder from Random House. The movie adaptation lands in theaters next year on October 23, 2026.

When you hear that Kevin Costner and Jake Gyllenhaal are teaming up for a movie, you’d be forgiven for assuming it could be an addition to some of the best western movies or a tense political thriller. Costner's most recent work involved him playing cowboys in Yellowstone (available with a Peacock subscription) and his sprawling epic Horizon: An American Saga, while Gyllenhaal has built a career with some of his best movies being prestige dramas and intense genre pieces ranging from Nightcrawler to Prisoners. That’s why their latest project together is such a curveball.

Costner and Gyllenhaal have officially signed on to star in Honeymoon With Harry, an upcoming book-to-screen adaptation of a Bart Baker novel produced by Amazon MGM Studios, according to Deadline. The studio announced the film on Monday, with Glenn Ficarra and John Requa (Crazy, Stupid, Love; Focus) directing from a script penned by Dan Fogelman, the writer-producer best known for This Is Us and Crazy, Stupid, Love.

The story is said to follow a man (Gyllenhaal) who finds himself reeling when his fiancée tragically dies just two days before their wedding. In an unexpected turn, he decides to go on their trip anyway, and he's joined by his late bride's grieving father (Costner).

The unlikely pairing sets the stage for a mix of heartbreak, tension, and humor, as two men bound by tragedy find themselves navigating an unthinkable situation together. It’s an intimate premise that leans into character-driven storytelling, which is a noticeable shift from the blockbuster spectacle we’ve come to expect from both stars.

The film is also notable for its producing team. Alongside Fogelman and Mike Karz of Gulfstream Pictures, the project will mark the producing debut of Jennifer Salke under her new Sullivan Street Productions banner. Salke recently stepped down as head of Amazon MGM Studios, and this marks her first collaboration with the company since her exit. She reunites here with Fogelman, whose This Is Us she famously championed during her time as President of NBC Entertainment.

For Amazon MGM, the project also continues a creative partnership with Gulfstream Pictures, following recent collaborations on Upgraded, a romantic comedy starring Camila Mendes, and One Fast Move, a racing drama featuring KJ Apa and Eric Dane. Honeymoon With Harry has been floating in Hollywood circles for years, originally set up at New Line during Karz’s tenure there, before finally finding its footing at Amazon.

The casting comes at a busy time for both actors.

The Zodiac star is fresh off awards recognition for Apple TV+'s Presumed Innocent, which he also executive-produced. The courtroom drama became the streamer’s most-watched series to date and is already set for a second season. He also has two high-profile films on the horizon: M. Night Shyamalan’s next thriller, Remain, and Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride! for Warner Bros.

Meanwhile, Costner continues to expand his career both in front of and behind the camera. In addition to his multi-part Horizon saga, he’s producing The Gray House, a Civil War spy drama limited series through his company Territory Pictures.

With Honeymoon With Harry, both of the A-list actors are heading into territory we don’t usually see them in, and that’s exactly what makes it so exciting. Instead of the big action pieces or sweeping epics they’re known for, this one’s shaping up to be a smaller, more personal story. Honestly, just the idea of watching these two share the screen in something this heartfelt is enough to put it high on my must-watch list.

I was 6 years old when Brokeback Mountain was released, and for most of my life, I’ve been hearing a lot of deserved praise for one of the 2000s' best movies. Over that time, I’ve also heard a lot about how tragic this film is, but never learned exactly why. When I watched Brokeback Mountain for the first time in celebration of the western's limited release for the 20th anniversary, I figured out why pretty quickly, though, and correctly predicted how it would end.

However, there is a detail I didn’t expect regarding the end that absolutely wrecked me, despite my hunch being correct.

I Had A Feeling Jake Gyllenhaal’s Character Was Going To Die From The Start

In this all-time great western drama, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Jack is the more reckless of the two lead characters. We see that through his history with rodeo as well as his relationship with his horse on Brokeback, which tragically parallels the spontaneous and reckless event that ultimately leads to his death.

Early on, I realized he wouldn’t survive this movie. He lives as openly and as freely as he can in a place where it's not accepted. Jack is always the one asking Ennis to run away with him, and he’s the one willing to take the risk to live with his love.

In the film, Jack’s wife tells Heath Ledger’s Ennis that he died when the tire on his car exploded. However, Ennis also imagines his love being beaten to death, making the actual cause of his death a bit ambiguous. However, I think it also implies how dangerous it was for these men to live and love each other.

I had a feeling Jack would be the one to die, because he's the one who's more willing and ready to love Ennis openly. He also wears his emotions on his sleeve and acts in reckless ways here and there, juxtaposing Ennis’ reserved and overprotective ways.

Thinking about all of that, I figured this kind of tension and ultimate end would happen for these two men. However, I didn’t expect it to happen years after their first trip up the mountain.

However, I Had No Clue How Much Time This Movie Spanned. So, When Jack Died All Those Years Later, It Shocked Me

When I started watching Brokeback Mountain, I had assumed the film's events would all take place on that trip up the mountain when they first meet. I did not expect it to span more than a decade of time.

So, rather than a fast and fiery love story, this movie is a bit more methodical and slow-burning, with pockets of fire and passion throughout. This makes it so the story doesn’t burn fast and bright; and is more like embers barely staying alit as these two men wrestle with their feelings and societal expectations.

Every time Jack proposes that they run away together, it gets more heartbreaking. Every time they leave each other after a trip, it becomes more emotional. And eventually, when Jack dies, seeing an older Ennis come to terms with what he lost is absolutely heartbreaking.

For over a decade, Ennis struggles with his life and love and never takes the leap to be with the man he treasures most. All his repressed feelings keep him away from what he really wants, and then, eventually, years and years later, the option to finally act on said emotions is taken away from him forever.

If this story only took place over a short period of time, Jack’s death would still be very sad, don’t get me wrong. However, because it happened over many years, these men live a lot of their lives, and their relationship is core to their existence for so long, so for it to be taken away without having reached its full potential is a heartbreak I wasn't expected.

Seeing Ennis In Jack’s Home And How He Reacted To His Old Jacket Is What Wrecked Me

Now, the real moment that absolutely brreaks me comes after Ennis learns of Jack’s death. He travels to the home of his love’s parents, and while there, finds his old jacket from their trip on Brokeback Mountain, covered in blood.

Ledger’s performance in this scene is remarkable. Without saying a single word, he’s able to communicate the heartache and grief he feels about this loss, as he takes the jacket from the closet and hugs it. It's almost like he's transported back to that fateful trip while also mourning everything they’d lost in the present.

After that, we get to look forward to the future for a second as Ennis learns that his daughter is getting married. When she goes to his home, it's clear how lonely he is; however, it's lovely to see him happy for his kid finding love, while still hard not to think about what could have been with him and Jack in that moment. Especially considering they were around the same age when they first met as his daughter is in this scene.

Then, to twist this tragic knife a bit more, that final scene features Ennis going to his closet to put away his daughter’s sweater that she left behind. When he opens the door, Jack’s old shirt and jacket are still hanging there, front and center, with a picture of the mountain they fell in love on.

Watching him fix those buttons with tears in his eyes and adjust the photo took me right back to where their relationship started, and got me thinking about everything that could have been, but sadly never was.

This film, which arguably should have won Best Picture, is truly a tragedy, and it’s easily one of Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal’s best movies, because they are utterly beautiful and heartbreaking as these star-crossed lovers. Even though I knew that from the start, there was plenty I didn’t realize that made this all the more emotional, and because of that, I’ve been deeply and profoundly moved.

As strange as this might sound, I watched Brokeback Mountain for the first time. No, not the first time since what is considered one of the best 2000s movies came out back in 2005, but the first time ever. For a variety of reasons, namely being a 17-year-old when Ang Lee’s heartbreaking epic about unrequited love first came out, I didn’t see it back then, and I’ve put it off more times than I can count since.

With the 20th anniversary rerelease of Brokeback Mountain right around the corner (it opens for a limited run on Friday, June 20th), I decided to finally go back and watch the magnificent Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal movie. While I was initially a little ticked off at myself for waiting all these years, upon reflecting, I’m really glad I waited until I was a 37-year-old father of three opposed to being a foolish high school senior. Here’s why…

I Don't Think The Inner Turmoil Of Ennis And Jack's Relationship Would Have Hit As Hard

Above all, Brokeback Mountain is a movie about love, loss, heartbreak, and the enduring human spirit despite living in a world that won’t accept you for who you are. Being a teenager, who a) didn’t know nothing from nothing, and b) had never experienced true heartbreak, I think the inner turmoil of the core relationship wouldn’t have hit as hard. I honestly don’t think I would have fully understood everything these two cowboys with hard exteriors and tender hearts were going through over the course of the movie.

Honestly, watching Heath Ledger’s Ennis and Jake Gyllenhaal’s Jack attempt to hide their true nature from their wives, children, bosses, and society as a whole while putting up a facade of standard heterosexual roughnecks was heartbreaking. It was only on Brokeback Mountain that the two felt they could be themselves and be happy.

The Passage Of Time And Its Effect On Relationships Resonated So Much For A Man Approaching His 40s

At its core, art forces you to reflect on your past, your present, and what brought you here, and Brokeback Mountain did just that. Watching Ang Lee’s dramatic take on Annie Proulx’s transformative 1997 short story in the New Yorker, with its depiction of the passage of time and its effect on relationships, was nothing short of masterful. The agony and ecstasy of life and love are explored in great detail as Ennis and Jack go from two strangers on a sheep drive together to star-crossed lovers who just can’t quite make it work, while also not being able to quit each other either.

With my 40s quickly approaching (time seems much faster these days), this aspect of the movie resonated with me a whole lot, and it’s something I’ve been thinking about ever since the credits rolled. At the same time, this is something that I think would have been lost on me way back when. Again, having not gone through love, heartbreak, and rebirth at the time the film came out, I don’t think the messages and themes of this heartbreakingly poignant movie would have been lost on me.

I Also Found Myself Wrapped Up In The Drama Of Ennis And Jack's Families

Though the main focus of Brokeback Mountain is on the decades-long relationship between Ennis and Jack, I can’t sit here and claim that this was the only aspect of the movie. Everything about the two leads’ respective lives off the mountain was just as interesting, especially as the two separate worlds become entangled and increasingly more complicated, especially as the two main protagonists marry, have kids, and attempt to build lives for themselves away from Brokeback.

Though I’ve never had to go through an experience like Ennis and Jack, I found myself getting wrapped up in the ups and downs of their respective marriages and trials and tribulations through parenthood. Being married and having children of my own, I oftentimes find myself being torn between who I was and who I am now, and I can only imagine how difficult it had to be for two people who couldn’t admit to their families (or the world) that they weren’t with the one they loved. Heartbreaking, to say the least.

Brokeback Mountain Requires Patience, Empathy, And Restraint, All Of Which I Didn't Have Back Then

The thing about Brokeback Mountain is that it’s a long movie. Though not the longest movie I’ve ever seen, the pacing of the film makes it so that you need a great deal of patience while taking it all in. The same can be said about the story, as you need to be patient while Ennis and Jack’s relationship slowly blossoms into something so powerful. I don’t know how I would have been able to handle the slowness of the epic back then, but as a 37-year-old, it was absolutely stunning and created a slow and meditative experience.

The movie also requires a tremendous amount of empathy from its audience. If you aren’t able to put yourself in the shoes of the main characters, or even their families at times, this is a hard film to watch. It also takes a surprising amount of restraint at times, especially when it comes to Jack’s heartbreaking death, which is left ambiguous after recalling a story Ennis told earlier in the movie. Like patience, my empathy and restraint back in 2005 weren’t what they are today, though I still need to work on all three.

Also, I Don't Think I Could Have Handled Brokeback Mountain's Complexities As An Immature 17-Year-Old Boy In The South

I make no claims of being a perfect human being these days, but I am a much better person than I was at 17 years old, and I don’t think I’m alone. Here’s the thing: I don’t think I could have handled the complexities, the nuances, or even the emotions at the core of Brokeback Mountain way back when.

This isn’t to say that I wouldn’t have liked the movie, as I probably would have enjoyed it all the same. I just think that an immature teenage boy from the South wouldn’t have been as open to everything that unfolded. Times change, and so do people, and I honestly think waiting so long to watch this gem was the right choice. However, I’m still kicking myself for missing out on such a lovely story.

All in all, watching Brokeback Mountain was a profound, emotional, and delightful experience, and no, it's just because I can now enter the conversation about it getting snubbed at the Oscars.

Making is on-screen acting debut back in 1991 with a small role in the western comedy City Slickers, Jake Gyllenhaal has spent decades proving himself as one of the most impressive, talented performers working in film and television today. The guy very clearly knows what he is doing when it comes to being in front of a camera – but his recent experience performing Othello on Broadway with Denzel Washington has been a wholly different experience, and he has very much been wowed watching his co-star do his thing on stage.

Gyllenhaal made his broadway debut in 2015 starring opposite Ruth Wilson in the one act play Constellations, but in a sit down interview with Broadway veteran Audra McDonald published by Variety, he refers to himself as "beginner beyond beginner" in the preparation for playing Iago in Othello – which saw him break from his traditional approach by watching as many performances as he could from previous actors. He told McDonald that his first instinct was actually to turn down the opportunity... but then he realized that he couldn't:

Kenny Leon previously won a Tony Award for a 2014 revival of A Raisin In the Sun starring Denzel Washington – whose Broadway credits go back to 1988 and includes another Shakespeare adaptation: 2005's Julius Caesar. With the added fact that Iago is a terrifically complicated character to play, it's understandable that Jake Gyllenhaal would be intimidated, but one also totally understands why he felt compelled to sign on for Othello.

The play debuted last month, and is currently being performed at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, and the Nightcrawler actor has been particularly stunned by Washington's nimbleness as a performer. He admits to working very differently than his co-star and has been impressed by how he is able to adapt when things don't go exactly as planned on stage:

Given Denzel Washington's reputation as one of the greatest actors of all time, it surely wasn't surprising for Jake Gyllenhaal to recognize that he is a master performer, but it says a lot that it has left a major impression regardless. And the respect has been mutual.

If you plan to be in New York in the coming weeks, tickets to see Othello are currently on sale, with performances scheduled through May into early June. For those of you who won't be able to attend, you can enjoy Jake Gyllenhaal's most recent work by catching Road House on Amazon Prime Video and the series Presumed Innocent on Apple TV+. As for Denzel Washington, you can appreciate his turn as Macrinus in Ridley Scott's Gladiator II, which is now available to stream with a Paramount+ subscription.

It’s not easy to create a practical, comic-based look for a superhero or villain, and the 2025 movie schedule has continued to prove that point. We’re reminded of this fact whenever Colin Farrell’s woes from The Penguin are brought back into focus, and with two upcoming Marvel movies on the way, this subject will probably be getting some mileage. That fact only makes me appreciate actor Jake Gyllenhaal even more, as while he didn’t have to wear that Mysterio get-up all the time, the dude chose to do exactly that.

A piece of ScreenRant’s coverage from the run-up to the 2019 theatrical release of director Jon Watts’ middle installment of webslinging brought this fact to my attention. More specifically, the story came from producer Eric Carroll, who laid down the foundation of this anecdote as follows:

I’m not the best person to ask about superhero costumes on sets, because I’ve never been asked to star in such a film, much to my surprise. So when I think of wearing something like a practical mockup of Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man suit all day, I’m kind of here for it.

However, I understand that the more accurate these costumes get, the bigger the pain they may be. Hours of time spent in a literally assembled wardrobe could eventually give way to wanting a grey mo-cap suit that allows the VFX wizards to fill in the rest in post, and you to return to your Disney+ subscription.

So I can definitely appreciate Eric Carroll explaining to his Spider-Man: Far From Home star that he didn’t need to wear the suit the whole time. In fact, his account of the discussion saw Carroll painting the picture of how Jake Gyllenhaal could show up to set looking like a “cool mercenary man,” with a “t-shirt on, leather jacket and jeans,” and still get his job done.

But of course, we’re talking about Jake Gyllenhaal, the guy who got insanely ripped for his Road House remake. He’s not a person who takes shortcuts, and he loves to find the core of a role through feeling it out. Nailing that point home through the rest of his story, Carroll shared this reaction:

Something tells me that even if Far From Home’s rumored Hulkbuster suit was the one being used, Mr. Gyllenhaal would have wanted to be in it as much as humanly possible. And in all fairness, his bonkers performance in Tom Holland’s second solo Spider-Man adventure does prove that the Donnie Darko star had a handle on this technological madman from frame one.

The results speak for themselves, and hopefully we'll get to see commitment and looks like this in Thunderbolts* and The Fantastic Four: First Steps as those MCU characters suit up to fight the next big bads.

Okay, so hear me out. I do not hate the movie Crash. And I mean the 2004 Paul Haggis film. Not the identically titled movie by David Cronenberg. I know it’s popular to dogpile on Crash, especially since it won Best Picture. But, I honestly kind of like it.

Is it one of the best movies to ever win Best Picture? God no. Is it heavy handed as all hell? Absolutely. That said, I don’t think it’s a bad movie in any way. However, I’m still upset that it beat Brokeback Mountain for Best Picture, even after all these years.

Because after rewatching Brokeback, I think I love it now even more than when I initially saw it. So, here’s why I’m still a little pissed that Brokeback Mountain didn’t win Best Picture back in 2006.

Heath Ledger And Jake Gyllenhaal Were Fearless In Their Performances, And These Roles Are The Highlights Of Their Respective Careers

Brokeback Mountain isn’t my favorite Jake Gyllenhaal movie. That would be Nocturnal Animals. It’s also not my favorite Heath Ledger movie. That would be The Dark Knight.

However, in both of their respective careers–Jake Gyllenhaal’s long one, and Heath Ledger’s relatively short one–I still think that these were the bravest, most fearless roles that either of them ever did. It’s little wonder that both of them were nominated at the 76th Academy Awards, with Ledger up for Best Actor, and Gyllenhaal for up Best Supporting Actor (Which neither of them won, unfortunately).

The story of two cowboys who fall in love between 1963 and 1983, Brokeback Mountain was a landmark film, and honestly could have been the death of either actor’s career, even back in 2005. But honestly, it seems like neither of them cared. Scenes of them having sex or passionately kissing were rather explicit, but it’s not like it was banging us over the head with its themes.

On the contrary, it was all quite elegant. Their vulnerability was palpable, and it made their romance feel both irresistible, but also dangerous, which it was. In that way, Brokeback Mountain wasn’t heavy handed like Crash was with its themes of racism. It was actually quite subtle, which likely wouldn’t have been the case without Ang Lee’s Academy Award-winning directing (The one major award that this film did win), or Gyllenhaal’s and Ledger’s superb acting.

In every way, these were the performances of a lifetime, and if the film couldn’t pick up Best Picture, I would have liked it if either Gyllenhaal or Ledger had nabbed one of the Best Actor awards. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t meant to be.

The Story Is Still Beautiful, Haunting, And Relevant

Jack Twist, played by Gyllenhaal, and Ennis Del Mar, played by Ledger, love each other. That said, they can’t fully love each other. That’s because even though they want to, society dictates that they shouldn’t, and, more importantly, that they can’t.

Yes, they make excuses to see each other, but over the years, they grow apart and both of them get married to women and have children. Their love for each other lasts for years, and neither of them are truly happy with their lives since they miss each other so much, and wish to be together.

And, God Almighty, is that heartbreaking, or what? This isn’t a Romeo and Juliet story, and yet, it kind of is. Both of their respective families look upon their relationship with disgust, and it’s almost like the Montagues and the Capulets in a way, with their wives being the stand-ins for the parents.

That said, it’s society itself that is keeping them apart, because if they were born later or lived in a different part of the country, perhaps they could have lived out their dreams. And, that’s the true tragedy of the film, but also what makes it incredibly relevant. Because while same-sex relationships are still frowned upon in certain corners of the country, it’s accepted in many others.

The setting is important though, and why we ranked this film as one of the greatest westerns of all time. Because who knows? If this story were set in San Francisco, it might have had a different outcome. But, it’s because it takes place in a part of the country where homosexuality might be seen as a sin that it still feels relevant today.

That Said, It Still Feels Like A Time Capsule

Though it didn’t make the list of best LGBTQ+ movies on Rotten Tomatoes, I still feel like Brokeback Mountain is an important film, and mostly because it’s such a time capsule.

Just think, same-sex marriage became legal in all 50 states by 2015. That’s a whole decade after Brokeback Mountain came out, which is kind of mind-boggling. In fact, if Brokeback Mountain came out today, I guarantee that it would still be up for Best Picture.

That said, even though its story is still bold and ambitious, I don’t think it has the same potency today that it had back then, and that’s because we’ve actually come a long way since 2005. In a lot of ways, Brokeback Mountain walked so that a movie like Moonlight could run, as the idea of a film about two gay lovers doesn’t really seem all that revolutionary anymore.

Which is great! Brokeback Mountain kind of broke the mold by taking two very popular actors at the time and putting them in a movie like this. It wasn’t a film that hid from its premise, but rather, embraced it, which makes it feel all the more important.

And, while I’m not for awarding a movie just because it’s important, I do feel like Brokeback Mountain was more important to the zeitgeist than a movie like Crash, which seemed like it had a lot to say, but didn’t really say anything (You mean that racism is bad, and that we shouldn’t judge people on one encounter alone? Really? I didn’t know that).

So, in that way, Brokeback Mountain is still relevant, but it’s also a time capsule to a bygone era, and one that I feel should have been awarded for Best Picture. But, there’s one other major reason why I think it should have won.

It’s Absolutely Better Than Crash

I haven’t beaten around the bush when it comes to this article: Brokeback Mountain is, quite simply, a better movie than Crash. The acting is better. The direction is better. The story is better. Pretty much everything is better.

And again, this is coming from somebody who actually likes Crash. So much so that if Crash came out another year, I really don’t have a problem with it winning, as shoot, Driving Miss Daisy won. Hell, Green Book won Best Picture, and I actually think Crash is better than that film.

However, Crash is not better than Brokeback Mountain, which still holds up today. In a lot of ways, Brokeback kind of feels like the Facebook movie, The Social Network, in that it perfectly represents a time and a place.

Crash could have represented a time. But, it really just feels like a stew of events that is all stirred up together, which isn’t bad, per se, but it doesn’t (and didn’t back then, even) feel worthy of beating Brokeback Mountain, which was both about the time presented in the film, but also about the time when it was released.

That’s why after rewatching Brokeback Mountain, I’m still of the opinion that it really should have won, and it stands as one of the most egregious losses in all of the Academy Awards history.

But, what do you think? Do you agree that Brokeback Mountain should have beaten Crash for Best Picture? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal have been working side-by-side on a new project. Their collaboration may not be a 2025 movie release, but their acting chops matched up on a whole other level for a modern reimagination of Shakespeare’s Othello. These two are the star-power duo I didn’t know I needed, as Denzel’s younger co-star hilariously roasted the legend for only just discovering the healing power of ice.

The Malcolm X star is no stranger to Shakespeare's works. It's why Denzel Washington doesn’t call himself a “Hollywood actor,” even if theater-first actor happens to have starred in some of the biggest high-grossing movies. He's known for starring in must-see Shakespeare adaptations like The Tragedy of Macbeth and Much Ado About Nothing on the big screen, but first brought The Bard’s words to life in Richard III, Julius Caesar, and a college production of Othello when he was 22.

Well, Denzel Washington’s Shakespearian roots come in full form once again on the Broadway stage, revisiting the title role of Othello with Jake Gyllenhaal as Iago. The two have proven to be the dynamic duo I didn’t know I needed after the Brokeback Mountain star hilariously roasted the legendary actor in a Playbill interview over “ice:”

• Denzel Washington: My knees swell up in the evening. I discovered ice.
• Jake Gyllenhaal: You didn’t know about ice?
• Washington: No, I didn’t know about ice at 22. At 22, I was going to the library at Lincoln Center and listening to whoever it was I was listening to and just imitating him. I don’t do that anymore.

Ice would definitely be the trick to heal those swollen knees. Leave it to Jake Gyllenhaal to mess with his veteran co-star about that! I’m surprised Denzel Washington never tried using ice or any kind of cold compresses before to aid any knee pains.

Then again, it’s been about seven years since the Fences actor was last on stage performing The Iceman Cometh and even longer since he first did Othello. As the American actor turned 70 in December, he’s gotta keep those knees strong if he’s gonna tackle standing for these breathtaking stage performances until June.

The Academy Award winner has also said his preparation for playing Othello involves waking up at three in the morning and dedicating 15-18 hours to the military commander role. This shows how much Washington loved the Shakespearean production and how seriously he took his craft.

Check out this video of him taken months prior to returning to Othello, where he could still recite the play's dialogue from his initial performances.

Throughout his interview with Playbill, Jake Gyllenhaal has spoken about what “a dream come true” it’s been to work with Denzel Washington. Before production for Othello even started, the Nightcrawler actor humbly bragged about the stage play gig, working with the legendary actor and contributing to the history of performers before him who played Iago. What a career step to show the world what you can do live on the theater stage.

It’s clear the collaborative experience has meant a great deal to the Othello co-stars, as Denzel Washington gave Jake Gyllenhaal major acting props that made the Donnie Darko actor a little emotional. Gyllenhaal warmly responded to what a “leader” and “huge heart” his co-star has, like a true fan. I’m sure the duo has amazing working chemistry to play two Marines who ultimately find themselves in a complicated, psychological battle with one another.

With Denzel Washington returning to the stage with Othello, his younger co-star, Jake Gyllenhaal, clearly can’t resist roasting him for not using ice to treat his swollen knees. If Gyllenhaal wants to be a loyal acting partner, I think he should be entrusted with handing the Remember the Titans actor a frozen bag of peas! If you come across the Ethel Barrymore Theatre in New York, you can watch the two talented actors in Othello performances until June 8th.

Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal have been in major movies the past year. Washington was a total standout as Macrinus in the cast of Gladiator 2. Gyllenhaal was also busy throwing a lot of punches in the Road House remake and is revved up to do so again for the sequel. Their next project may not be a 2025 movie release, but they’re hitting the stage together for Shakespeare’s Othello. After their collaboration, the duo gave each other some major props on their acting which shows their strong brotherly bond.

Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello has Denzel Washington in the title role and Jake Gyllenhaal as Iago, whose relationship on stage is filled with betrayal, manipulation, and psychological warfare. But in real life, the two couldn’t be closer. On CBS Sunday Morning’s Instagram reel, Washington gave Gyllenhaal major acting props that got him a little emotional:

Those are some strong adjectives that Denzel Washington sent Jake Gyllenhaal’s way. The stage is the best place to see exactly what an actor can do, giving a powerful performance in one take. That’s all the more reason why the Malcolm X star doesn’t consider himself a “Hollywood actor”. His true love is in live theater who just so happens to do film work as well. It looks like getting to work with The Day After Tomorrow actor showed Washington the intense talent that his co-star brings to every role, whether it’s live on stage or in front of the camera.

With such a rave review like that, there was no way that Jake Gyllenhaal was going to stay silent. The Brokeback Mountain star made sure to mention that his 11-year-old self would never believe he’d get to work with such an accomplished actor like Denzel Washington. In return, Gyllenhaal gave back to his Othello co-star an emotional response that places the actor in high esteem:

It looks like the two Othello stars both believe themselves to be “complicated” with a good “heart.” Seeing Jake Gyllenhaal choke up a little hearing Denzel Washington gives me all kinds of feels.

When the Spider-Man: Far From Home actor first landed the role of Iago, he humbly bragged about the stage gig, talking about how “intimidated” he was looking back on the history of actors who’ve played that prominent Shakespearan role. Plus, to share the stage with the Fences actor/director is not something all actors can say they’ve done. Fortunately Gyllenhaal can now say he’s gotten to work with one of the greatest actors of the 20th century. Check out their touching Instagram video below:

Working together in Othello certainly brought a sweet working bond between Denzel Washington and Jake Gyllenhaal. With the two stars sharing a deep respect for their huge acting chops, it’s no surprise their collaboration made a lasting impact on each other. If you happen to be in New York, catch their Shakespearean production at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, playing until June 8th.

Jake Gyllenhaal is hitting the gym…again. The Nightcrawler star is set to reprise his role in a sequel to the Road House, which was a big hit for Amazon in 2024. Now the star is opening up about what it’s like to have to hit all the workout milestones for another film and how nervous he is to approach the daunting goals he was able to hit a few years ago. Luckily, Stephen Colbert had a hilarious pitch for the film that made the actor laugh and his work out regimen worth it.

Gyllenhaal recently was a guest on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, where he discussed starring in the Broadway revival of Othello with Denzel Washington. The conversation soon turned to the news that Road House would be getting a sequel, and Gyllenhaal would be required to get back into incredible shape again to play Dalton. The actor admitted that even though he had achieved an incredible physique for the first film, getting back to that point is scary. When Colbert asked him about it, he said:

Colbert also told the actor that he had auditioned for the original 1989 Road House that ended up starring Patrick Swayze. A lot of time has passed, and the talk show host doesn’t think he’d be able to achieve a Gyllenhaal-esque physique, but he still thinks his smart and sharp look could benefit him as a different kind of character in the upcoming Road House movie. Colbert said:

The Daily Show alum was clearly kidding, but this is a pretty clever idea to think of on the spot. Gyllenhaal thought it was absolutely hilarious, and while I’m not quite sure this character pitch will make it into the film, the Oscar nominee can keep the idea in his back pocket in case he ever does a comedy.

Speaking of that, the Donnie Darko star has a surprisingly great sense of humor, and he and Colbert have proven great chemistry whenever the actor has been a guest on the show. So, I’d love to see them do something together in a larger capacity, outside of funny, ongoing late-night bits. You can see the entire interview below:

I’m sure these two will have more opportunities to talk about a potential collaboration, because it won't be long until Gyllenhaal is back on the talk show circuit.

The Zodiac actor has a number of projects coming down the pike. Aside from Road House 2, he is starring in Maggie Gyllenhaal's The Bride, and he is also set to star in the Guy Ritchie film In The Grey later this year. He is also attached to a number of other projects in pre-production, so we will be seeing a lot of Gyllenhaal in the near future.

However, based on this interview, getting in impossible shape for Road House seems to be what’s on the forefront of his mind. So hopefully that means fans can look forward to seeing “Jacked Gyllenhaal” back on our screens sooner than later.

It may be a while before this highly anticipated sequel heads to streaming. In the meantime, you can revisit Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance in Road House, which is available with an Amazon Prime subscription. Fans of the actor can also see him in Othello, which is running on Broadway until June 8, 2025, at the Barrymore Theatre.

Can we all agree that Jake Gyllenhaal is one of the most versatile actors that we currently have?

I mean, seriously. The guy can be in superhero movies, hard-hitting dramas, and even romantic comedies, like Accidental Love. He can pretty much do it all. We've talked about many of his best performances over the years, and have even ranked his best movies.

That said, even in that ranking, my all-time favorite Jake Gyllenhaal movie, 2016’s Nocturnal Animals, did get a single mention. Not only that, but I never hear anybody talking about this film. So I aim to rectify that by laying out why I think it’s Gyllenhaal's best movie.

It Is The Darkest Movie He's Ever Been In

To say that Nocturnal Animals is Jake Gyllenhaal's darkest movie is a bold claim, since this is the guy who also starred in Prisoners, Donnie Darko, Zodiac, and one of the best horror movies of all time, Nightcrawler. And as a person who loves horror movies (at least the ones that I can actually sit through), I understand that I can’t just throw around the word “darkest” like it's nothing.

That said, I still stand behind that statement: Nocturnal Animals is the darkest movie that Jake Gyllenhaal has ever starred in.

Based on the Austin Wright novel, Tony and Susan, Gyllenhaal plays two roles – one as a novelist, and one as the character within his own novel. As a novelist myself who loves meta-narratives (like the excellent biopic, Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters), I’m of course drawn to stories like this.

But it’s the meta narrative itself that’s so dark, as the story within the story is hopelessly bleak. A family man named Tony (Gyllenhaal) is going on a road trip with his wife and daughter, only to be run off the road by three hoodlums. Two of the hoodlums kidnap his family, while the other one forces him to drive to a location, leaving him stranded. Tony calls the police, and…horrible things ensue.

Surrounding this meta-narrative is the story of the author’s ex-wife, Susan, played by Amy Adams. She’s going through a divorce from her second husband, and was sent a proof of the above-described novel, as well as an invitation to dinner from her first husband (Gyllenhaal). While reading the novel, she finds correlations between the character in the story and her ex-husband, which is all handled in a dour and dark tone. It all comes together to create a visually, but also psychologically grim story, and one that I believe could remain the darkest that Gyllenhaal will ever lend his talents to.

Gyllenhaal Fulfills Two Roles In This Film, And Both Of Them Are Equally Fascinating

As mentioned, Gyllenhaal plays both the author of the novel, which is titled Nocturnal Animals, as well as the protagonist of said story. What’s fascinating about this is that both roles feel entirely different, and yet similar.

This is mostly because Adams’ character, Susan, who owns an art gallery, is making a connection between her ex-husband, as well as the character in the novel, who is portrayed as weak and helpless. What’s interesting is that Gyllenhaal’s character as the author has perfect control over his own life, but Susan is reminiscing about him earlier in their marriage when he was still a struggling writer.

Gyllenhaal has to walk a tightrope as the man that he used to be, the man in the novel, as well as his current self, who is the one who asks his ex-wife out to dinner and sends her the copy of his novel in the first place.

Gyllenhaal is masterful in every role. In fact, one of my other favorite Gyllenhaal movies (and also one of my favorite Denis Villeneuve movies), Enemy, features Gyellenhaal in two roles. But in that film, he’s playing two men who look identical, but have wildly different personalities.

In this film, Gyllenhaal is playing both a creator (as an author), but also the creation (the protagonist in the book). It’s a super unique dual role, and my personal favorite of Gyllenhaal’s.

The Film's Dual Stories Are Both Hypnotic

The most interesting thing about this movie is the dual storylines, which are both hypnotic. One of my favorite movies of all time is Adaptation, which is definitely one of Charlie Kaufman’s best films, and I reference it due to its own story within a story, though that one is mostly played for comedic effect. Not so with Nocturnal Animals, which speaks to the idea that the author of any novel is really just writing about aspects of themselves.

It all comes together through Amy Adams’ character, who is in the real world, but also projecting her thoughts upon the character that her husband created in the novel. After a while, it gets hard to separate “the real world” from the one presented in the story.

It’s all quite seamless and dreamlike, just like what the great John Gardner once famously wrote of all good fiction–it should feel like “a vivid and continuous fictional dream.” And, in every way, Nocturnal Animals succeeds in that regard.

There Is One Gut Punch Moment That Has Lived With Me Ever Since I Saw It And Has Never Let Me Go

There are only a few movies that have viscerally made me ill. Darren Aronofsky’s mother! (which I still love) had a scene that was so disturbing that I genuinely wanted to leave the theater after it occurred.

And The Butterfly Effect, which I still think is an underappreciated gem, unnerved me so much that I grew sick to my stomach at one point.

But, I don't think any movie hit me with a stronger gut punch than Nocturnal Animals, which has a scene that is so brutally sad, that I had to turn off the film for a while. It was that potent.

I won't spoil the scene in case you want to watch the movie, but I will say that it takes place after Gyllenhaal's wife and child are kidnapped in the fictional world.

And, it's almost all of Gyllenhaal’s performance that makes this scene so gut-wrenchingly hard to watch. I'll tell you. That scene alone is the greatest acting that I think I've ever seen from Jake Gyllenhaal.

That Ending

Finally, I have always been of the opinion that a great ending is more important than a great beginning.

A lot of people will disagree with me. But, as somebody who is used to slow starts, I'd much rather be slowly drawn into a story with an excellent conclusion, than be introduced to a bombastic opening that flatlines toward the end (think Game of Thrones).

Nocturnal Animals definitely has a slow start (more to build mood than anything), but its ending is both quiet, but also very loud.

Throughout the film, Amy Adams’ character is reading her ex-husband's novel in anticipation of meeting him for dinner, and we anticipate them getting back together again. And…I won't tell you how the film ends, but it definitely isn't how I expected. Not only that, but it left me feeling…thoughtful. Just like a good book should.

So if you haven't checked out Nocturnal Animals yet, please do so. It's one of Gyllenhaal's best movies, if not THE best. Believe it.

There was no small amount of controversy regarding the Road House remake with Jake Gyllenhaal that came out last year. Director Doug Liman was upset the movie didn’t get a theatrical release, but regardless of whether or not that should have happened, the movie found an audience among those with a Prime Video subscription, to the point that a sequel already has the greenlight.

One person who certainly hopes to appear in the Road House sequel is Lukas Gage. He recently spoke to Variety about the new film, his thoughts on it and why he hopes to appear despite some reports that Conor McGregor beat him to death in the first movie.

Lukas Gage Hopes To Appear In Road House 2

While Road House 2 was announced several months ago, the one thing that’s clear from Lukas Gage’s recent comments is that he doesn’t know anything about the sequel. He certainly hopes to be in it though, and thinks that his return has a pretty decent chance, if only because he survived the first movie. Gage said…

Certainly, if Gage’s character had died, then his appearance in the sequel would be much more in doubt. Since the original film never got a sequel it’s difficult to guess where this movie might go with a follow-up. It could return to the location of the original and bring most everybody back, though it could just as easily see Gyllenhaal Dalton go to work somewhere new, leading to an otherwise entirely fresh cast.

Cage Clears Up Comments About Conor McGregor Beating Him Up

The major reason that it seems Lukas Gage might be looking forward to a potential Road House 2 is that he apparently loves roles that allow him to get physical. This is despite comments that he previously made on After Midnight where he indicated McGregor “might have fractured” his back. Gage now says…

Despite maybe getting a little beat up, Gage is ready for a Road House sequel. It’s unclear if Conor McGregor himself will also be back based on comments the former MMA star made when the sequel was announced. He stated that he might not be returning despite the fact that the first movie teased another showdown between his character and that of Gyllenhaal.

The bigger question may be if director Doug Liman will return for Road House 2. Considering the success of the first film, bringing the director back would normally be a no-brainer, but considering the way the director and studio clashed the first time around, that may not be possible.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a powerful force in the entertainment industry, with new projects constantly released in theaters and streaming with a Disney+ subscription. Fans who have spent years watching the Marvel movies in order know that plenty of well-known actors have gotten in on the fun, including Jake Gyllenhaal, who played Mysterio in Spider-Man: Far From Home. And Spider-Man actor Tom Holland has a funny story about going to the gym with his co-star and regretting it.

While there are countless questions about upcoming Marvel movies, fans are definitely wondering when we'll see Holland return as Peter Parker. While we wait, a talk show appearance from the actor is running around Instagram, where he spoke about working out alongside the super jacked Jake Gyllenhaal. As the younger actor shared:

Ouch. While Tom Holland is also known for being ripped, it sounds like the Donnie Darko star is on another level entirety. And his competitive nature meant that he had to fake it to try and keep up with Gyllenhaal. So how exactly did this story turn out?

It turns out that Holland probably should have turned down Gyllenhaal's opportunity to work out. Because while he was already pretty exhausted ahead of their "warmup" things got worse once they stepped onto the treadmill. As he shared:

Uh oh. As the story goes on, Holland shared how his co-star raised the incline of their treadmills on not one, but two different occasions. And that's when the Uncharted actor's competitive side really bit him in the butt, as he suggested making the incline even more difficult.

While it sounds like they definitely got a great workout, there were some consequences for Tom Holland. As he shared:

Oops. Luckily actors are largely sitting while promoting movies, but it sounds like working alongside Jake Gyllenhaal really did a number on Tom Holland. Maybe it's for the best that the pair of actors only got to film one Marvel project together; Holland might never be able to walk again!

As previously mentioned, only time will tell when Holland will return to the MCU as Spider-Man. Fans are assuming it'll be in the next big crossover projects like Avengers: Doomsday and/or Secret Wars. Hopefully we get more information sooner rather than later, as the 2025 movie release list continues on.

With action movies, it’s not uncommon for actors to get into serious shape. Some have to get more ripped than others, achieving muscle definition that looks great on the big screen. They usually don’t have to do this on their own, as a trainer is typically consulted to help them to achieve a look in the quickest, but healthiest way possible. This was the case for Jake Gyllenhaal, who got in crazy shape for Road House last year. Now, his trainer is opening up about what the actor went through to achieve his physique, and why he believes it's unsustainable.

Trainer Jason Walsh recently opened up about training different celebrities for movies, as he has worked with several A-listers like Matt Damon and Bradley Cooper. While speaking with USA Today, he discussed the amount of work and mental strength it takes to get into “action movie shape,” especially when there are time constraints and a shooting schedule to adhere to. Even if this kind of aesthetic is achievable, it’s often impossible to sustain, especially when it comes to the viral look Jake Gyllenhaal achieved for Road House. Walsh explained:

This makes sense. It’s not like the Ambulance star had to maintain this kind of physique for multiple movies over the course of multiple years. He just had to make sure he was impossibly ripped for a handful of scenes. So, for something like that, the easiest method is incorporate science, in addition to what a human being can do in the short term to look a certain way. Of course, the A-lister also worked out like crazy and had a very specific diet. Yet, terms of the muscle definition seen on camera, some little tricks helped achieve the intended look.

Jason Walsh also talked about how candid he is with his clients in regard to what it takes to get into incredible shape, and the mental toll it takes. I’m sure all of this didn’t come as a surprise to the Zodiac actor, who is no stranger to body transformations. He got into similar shape for Southpaw and, per Nightcrawler's BTS facts, he lost a lot of weight to achieve his character's lankier look. The leading man likely knew what he was getting himself into and was up for the crazy challenge Road House was. It was worth it, as the actor looks just as tough as his co-star, real-life UFC Icon Conor McGregor, in the film.

Even if Jake Gyllenhaal knew what he was getting himself into, that probably didn’t make the experience any less difficult. “Dehydration protocols” sound like no joke, and I’m sure the actor missed out on some great meals to maintain a restrictive diet. The journey isn’t over either, as he will have to get back into “unsustainable” shape again for Road House 2, which was announced back in May. Despite the grueling fitness journey ahead, the actor expressed Gyllenhaal is still excited for the sequel. The movie star is clearly up for the challenge. and fans are sure to be excited that they can look forward to seeing him -- muscles and all -- in the follow-up.

You can see the truly jacked Jake Gyllenhaal jacked in Road House, which is currently streaming with a Prime subscription.

Though he’s greatly known for headlining major movies, Jake Gyllenhaal made a major splash on the 2024 TV schedule via his leading role in Presumed Innocent. An adaptation of Scott Turow’s novel of the same name, the Gyllenhaal’s show earned positive reviews throughout its eight-episode run and could be considered one of Apple TV+’s best shows. With all that in mind, a second season is on the way, and it would seem that some major changes are afoot. So let’s talk about the significant alterations that are on the horizon.

What should be noted up front is that before Presumed Innocent Season 2 was greenlit, the show was conceived as a limited series. So, as Deadline mentions in its report, a second set of episodes wasn’t charted out early on. Scott Turow did produce a sequel book – 2010’s Innocent – but it would seem that the producers are not using that as the source material for Season 2. Per the trade, they’re using Jo Muray’s upcoming novel, Dissection of a Murder, as the basis for the story. This creative move now solidifies the show’s position as a limited series.

A fresh story also marks the arrival of a fresh protagonist and, this time around, a female character will be at the forefront of the legal drama. Dissection of Murder reportedly centers on the character of Leila Reynolds, who finds herself in a tricky situation when landing her first murder trial. Reynolds’ husband turns out to be the prosecutor on the case and, while dealing with legal hurdles, Leila must also seek to keep her own indiscretions from coming to light. (This surely sounds tense, I’ll tell you that.)

Even though this all sounds thrilling, some people may be disappointed to learn that Jake Gyllenhaal’s Rusty Sabich is no longer the lead character. Nevertheless, the actor himself will remain involved behind the scenes. Gyllenhaal is set to stay on board as an executive producer, which is a position he held down amid production on Season 1. The exact extent of his involvement in that regard isn’t totally clear though, at the very least, he could help to ensure some kind of creative continuity.

It honestly makes sense that the producers would opt to move on with a different story for the second season. The first season of the David E. Kelley-created series focused on Rusty Sabich, as he was accused of murdering colleague Carolyn Polhemus, who he was having an affair with. Without going into the specifics of the Season 1 finale, I’ll say that it wraps up Rusty’s story in a logical way, and it arguably wouldn’t have made sense to keep following him as a protagonist.

As of right now, a release window has yet to be announced for the upcoming season of Presumed Innocent. Considering the gaps in releases for seasons of other Apple TV+ shows, it could be some time before the new episodes are completed and released to the public. Hopefully, further updates arrive sooner rather than later, including casting news. I’d imagine that the producers will seek to find a marquee name to play Leila. Time will tell what the formerly Jake Gyllenhaal-led show has in store.

Those who’ve yet to watch the first season of Presumed Innocent or just want to revisit it can do so by streaming all eight episodes now by using an active Apple TV+ subscription.

Fans of the action-packed Road House remake have reason to celebrate, as one of the best streaming services, Amazon Prime Video, has confirmed that Road House 2. That news came in spite of previous criticism from director Doug Liman about the film skipping theaters. Jake Gyllenhaal is set to reprise his role, bringing back the charismatic energy that captivated audiences in the first film. However, the big question is whether Liman, who breathed new life into the classic, will return to direct the sequel. Now, after he recently criticized the streamer for supposedly not compensating the film's team following its release, Liman weighed in on the follow-up.

Doug Liman has expressed uncertainty about whether he will direct the second installment of the UFC-heavy movie. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Liman said, "I've never done a sequel but am super proud of the character that Jake [Gyllenhaal] and I created." This collaboration allowed Gyllenhaal to step out of his usual dramatic roles and showcase a more commercially appealing side, making him the perfect fit for this new take on the intellectual property that originated in 1989 with Patrick Swayze. The filmmaker continued:

The Swingers helmer has been vocal about his disappointment with Amazon over the streaming release of his Road House remake, which became Prime Video's biggest original hit. He famously boycotted the film's premiere after the entertainment giant announced it wouldn’t hit theaters as initially planned. In a candid letter, Doug Liman criticized Amazon for abandoning their commitment to cinema releases. Despite his initial frustration, Liman attended the premiere, taking his place in the audience to support the film. He later elaborated on his concerns in an interview shared this past week, saying:

Doug Liman also highlighted the issue of Amazon taking all the earnings from the film’s insane streaming numbers, leaving those who contributed to its success without any backend compensation. He contrasted this with his recent experience working with Apple on his new film, The Instigators. He praised the company for being transparent from the beginning, as the film was intended for a digital release and all involved were compensated with a "streaming buyout."

The Wall filmmaker also noted that if Road House had been released in theaters, it would have benefited cinemas financially and provided audiences with a shared viewing experience. He pointed out that the movie had tested exceptionally well with audiences, outperforming his previous box office hits like Mr. and Mrs. Smith and The Bourne Identity. He even added that UFC star Conor McGregor's involvement could have drawn additional theatergoers.

While it's still uncertain whether Doug Liman will join the Road House 2 production, The Instigators is scheduled for a one-week theatrical release starting August 2, before becoming available to Apple TV+ subscription holders on August 9. In the meantime, you can revisit his first venture into the world of bar bouncing by streaming Road House with an Amazon Prime subscription. And, as the year continues to push on, be sure to keep checking the 2024 movie schedule for the latest on upcoming film releases.

We’re talking about Presumed Innocent Season 2 and the Season 1 finale today, so major, and I mean MAJOR, spoilers are ahead! If you aren’t caught up, go back and watch the series with an Apple TV+ subscription.

After eight weeks of tuning into Presumed Innocent on the 2024 TV schedule, we finally found out if Rusty Sabich (Jake Gyllenhaal) was guilty of killing Carolyn Polhemus (Renate Reinsve). And the truth was a shocker. Now, following the renewal of the Jake Gyllenhaal-led legal thriller, the question becomes: How will they move forward now that we know who did it?

For some context, Presumed Innocent is a book-to-screen adaptation of Scott Turow’s book of the same name. It does have a sequel, called Innocent, that takes place two decades after the events of the first story. However, it’s unclear how Season 2 of the series will work, all we know is it will focus on “an entirely new case.”

With that in mind, I think there’s only one good way to move forward with this series, and it’s not by adapting the second book, it’s by turning Presumed Innocent into an anthology series.

The Last Thing I Want To See Is More Of Rusty's And His Family

Let’s start where Season 1 ends. In the finale of the rightfully critically acclaimed Presumed Innocent, there were twists on twists as it was revealed that Rusty’s daughter Jaden (Chase Infiniti) killed Carolyn with a fire poker. This came right after her father admitted that he tied his former lover up because he thought his wife, Barbara (Ruth Negga) had killed her, and he wanted to throw law enforcement off so she wouldn’t be a suspect.

The series ends with the family staying together and promising to not tell anyone about what happened, because the trial was over and Rusty had been named innocent.

While I thought the turns at the end and the reveal that Jaden did it was jaw-dropping and interesting, the last thing I want to see next is the continuation of this family’s story. I don’t want to watch them deal with this secret, and I think their story has run its course.

Not only do I not want to see a child deal with the repercussions of murder, but I also don’t think there’s a point in stretching out the Sabichs' story.

As viewers, we got closure about who did it, we saw Rusty fully admit that even though he didn’t murder Carolyn, he’s still pretty terrible, and their family is moving on. So, why reopen old wounds and drag out a story in Season 2 when an anthology series feels like a better way to go?

Season 2 Of Presumed Innocent Could Pick Up Where It Left Off, Adapt Innocent Or Become An Anthology. I’m On Team Anthology

Now, Presumed Innocent could simply adapt Innocent for Season 2, jump forward 20 years, and we could watch Tommy (Peter Sarsgaard) and Rusty battle it out in court over the death of Barbara. However, if they did that, I think the show would have to end afterward.

If they were to pick up where they left off, I fear they’d reach a similar impasse. Maybe they could get another season out of the fallout of finding out Jaden killed Carolyn. However, as I stated, that feels like we’d be unnecessarily dragging out a story that clearly ended.

So, enter the anthology idea. We know Presumed Innocent Season 2 will take on a new case, and that could mean the series is going to leave Season 1 in the past and move on to a totally new story.

Whether Season 2 is in a completely new universe with entirely new characters and the same cast, a la American Horror Story, or a new case in a different city that’s within the same cinematic universe as Season 1, like The White Lotus, I think either could work. And with an anthology, the show would be better and it would leave the option open to do more than two seasons.

Taking on a new impossible morally grey case, like Rusty’s, each season that focuses on the complications of something like a prosecutor’s co-worker and lover dying, is fascinating. I’d love to see the show take on a new mystery that’s just as hard to crack and emotionally wrought as this first one. The best way to do that is by making Presumed Innocent an anthology like The White Lotus.

I Think Presumed Innocent Season 2 Should Take A Page Out Of The White Lotus’ Book

As you likely know, The White Lotus' cast and location change each season as it centers around a new White Lotus hotel, with a few casting exceptions.

Season 1 took place in Hawaii, and Season 2 was in Italy and featured a new mystery, with the exception of Jennifer Coolidge reprising her role as Tanya. Now, The White Lotus’ Season 3 ensemble will travel to Thailand, with Natasha Rothwell’s Belinda returning after she appeared in the first season.

In most ways, this show is an anthology. Each season focuses on a new mystery and a new set of morally grey characters. There are connections from story to story, and they’re within the same connected universe, however, each season is also distinctly its own and can stand alone. I want Presumed Innocent to be like that.

For the most part, I want a new case with an entirely new cast of characters. They could take the series to New York or LA to focus on a new high-profile and complex case that is just as intense as Rusty’s. However, by making it all within the same universe, there are opportunities to bring characters back.

For example, Peter Sarsgaard’s prosecutor Tommy Malto was a fascinating character, and it’d be interesting to see him try a new case or be involved with an investigation that has nothing to do with Rusty. They could have him move to a new city – kind of like how Coolidge’s character traveled to a new White Lotus in Season 2 – and it’d be great!

Overall, Presumed Innocent Season 2 would be its own new thing. New case, new drama, and new characters. However, if it’s in the same universe as Season 1, it can connect in small ways by bringing in a character here and there – like Sarsgaard’s Tommy.

Presumed Innocent is one of Apple TV+’s best shows, and I think to stay that way it needs to do something big and bold for Season 2. Rusty’s story ran its course, the mystery was solved, and an anthology is a way they can guarantee a fresh, daring and dramatic sophomore season.

Of course, all of this is speculation, and we don’t know how exactly Presumed Innocent Season 2 will happen. However, I have my fingers crossed that we’ll get an anthology. No matter what, though, we’ll be sure to update you once we know more about the next installment of this thrilling legal drama.

When I read that the Apple TV+ series Presumed Innocent got renewed for a second season, my immediate reaction was “What on Earth will Season 2 be about?” At the moment, Season 1 is airing on the 2024 TV schedule, and we don’t know if Jake Gyllenhaal’s Rusty will be convicted of murder or if he’ll be deemed innocent. With that mystery up in the air, and considering that this always felt like a limited series, I’m curious to see how Apple TV+ continues this show. However, there are a few ways it could happen. 

Before we hop into ideas for how the critically acclaimed Presumed Innocent could continue, it’s important to note that when Apple TV+ announced this news, it did not disclose if Gyllenhaal would be back as the lead character Rusty in Season 2. However, he was confirmed to be returning as an executive producer, and we know that the series will focus on “an entirely new case.” So, with that in mind, I see two ways this series can go forward.  

They Could Adapt The Second Book In The Presumed Innocent Series

Before I lay out the possibility of this option, be warned, that there are spoilers about the books Presumed Innocent and Innocent ahead. So, if you want to watch the last two episodes of Season 1 with an Apple TV+ subscription on July 17 and 24 without this knowledge, keep scrolling.

Presumed Innocent is a book-to-screen adaptation of Scott Turow’s bestselling novel from 1987. In 2011, the sequel book, Innocent, came out. So, it stands to reason that Season 2 will follow that story. 

To keep things as vague as possible, Innocent follows Rusty (who is currently played by Gyllenhaal) and Tommy Malto (Peter Sarsgaard in the series) as they are pitted against each other two decades after the Carolyn Polhemus case. This happens after Rusty’s wife dies unexpectedly, and he goes on the defense again. 

This feels like the most obvious way to continue the story. 

Notably, the press release announcing the renewal didn’t confirm any cast for Season 2, and all it stated was that it would follow a brand new case. So, if an Innocent adaptation happens, they could bring Gyllenhaal, Sarsgaard and co. back. They could also hire older actors to play these characters. 

Or, this might not happen at all, and the show might go in a totally different direction. 

They Could Make Presumed Innocent An Anthology Series 

Now it’s time to put on our tin-foil hats for a second. While an Innocent adaptation feels the most logical, what if Presumed Innocent takes a turn and we get an anthology series?

I’m of the opinion that Rusty’s story should end with this case. I’m not a fan of prolonging stories, and I feel like Season 1 of Presumed Innocent was meant to stand alone. 

So, going into Season 2, I’d love to see the cast return as totally new characters in a completely new world for a case that makes us question who should be “presumed innocent” and guilty. 

Or, as Deadline reported, the show could approach a second season like The White Lotus. Meaning, that while we mostly get an entirely new unconnected story and cast, there are characters that link the seasons together. 

Whether it’s a true anthology or a semi-anthology, I think this would be a fascinating direction to take the show. While I’d love to see Tommy and Rusty battle it out in court again, I also don’t really want to see Gyllenhall’s character go on the exact same journey he just went on. I’d prefer something different. Making this show an anthology would solve that issue. 

Overall, I’m of the opinion that Presumed Innocent is one of the best shows on Apple TV+ right now, and I’m thrilled we’re getting another season. As we learn more about the direction of Season 2 and who will be involved, we’ll be sure to keep you posted. 

Most actors don't just come out of the woodwork and immediately get awards attention, box office success and global stardom. Many start out taking bit parts in big movies or supporting character gigs opposite more successful performers. From Academy Award winners like Charlize Theron and Viola Davis to superhero stars like Tom Holland and Ben Affleck, here are 32 now-famous faces you might not remember popped up in famous movies before they were big. 

Matt Damon

In his movie debut, a very young Matt Damon can briefly be seen in 1988's Mystic Pizza as Steamer Windsor, the younger brother of Adam Storke's Charles, the clean-cut, country-club love interest of fun-loving pizzeria waitress Daisy (Julia Roberts). Steamer is present at an awkward dinner where Charles brings Daisy home to meet the family. 

Viola Davis

In the 1998 crime comedy Out of Sight, which is undoubtedly one of Steven Soderbergh's best movies, Viola Davis has a small role playing Moselle Miller, the wife of boxer Maurice "Snoopy" Miller (Don Cheadle). She would later go on to act alongside her Out of Sight co-star Jennifer Lopez in another crime flick, 2015's Lila & Eve.

Philip Seymour Hoffman

The 1992 Martin Brest melodrama Scent of a Woman memorably stars Al Pacino as a blind retired colonel and Chris O'Donnell as the prep-school student hired to watch over him, but it also features Philip Seymour Hoffman in one of his earliest performances as a fellow student named George Willis, Jr.

Carey Mulligan

The Bennet household is a bustling one in Joe Wright's 2005 adaptation of the Jane Austen classic Pride and Prejudice, so much so that you might have overlooked that — along with the likes of Keira Knightley, Rosamund Pike and Jena Malone — a teenaged Carey Mulligan is one of the Bennet sisters. (It's just one of many movies that prove Mulligan should be a much bigger star.) 

Elijah Wood

Long before he embarked on a quest to destroy the One Ring as Frodo in The Lord of the Rings, Elijah Wood was a successful child actor in films like The Adventures of Huck Finn, The Good Son, North and Flipper. However, before those starring roles, the pint-sized performer showed up as "Video Game Boy #2" in Back to the Future Part II.

Octavia Spencer

The 1999 Drew Barrymore comedy Never Been Kissed is jam-packed with unexpected actor appearances, from Jessica Alba to James Franco — together they play a dopey but popular high school couple — to Octavia Spencer. The latter plays a coworker of the main character Josie Geller (Barrymore) at the Chicago Sun-Times. 

Timothée Chalamet

With everything that goes on in Christopher Nolan's Interstellar — you know, that whole part about the astronauts who have to travel through a wormhole near Saturn in search of a new home for humankind — viewers may have forgotten that a fresh-faced Timothée Chalamet as Tim, the teen son of Matthew McConaughey's Cooper. 

Brie Larson

Well before she received an Oscar or donned a superhero cape, Captain Marvel star Brie Larson was a tween actress who had a main role in the short-lived WB sitcom Raising Dad. One of her first big-screen gigs, however, was as a popular Six Chick in the 2004 Jennifer Garner favorite 13 Going on 30. (Don't feel too bad, Mark Ruffalo didn't remember her either.) 

Charlize Theron

If you're a fan of The Wonders, you no doubt remember band members Guy (Tom Everett Scott), Lenny (Steve Zahn), Jimmy (Johnathon Schaech) and the bass player (Ethan Embry). However, you may not so readily remember that Charlize Theron is also in That Thing You Do!, as Guy's ex-girlfriend Tina, who leaves him for her dentist. 

Joe Manganiello 

Before making the ladies sweat in the Magic Mike franchise, Joe Manganiello was making Peter Parker sweat for an entirely different reason in Sam Raimi's Spider-Man film series, playing the high-school bully Flash Thompson. His character dated Kirsten Dunst's Mary Jane before she ended up with Spidey himself (Tobey Maguire). 

Seth Rogen

The titular teen protagonist of Donnie Darko (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) doesn't just have to deal with those disturbing visions of a rabbit-costumed man named Frank. He also has to deal with a pair of high school bullies, one of whom is played by Seth Rogen in his first ever movie appearance. 

Amy Adams

The Steven Spielberg-directed crime comedy Catch Me If You Can featured several now-well-known actresses before they were household names, including Ellen Pompeo, Elizabeth Banks and Amy Adams. The latter acted opposite Leonardo DiCaprio (played teenage con artist Frank Abagnale Jr.) as Brenda Strong, a young hospital worker who falls for Frank and his fraud. 

Keira Knightley

Given her uncanny resemblance to Natalie Portman, it's only fitting that a teenage Keira Knightley appeared as Sabé, a handmaiden and royal decoy for Portman's Padmé Amidala in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Even Knightley herself could use a reminder about who she played in the space trilogy!

Michael Fassbender

Years before memorable film roles in Inglourious Basterds, Jane Eyre, the X-Men movies and his Oscar-nominated turn in Shame, Michael Fassbender made his film debut in the 2006 action epic 300. He played the character of Stelios, a young, spirited and highly skilled Spartan soldier fighting under Gerard Butler's King Leonidas.

Sandra Oh

"Gupta? Mhm. Mhm. Mhm. The queen is coming!" It's one of the most memorable lines uttered in The Princess Diaries and it's said by none other than a pre-Grey's Anatomy Sandra Oh. Joining Anne Hathaway and Julie Andrews in the beloved cast, Oh plays the humorous vice principal at Mia Thermopolis's school. 

Margot Robbie

Before her big breakout in The Wolf of Wall Street — and even longer before she painted the world pink with the phenomenon that is Barbie — rom-com fans got their first introduction to Margot in the 2013 romantic dramedy About Time. Robbie plays Charlotte, a woman that the main character Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) is crushing on before he meets his true love, Mary (played by Rachel McAdams).

Joaquin Phoenix

The 1989 Ron Howard-directed comedy Parenthood already has a stacked cast — Steve Martin, Rick Moranis, Keanu Reeves, Mary Steenburgen and Dianne Wiest, to name a few — before you even remember that one of the youngins in the movie is played by a teenage Joaquin Phoenix, then going by his birth name Leaf.

Samuel L. Jackson

It's hard to remember a time when Samuel L. Jackson wasn't a major movie star, but in the 1970s and '80s, the iconic actor was racking up bit parts in big titles, including Eddie Murphy's Coming to America. In the 1988 rom-com, Jackson plays a character known as "Hold-Up Man," an armed robber who has held up the local fast-food restaurant called McDowell's five times. 

Kristen Stewart

Though she has been acting professionally since grade school, Kristen Stewart didn't become a global star until she played moody teen Bella Swan in 2008's vampire romance Twilight. But years before that, she played a memorable part in the 2002 David Fincher thriller Panic Room, appearing opposite Jodie Foster as her character's daughter. 

Dakota Johnson

\Dakota Johnson had her big Hollywood breakthrough leading a beloved book-to-film adaptation, as Anastasia Steele in the erotic Fifty Shades film series. But she actually showed up in another huge movie five years earlier: 2010's The Social Network, as a college coed who spends the night with Sean Parker, played by Justin Timberlake. 

Gabrielle Union

Before she led the Clovers to cheer competition victory in 2000's Bring It On, Gabrielle Union was given supporting roles in '90s teen favorites like 10 Things I Hate About You and She's All That. The latter was actually her film debut, in which she appeared as popular girl Katie, a member of Zack Siler's (Freddie Prinze Jr.) friend group. 

Nicolas Cage

Technically, Nicolas Cage wasn't in Fast Times at Ridgemont High. But Nicolas Coppola was — when he made his feature film acting debut in the 1982 coming-of-age comedy, the actor was still going by his birth name. However, the Oscar-winning star would later change his name professionally to avoid nepotism allegations. (He is, of course, the nephew of director Francis Ford Coppola and actress Talia Shire, and a cousin of director Sofia Coppola and actor Jason Schwartzman.)

Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp memorably made his big-screen debut in the 1984 horror film A Nightmare on Elm Street, but movie fans might not remember that a short while later, he also appeared in Oliver Stone's war film Platoon as a young soldier fighting in the Vietnam War alongside the likes of Charlie Sheen, Willem Dafoe, Tom Berenger, Forest Whitaker and Kevin Dillon. 

Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman has had a prolific acting career ever since she was a tween, starting from when she starred as the young protégée of a hitman in the 1994 action film Léon: The Professional at only twelve years old. Though that was an instantly memorable introduction to the performer, you might have forgotten that only a year later, she worked alongside screen greats like Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in the Michael Mann-directed classic, Heat. 

Tom Holland

He's most famous for spinning webs as Spider-Man but long before that, Tom Holland was making his film debut (and making audiences weep) in the 2012 disaster drama The Impossible, as a young boy desperately trying to reunite with his family following a horrific tsunami. 

Vince Vaughn

The heartwarming 1993 sports drama Rudy — about a young man (Sean Astin) who dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame — features an ironic pair of film-acting debuts. It was the first movie roles of both Jon Favreau and Vince Vaughn, playing teaching assistant D-Bob and tailback Jamie O'Hara, respectively. That duo would famously go on to star in the 1996 buddy comedy Swingers. 

Ryan Gosling

Another early football role for a Hollywood heavyweight, a young Ryan Gosling already had some big TV gigs under his belt (The Mickey Mouse Club, Young Hercules) before he appeared as Alan Bosley, the wiry cornerback of T. C. Williams High School's football team in Remember the Titans. And if you remember that locker-room singalong, you know the little Goose had charisma even then!

Mila Kunis

Yes, that is a mini Mila Kunis in Honey, We Shrunk Ourselves — she played a friend of Wayne Szalinski's (Rick Moranis) niece, who throws a house party once it seems like all of the grown-ups have left for the evening. (Instead, the adults have been accidentally zapped to microscopic proportions, naturally.) 

Daniel Craig

Before he was Bond, James Bond, Daniel Craig was Ballard, John Ballard, in the 1998 historical drama Elizabeth. The British actor portrayed a priest-slash-assassin who conspired with the Duke of Norfolk (Christopher Eccleston) to overthrow Queen Elizabeth I (played by Cate Blanchett) from the throne. Of course, Bond would never treat the Queen of England that way!

Jake Gyllenhaal

Given that filmmaking is a family business for Jake Gyllenhaal — he is the son of film director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, and the younger bro of the great actress Maggie Gyllenhaal — it's not a shock that the actor started young. He made his film debut at age ten in 1991's City Slickers, playing the son of Billy Crystal's character Mitch Robbins. 

Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington is best known for playing crisis management expert Olivia Pope in the ABC drama series Scandal, but more than a decade earlier, she showed off her fix-it skills as Chenille Reynolds in Save the Last Dance, helping Julia Stiles's character Sara better integrate into their South Side high school and hip-hop culture at large. 

Ben Affleck

Like his famous best friend Matt Damon, Ben Affleck also began his acting career as a child and while eagle-eyed moviegoers no doubt remember spotting him in early-'90s films like School Ties and Dazed and Confused, they may have forgotten his uncredited early cameos, such as "Basketball Player 10" in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie. 

People can’t get enough of the TV adaptation of Scott Turow's Presumed Innocent. The popular 1986 novel was recently adapted into a series starring Jake Gyllenhaal for Apple TV+, and the legal thriller is getting rave reviews from critics. Now, the love for book-to-screen adaptations of this genre is continuing to go strong as one of John Grisham's beloved novels is getting the treatment next. That's right, The Rainmaker is heading to television, with strong talent involved behind the scenes. 

According to a recent report by The Wrap, Grisham’s 1995 novel, The Rainmaker, is currently in series development at the USA Network. Michael Seitzman, who is known for creating Code Black for CBS, is set to be an executive producer on the project. He has been attached to the adaptation since it was previously in development at Hulu. Stumptown producer Jason Richman and Jason Blum are also involved in the project, and Grisham will be credited as a producer too. 

The series will be the latest in a newfound collaboration between Lionsgate and Blumhouse Television, as they have a multi-project deal together. This will also be the second television adaptation of a Grisham novel as The Firm was adapted into a single-season show for AXN back in 2012. After the success of Suits this past year on streaming and the raves surrounding Presumed Innocent, the USA Network seems eager to reignite interest in legal dramas, and The Rainmaker may just be the perfect project. 

The Rainmaker series will follow recent law school graduate, Rudy Baylor as he investigates conspiracies involving the death of his client's son with his boss and a disheveled paralegal. He will be up against courtroom hot-shot Leo Drummond, who is working with his law school girlfriend. 

The series is set to be a fresh new episodic take on the novel, which was previously adapted into a 1997 film of the same name directed by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Matt Damon and Danny Devito. The movie was met with critical acclaim, and it is widely considered to be one of Damon’s best films. So, the bar is high for this show.

Casting for the new series is yet to be announced, but it’s safe to say they will all have big shoes to fill. 

However, if Presumed Innocent is an indicator of the potential this new series has, it’s a great sign. The Apple TV+ series also had a strong legacy to live up to, with the Turow material being previously adapted into a film starring Harrison Ford in 1990. However, the episodic nature of a series arguably gives more room for a mystery to unfold, and it will also be a beneficial storytelling structure for The Rainmaker. 

Pre-production is still underway on The Rainmaker series, so it may be a while before it finally hits the small screen. In the meantime, you can revisit the previous 1997 adaptation of the John Grisham novel now with a Paramount+ subscription, and you can watch the latest book-to-screen adaptation of a beloved legal thriller by streaming Presumed Innocent with an Apple TV+ subscription. 

For more information on other shows heading to the network and streaming in the near future, make sure to consult our 2024 TV schedule. 

It’s the year of the remake for Jake Gyllenhaal, who starred in the updated version of the ‘80s classic Road House earlier in 2024 and now will take on a role previously played by Harrison Ford more than 30 years ago. The new project — Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent — also shows an evolution in the actor’s career, as the legal thriller will serve as his Gyllenhaal’s first major TV role. Critics have had the opportunity to screen the first seven episodes of the eight-part miniseries, which premieres on June 12, and the verdict on the new David E. Kelley project is overwhelmingly positive.

Presumed Innocent is a remake of the 1990 movie starring Harrison Ford, but it’s also an adaptation of the novel of the same name. Jake Gyllenhaal will play Chicago prosecutor Rusty Sabich, who becomes the primary suspect in the murder of one of his colleagues. He must go to extreme lengths to prove he didn’t do it. Aramide Tinubu of Variety credits Gyllenhaal’s performance in making Presumed Innocent “one of the best legal thrillers to arrive on television in years.” Tinubu continues: 

Emma Kiely of Collider agrees the performances are stellar, and she points out that knowing how the movie ended does not ruin the experience of watching the series. (Critics did not see the final episode of Presumed Innocent and do not know how or if the ending differs in this miniseries.) Kiely calls it “one of the standout television shows of the year,” rating the series a 9 out of 10: 

Akos Peterbencze of Looper gives it a 7.5 out of 10, also crediting the actors — the supporting cast is just as impressive as Jake Gyllenhaal, if not more, the critic says — as well as the gripping, suspenseful atmosphere and some wild cliffhangers to keep audiences intrigued. It can therefore be forgiven for a somewhat slow first episode and a few clichés. Peterbencze writes:  

Dave Nemetz of TVLine grades the Apple TV+ series an A-, saying that a courtroom thriller from David E. Kelley is already must-watch material, before you even throw in its impressive cast. Presumed Innocent is sleek and riveting, Nemetz says: 

Lauren Milici of GamesRadar agrees with the above assessments as far as the performances given, though the critic thinks some parts are a bit underdeveloped, particularly when it comes to the character of Carolyn (Renate Reinsve). Milici rates the series 3 out of 5 stars, writing: 

If you’re a fan of Jake Gyllenhaal, David E. Kelley or just twisty legal dramas in general, Presumed Innocent sounds like a series you might want to fire up the Apple TV+ subscription for. The first two episodes will be available to stream on June 12, with one episode dropping each Wednesday thereafter. Also be sure to see what other shows are premiering soon with our 2024 TV schedule. 

Jake Gyllenhaal was born into a talented family where his father, Stephen, is a director, and his mother, Naomi Foner, is a screenwriter. You also may know his talented sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal, whose best movies include The Dark Knight, Adaptation, The Kindergarten Teacher and more. Knowing how gifted his older sister is, the Road House actor gushed about how she inspired him in his acting career.

You can actually thank Maggie Gyllenhaal for inspiring Jake to have a career in acting like herself. The Brokeback Mountain actor was first interested in being an actor once he saw his older sister in a middle school production of South Pacific. Gyllenhaal told THR after witnessing Maggie's onstage performance, there was no stopping him from following in his sister’s acting path:

It’s so cute how the 43-year-old actor talks about his older sister by three years still like an adoring little brother. Being born into a gifted family gave Jake Gyllenhaal a leg-up into how the entertainment industry worked, as well as its A-list stars. The famous actor’s first IMDB credit was in 1991 playing Billy Crystal’s young son in City Slickers.

Jake Gyllenhaal is absolutely right that his sister is “brilliant” and talented in her roles. Maggie Gyllenhaal played a kick-ass mom saving the school system in Won’t Back Down, she had a strong presence playing Rachel in The Dark Knight, and brought out character complexity in The Kindergarten Teacher (found with your Netflix subscription) to name a few roles. She’s also an Academy Award nominee and the recipient of three Independent Spirit Awards, three Gotham Awards and a Golden Globe.

Not only has Maggie Gyllenhaal been a leading lady in her own movies, but she’s starred with her brother in three projects. The celebrity siblings have acted alongside each other in two movies directed by their father called A Dangerous Woman and Homegrown. Their third collaboration together ranks as one of the best 2000s movies, with Donnie Darko showing their real-life sibling chemistry.

Even though it's been over two decades since the Gyllenhaal siblings took part in a project together, they’re about to make your wish come true for next year. Maggie Gyllenhaal may not have an onscreen role in her sci-fi horror film The Bride!, but she’ll be writing and co-producing the project, as well as directing her younger brother! We have no idea what role Jake Gyllenhaal will play, but I have no doubts his acting skills will help turn his sister’s second directorial film into a success.

It’s easy for Jake Gyllenhaal to gush about Maggie considering she’s what inspired him to act in the first place. From childhood to adulthood, He clearly has nothing but strong sibling love for his older sister, as he told THR that he gets emotional just talking about their dynamic. There's nothing like sibling love to give you all the feels.

Relive the sibling bond of the Gyllenhaal siblings in Donnie Darko with your Peacock subscription. Make sure to also catch The Bride! in theaters on October 3rd, 2025.

As our review of Road House notes, Jake Gyllenhaal was magnificent in the remake, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want more. Thank goodness, we are getting a Road House 2! Now, the guy behind Dalton has opened up about how excited he is for it too. And let me take this moment to simply say: Bro, same.

While Road House premiered on the 2024 movie schedule a few months ago, there’s already a hunger for a sequel. The second movie was announced not long after the release of this Jake Gyllenhaal-led flick, and now, the leading man has opened up about how excited he is for it, telling TV Line:

Dude, I'm with you. That’s also essentially all I know about a Road House sequel too. Based on Road House’s ending, we know Dalton is headed away from the bar and toward his next adventure. Sadly, it also seems like Conor McGregor might not return for a sequel, however, that’s not been confirmed. With all that said, like Gyllenhaal, I’m mostly just thrilled that this movie is happening, and I can’t wait to learn more about his reluctant vigilante. 

The Zodiac actor is in the same boat too. He told the publication that he’s looking forward to throwing some punches as Dalton again, saying:

In the first movie, we learned a bit about Dalton’s past as a fighter and what led him to leave the profession. Also, his time at the Road House only felt like the beginning of his career as seriously effective bar security.

When Road House 2 comes around, there are two roads I could see it going down. One might see Dalton with a new cast of characters in a new bar taking down a new bad guy. The other would see Gyllenhaal’s character returning to Florida and the Road House to help rebuild the bar that was thoroughly destroyed by the end of the first movie and save the Keys from the evil people trying to turn it into hotels. 

Either way this goes, I know I want to see a reference or two to the OG Road House as well (like the callback Lukas Gage wanted in the 2024 movie). 

I’m sure we’ll learn more about this exciting sequel soon, but while we wait I’ll be running off my own excitement and comments like this one from Gyllenhaal:

There were so many moments in Road House that I loved, and by the end, I could tell that there was more story to tell. I can’t wait to see Jake Gyllenhaal back as Dalton, and his enthusiasm about reprising to the part makes all of this even better!

As we learn more about Road House 2, we’ll keep you posted. While we wait, make sure to re-watch the first Road House starring Gyllenhaal and co. with an Amazon Prime subscription.

The 2024 movie schedule’s version of Road House is still rocking months after its release, and fans are getting a kick out of this action-packed remake of the Patrick Swayze classic with their Amazon Prime subscriptions. There have also been a lot of comparisons between the two films, as viewers work to spot moments that pay homage to the ‘80s flick. Now, one of the 2024 movie’s stars, Lukas Gage, has revealed the moment from the OG that he wished was in the project, and I agree with him.

There are tons of differences between the two versions of Road House, and as Gage told JoBlo they wanted this movie to be more of a reimaging than a remake. However, there was still one scene from the OG flick the actor who plays Billy the bar security boy wanted in the Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor-led movie, as he told the outlet:

In the original Road House, there’s a fight that features Patrick Swayze’s James Dalton in a brawl where he rips his hand across his adversary Jimmy’s throat before kicking him into the water. It’s an epic moment, and as Gage pointed out, it would have been fun to recreate that in their movie. 

However, there was one scene that was kind of close to it, as Gage and his co-star Daniela Melchior, who plays Ellie, went back and forth saying:

• Daniela Melchoir: We have the throat punch!
• Lukas Gage: We have the throat punch, but yeah.

There was indeed a throat punch, and it was epic. In the movie, Jake Gyllenhaal’s Dalton asks Billy to take care of a violent patron in the bar, and Gage throws a punch that hits the guy right in his throat. 

However, while there was that little instance and he would have loved to see the exact moment from the OG in this new movie, both actors made clear points that they didn’t want to compare the two projects while they were making it. 

This effort worked in their favor, because there are a lot of reasons why this year’s Road House is better than the original, and there are tons of new details in Doug Liman’s remake that are worth noting. Plus, Road House did crazy numbers on Amazon, proving that there was (and still is) major interest in the movie and the story of Jake Gyllenhaal's Dalton. 

Now, Road House is getting a sequel, which means they have more opportunities to tell the tales of Dalton and co. while paying homage to the world Patrick Swayze led in the ‘80s. Also, this upcoming movie gives the crew a chance to act on Gage’s request and get a good “throat-grabbing bit” into the project. I’m sure both the actor and fans of the OG would appreciate it. 

When it came to picking the final Season 49 host and musical guest of the year Saturday Night Live really went for it. Whether it was intentional or not, pairing Jake Gyllenhaal with Sabrina Carpenter has caused a flurry of reactions on the internet because of their individual relationships with Taylor Swift. Now, as the episode prepares to air and fans watch the ad that features both of them, they can’t stop (and won’t stop) referencing “All Too Well.”  

While Gyllenhaal and Carpenter don’t have a history per se, they both are important people in Taylor Swift’s world. The Road House actor is infamously the presumed ex she sings about in “All Too Well,” and the “Espresso” singer was the pop star’s opener on the Eras Tour for a few months earlier this year. So, as you can imagine, when the ad below dropped, the jokes about how they’re both connected to the chairman of The Tortured Poets Department were flying left and right. 

Some of Taylor Swift’s most heartbreaking and brutal lyrics came from “All Too Well,” and the ten-minute version of the song that chronicles this relationship falling apart is a favorite among Swifties. With all that in mind, and considering the irony of this pairing, many can’t stop using the popular song in their posts about the episode of SNL that’s about to air on the 2024 TV schedule. For example, @kissofbabylon posted:

Of course, they can’t let it go, and they still remember that scarf. So when this ad dropped many took to social media to post reactions like @repttpdslut’s:

Keeping things related to the infamous scarf that was still at his sister’s house, @toowellbrina had an admittedly funny joke about Carpenter and Gyllenhaal being seen in the same advertisement. They posted:

There were a lot of other comments about how people thought Carpenter looked uncomfortable in the video. However, that is nothing we can confirm or deny. This post, though, does seem to allude to this discourse that also happened when the ad dropped. 

Along with the “All Too Well” tweets, there have been a lot of references to Sabrina Carpenter’s hit song “Espresso.” In the case of @aloveaspureasit’s post, they decided to mix the two together, writing:

Playing on Swift's “sipping coffee like you’re on a late night show” lyric is honestly kind of genius. “Espresso” is a funny alt word for coffee in this case considering Carpenter’s song, and the lyric overall is fitting because, as we all know, Saturday Night Live is a legendary late-night show.

Of course, there were also posts rewriting Carpenter’s “Nonsense” outro to reference Gyllenhaal and Saturday Night Live. @Melissa_C19 had an option for the singer, as they posted:

If Sabrina Carpenter actually performs “Nonsense” with an outro like that, I think she would go down as one of SNL’s most memorable musical guests. However, I highly doubt she would call out the host. 

I do think she’ll perform “Nonsense” during the episode though, along with her hit “Espresso,” and I’m positive she’ll have a cheeky outro worth tuning in for. Meanwhile, I’m sure the Taylor Swift jokes will keep swirling around, because if there’s one thing that’s true when it comes to Swifties, they remember everything “All Too Well.” 

To watch Jake Gyllenhaal and Sabrina Carpenter in the Season 49 finale of Saturday Night Live, you can tune in live at 11:30 p.m. ET tonight on NBC or with a Peacock subscription. 

Since its launch on Prime Video on March 21, Road House has smashed streaming records, pulling in nearly 80 million viewers worldwide and firmly establishing itself as a heavyweight hit for Amazon. Directed by action maestro Doug Liman and starring the ever-intense Jake Gyllenhaal, the film serves up a high-octane reboot of one of the most iconic ‘80s movies, the 1989 classic action movie originally fronted by the late great Patrick Swayze. Among the star-studded cast of Road House is real-life UFC legend Conor McGregor, stepping into the role of Knox—Gyllenhaal's most formidable adversary in the movie. Road House 2 is officially a go, but fans will find themselves in a twist. Despite the sequel's green light, a social media post from the fighter may mean bad news for Conor fans.

As Road House reaches its climax, it appears that Dalton has finally subdued his rival Knox, leaving viewers to assume the character's demise—until a surprising post-credits scene reveals otherwise. In this scene, the UFC star’s character makes a bombastic escape from a hospital, clad only in a gown, hinting at possible future showdowns. While the film's ending sets the stage for a sequel and the return of Knox, McGregor's recent Instagram stories post has cast doubt on his continued involvement.

On Instagram, Conor shared Amazon’s announcement of the sequel and added a congratulatory note: “Congrats, guys! I wish you all the best of luck with it ❤️👏.” The wording of his message raises questions: is the veteran Call of Duty voice actor hinting at his absence in the next installment? This ambiguity fuels speculation: is Conor McGregor’s comment a strategic move to avoid spoilers for those who haven’t seen the movie yet, or is it a genuine farewell to his character?

Known for his dynamic and provocative style in the octagon, Conor's transition to the big screen in the Gyllenhaal-led remake has been enthusiastically received by fans. Given the positive response to his acting debut, it would be a significant loss for the franchise if the filmmakers didn't manage to bring him back for the sequel and give his villain a chance at revenge.

Hopefully, the Irish-born mixed martial artist's post doesn't suggest friction with his co-star, Jake Gyllenhaal. During a particularly intense late-night shoot, Gyllenhaal admitted the fighter kept trying to punch him and that he was even actually"clocked" by the Featherweight Champion in one scene. While the Jarhead star might understandably want to avoid a repeat of that incident, fans like myself are hoping it won't deter the fighter’s return for the sequel.

The 2024 movie schedule release has generated considerable excitement, particularly because of the award-winning MMA performer’s role in his first action role. In the CinemaBlend review of the movie, Eric Eisenberg described the film as "super violent and super funny," Sean O’Connell noted that Conor not only steals the show but is the main reason to watch the movie. This acclaim highlights McGregor's standout performance, underscoring his impact and the anticipation for his potential involvement in a follow-up film.

You can check out the movie everyone is talking about, and Conor McGregor’s over-the-top performance in Road House is now streaming for anyone with an Amazon Prime Video subscription.

We know Taylor Swift can take anyone down with her lyrics, and now, Swifties are hoping Sabrina Carpenter uses her own lyrics to do the same thing to one of the “Cruel Summer” singer’s infamous exes. That’s right, Jake Gyllenhaal is lined up as one of SNL’s Season 49 hosts. So, with the “Espresso” singer slated as his musical guest, fans of Taylor Swift are hoping that her former Eras Tour opener will use her frequently changed lyrics of “Nonsense” to poke fun at the Road House actor. 

There’s no question that to Swifties Jake Gyllenhaal – the presumed subject of Swift’s Red album and “All Too Well,” specifically – is one of the pop star’s most notorious exes. So, when it was announced that Gyllenhaal and Sabrina Carpenter would appear on SNL together, fans immediately took note of the irony of The Torutured Poets Department artist’s ex and opener appearing on the show at the same time. Now, Swifties are taking it one step further by re-writing Sabrina Carpenter’s viral “Nonsense” outro for her, and it’s hilarious. 

For some quick context, at every live show Carpenter plays, she writes a new outro that is specific to the city she’s in or event she’s at to close out her hit song “Nonsense.” They’re always quite cheeky, and it’s clear she has a lot of fun playing with the lyrics. 

Well, Taylor Swift’s fans – who witnessed this lyric switch many times when the "Feather" singer opened the Eras Tour in South America, Australia and Asia – decided to write a few outros for themselves ahead of her appearance on Saturday Night Live. Of course, many of them have to do with the host of said episode and the hit song “All Too Well,” and this viral TikTok is a perfect example of that:

Honestly, “All Too Well” and SNL rhyme just a little too well for fans not to write stuff like this. For example, @KayTeeeOh posted this hilarious and savage outro option on X:

Swifties really can’t let that scarf debacle go, and these outros are so funny because of it. While it’s been a very long time since “All Too Well’s” initial release, Swift dropped the 10-minute version a couple of years ago, and her performing it live at the Eras Tour has helped fans maintain their grudge against Gyllenhaal. 

Take @tayronto’s “Nonsense” outro as a prime example of that:

Keeping the savage outro options going, @zinedeen22 threw in some flowery language while connecting “All Too Well” and SNL in their “Nonsense” spoof:

Going with a slightly tamer option, @atwistoffate13 had a funny “Nonsense” outro for Carpenter and Gyllenhaal, as they posted:

Now, do I think Sabrina Carpenter is actually going to do something like this on live television? No. However, do I think this has the potential to be one of the most memorable SNL musical performances regardless of her “Nonsense” outro? Yes. 

Over the last year, Sabrina Carpenter’s fame has risen greatly, and in the last few weeks alone, she’s reached a new level of superstardom after playing Coachella and dropping the megahit “Espresso.” 

While I don’t think she’ll use any of these hilarious outros when her episode of Saturday Night Live airs on the 2024 TV schedule, I’m sure she’ll have a fun one planned if she decides to perform “Nonsense.” 

To see if Sabrina Carpenter takes any of these “Nonsense” suggestions when she makes her SNL debut, you can watch her episode that Jake Gyllenhaal is hosting on NBC or with a Peacock subscription on May 18 at 11:30 p.m. ET. 

Amazon’s Road House remake may have shown Jake Gyllenhaal slapping dudes and kicking ass as a bouncer, but his mighty opponent in the film, Conor McGregor, threw some very realistic blows as his character Knox. Their fight scenes together were such a highlight of the movie that you’d think what you watched was real. Well, there’s a reason for the realistic fighting sequences, as the Irish mixed martial artist explained the “four pass method” to make beating up his co-star look so natural.

One of the little things that made the Road House remake so entertaining was the way the fight sequences were filmed. The cameras panning around the brawlers with these long-cut takes were like something you’d see in a video game. But, of course, the fight scenes that featured Jake Gyllenhaal’s Dalton and Conor McGregor’s Knox were easy to get your eyes glued to because of how intense and real they looked. So what’s the secret to that? The former UFC champ opened up to Jake Hamilton about a little film sequence technique called the “four pass method.”

It's hard to believe these quick choreographed movements blended together to create an unbelievable arrangement. You can tell by Conor McGregor’s enthusiasm that he had a lot of fun filming this action film. He stole every scene he was in from his psychotic enforcer character Knox’s naked introduction to the final blowout between him and Dalton.

McGregor played the villainous role shamelessly with no limits to what he could do. That said, the Irish champ’s fighter instincts kept kicking in with constant reminders not to actually punch Jake Gyllenhaal in the face. It's almost like you forget you’re not in the ring, but hey, it proves you can’t always take the fighter out of a fighter.

This “four pass method” was almost featured in another big-budget flick. According to Total Film, stunt coordinator Garrett Warren was about to use this realistic fighting technique in James Cameron’s Avatar, but because the sci-fi blockbuster was filmed in a CGI landscape, it was decided that the technique wasn’t needed. So when Road House’s director Doug Liman told Warren, “I want to do something that’s never been done before,” in came the introduction of the “four pass method.”

Even though the “four pass method” helped to make the fight sequences look natural, it didn’t mean all of the grueling action in Road House wasn’t without a few mishaps. Like Conor McGregor previously mentioned, he really did “clock” Jake Gyllenhaal at one point for not judging the distance of his blow.

It looks like that’s the downside to doing choreographed scenes with real fighters is having to train them not to actually hit their scene partner for a movie. Plus, the Nightcrawler actor developed a staph infection after doing sequences in glass and on dirty floors. Oh, the things actors are willing to put themselves through for their craft.

Now we know that Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor’s head-to-head combat scenes looked so realistic thanks to the “four pass method” technique. Maybe Road House won’t be the only action flick making great use of this method in future films. You can watch many more kickass scenes in the action remake available with your Amazon Prime subscription.

You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who enjoys movies, yet doesn’t know who Robert Downey Jr. is. The man has been one of Hollywood’s biggest actors for many years now, and in March, he finally won an Academy Award thanks to his performance as Lewis Strauss in Oppenheimer. Much of Downey’s success stems from his time playing Iron Man in the Marvel movies in order, but he’s been acting a lot longer than that. Jake Gyllenhaal, one of the many people who’s performed alongside him, described what it’s like filming with Downey, which included him saying it’s like “working in 10-D.”

In 2007, one year before Downey debuted as Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, he and Jake Gyllenhaal starred with Mark Ruffalo in Zodiac, which CinemaBlend’s own Riley Utley once described as the “scariest” movie she’s ever seen. Following Downey’s Oscar win, Gyllenhaal recollected on his Zodiac experience while appearing on The Howard Stern Show. When the title host brought up how Gyllenhaal worked with Downey at a time when the latter “couldn’t get hired in Hollywood,” to which the Donnie Darko actor said:

Although Robert Downey Jr. made big splashes early on his his career with movies like Back to School, Air America, Chaplin and Natural Born Killers, by the late 1990s, he was dealing with addiction issues and frequent run-ins with the law. Although he was able to make his career resurgence in the early-mid 2000s with Gothika, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Good Night, and Good Luck, among others, this was still at a time when he faced an uphill battle getting work in Hollywood. Even Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige admitted that Downey wasn’t the “first choice” to play Iron Man, and even when Director Jon Favreau chose the actor, Marvel was initially hesitant to go through with the casting.

As far as Zodiac goes, Jake Gyllenhaal had no trouble recognizing Downey’s incredible talent. But on top of delivering an impressive performance as Paul Avery, the Tropic Thunder star also helped the Nightcrawler actor with memorizing his lines. As Gyllenhaal explained:

So far Zodiac is the only time that Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr. have worked together, although Spider-Man: Far From Home did see Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio being presented as a disgruntled ex-employee of Tony Stark’s. Maybe there will come a day when these two can participate in the same project again, but clearly Downey had no trouble leaving an impression on Gyllenhaal. Now if only some other costars of Downey’s con confirm if that “10-D” statement is on point.

If you’re in the mood to watch Zodiac now, it can be streamed with a Paramount+ subscription. Meanwhile, Amazon Prime Video subscribers have access to to Jake Gyllenhaal’s latest movie, the Road House remake, and Max subscribers can check Robert Downey Jr. out in the miniseries The Sympathizer, which he stars in and produced.

The latest Jake Gyllenhaal project had him slapping dudes and kicking ass in the Road House remake. While he was impressive showing off that male machismo in the action flick, it would be nice to see him tackle a feel-good rom-com for a change. While on The Kelly Clarkson Show, the Academy Award nominee expressed his openness for his next project to be a rom-com. You better believe Kelly Clarkson herself is ready to 100% take all of the credit for it.

Gyllenhaal has been known to provide shock, awe, and tears in his best movies. But it would be a nice change of pace to see him venture into a feel-good movie with a lucky love interest by his side. Based on the latest episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, the talk show host herself suggested to the Prisoners actor what his next project should be, and he’s not objecting.

Kelly Clarkson: "Newer rom-com, do it, come on."
Jake Gyllenhaal: "I'm so down for that."

It would be amazing to see Jake Gyllenhaal more lucky in the love department on screen. He’s had his share of good romances, like starring in one of the best Westerns of all time, Brokeback Mountain; the romantic dramedy Love & Other Drugs; and he gave one of 2017’s best performances in Stronger. But each of those movies had Gyllenhaal’s characters deal with a lot of heart-breaking hardships. It would be nice to see the Donnie Darko actor have a feel-good romance that’ll make us laugh and smile.

Kelly Clarkson ought to be hired as Jake Gyllenhaal’s future film collaborator, as we can thank her for the October Sky actor remaking the badass Patrick Swayze movie. After showing us a throwback clip of the time Gyllenhaal spoke to the American Idol winner about his time as a beach bouncer, he admitted she’s the true source of inspiration for the remake.

So there you go! Kelly Clarkson put the idea in Jake Gyllenhaal’s head to relive his beach bouncer days on the small screen, and that’s exactly what he did. I guess that means we have her to credit for the insane reported numbers it gave Amazon, with 50 million subscribers watching it. Now if Gyllenhaal’s possible future rom-com can get numbers like that through streamers or the box office, you know the pop singer will want the props she deserves.

Just like we discovered Kelly Clarkson was the source of inspiration for Jake Gyllenhaal’s Road House, he may have to recognize her again if his aspiring rom-com comes into being. In order to be up to date on Gyllenhaal’s upcoming projects, take a look at our 2024 movie releases. Hopefully, the rom-com he’s “down for” will turn up soon.

Before its release the Road House director made waves for his protest of his own movie, and the fact that Amazon had insisted the movie get a streaming-only launch, when he thought it was worthy of a theatrical release. Now that the movie is out in the world, and while it’s unclear what would have happened if it had been in theaters, there’s no argument it is a bona fide streaming hit.

Not only is Road House a hit for Amazon, but it is, according to Amazon (via THR), the biggest hit in the history of Prime Video. It has been seen by 50 million Prime Video subscribers, making it the largest global launch in the platform’s history. It’s unclear how Prime Video counts views, whether that’s the number of people who have seen the whole movie, the number who pressed play, or somewhere in between.  Still, this is a significant number. 

Still, it makes one wonder how Road House would have done if it had seen a theatrical release as was originally intended. Just because 50 million people watched it at home, it doesn’t mean all of them would have gone to a theater to do so. There was interest from the audience in this one, and if the movie had been theatrically released, it likely would have seen greater promotion. So even more people would have been aware of it and many would have gone to see it.

Prime Video has something in the neighborhood of 200 million subscribers, though that number is inflated since many of them are looking for free shipping more than they want remakes of Patrick Swayze movies. Still, this implies something like a quarter of the subscriber base watched the movie, that’s an impressive percentage. But even though Amazon has many subscribers, millions of people don’t have it and likely would have paid money to see the movie.

And there’s little argument that Road House’s action would have looked amazing on the big screen. Jake Gyllenhaal hyped up the movie’s action sequences before it released and they were quite impressive. Even seeing them on a fairly large screen at home isn’t the same as watching it all in a theatrical environment. I feel like this was a movie that deserved a theatrical release.

The battle between theatrical exhibition and streaming releases isn’t going anywhere. There have been several movies before Road House that dealt with these competing interests, and there will be more. We’ll never know what would have happened if this movie had made the other choice. In the end, Road House is a fun action movie that found its audience, which is something that doesn’t always happen.

I will admit, I wasn’t really all that hyped about Doug Liman’s Road House remake before the movie debuted on Prime Video in March. But after reading what my colleague, Eric Eisenberg, had to say about the film in his four-star review, as well as other critical responses to the Jake Gyllenhaal action movie, I decided to give it a proper shot. Guess what? I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS MOVIE!

This felt like a throwback to the fun action flicks of my childhood, and I just couldn’t get enough of it. From Conor McGregor’s off-the-wall performance to random bits of dialogue my coworkers and I have been quoting to straight-up bonkers fight sequences, I was in hog heaven.

I Haven't Been Able To Stop Thinking About Conor McGregor's Insane Energy In Road House

There’s a mashup video of Conor McGregor being edited into the Mission: Impossible franchise and various Fast & Furious movies that’s pure chaos. While I long thought that was the most unhinged thing I would ever see involving the former UFC champ, that paled in comparison to his portrayal of Knox in Road House. 

Seriously, I just can’t stop thinking about this jacked-up and psychotic villain whose only mission in the movie is to punch, kick, punch, drink coconut milk, and beat the mess out of anyone and everyone in his way. He’s less of a character and more of a force of nature, one that steals the show and makes the movie so much better. 

Listening To 'Kokomo' On The Way To The Hospital

Another thing I loved about Road House was the fact the movie never took itself too seriously, and just about every intense sequence was countered by a hilarious moment, which created a nice effect. 

About 20 minutes into the movie, after Dalton puts a beating on a group of bikers, he offers to give them a ride to the nearest hospital. It’s a short scene with very little dialogue, but the fact that the Beach Boys’ “Kokomo” is playing on the car radio is like the chef’s kiss of this sequence. It’s so random, so wholesome, and so effective.

I Don't Know Why But I Really Like That I Know The Road House Is About 25 Minutes From The Nearest Hospital

Did you know there is a hospital that is only about 25 minutes away from the Road House in Glass Key? Well, the movie makes sure you know several times.

I don’t know much about the hospital (Is it even in Glass Key or further along the highway?), but I do know that you can go from being in a bar fight to seeking emergency trauma care in under 30 minutes, depending on traffic. Broken arm, broken finger, an old and infected knife wound? You’re covered!

Once I Got Used To Them, The Fight Scenes Were So Absurdly Awesome

I didn’t immediately like the fight sequences in Road House, but not because I thought they looked bad. Instead, it had more to do with me having motion sickness from the way the camera jumps and pans around the brawlers. But, once I got used to the almost video game aesthetic, I fell in love with the way director Doug Liman filmed the fights. 

They were so brutal, so absurd, and so awesome! Shooting them this way also helped with the suspension of disbelief, especially when Dalton and Knox started going at it in the second half of the movie. 

Jake Gyllenhaal Pulled Off The 'Friendly Reluctant Badass' Character So, So Well

Much like Patrick Swayze’s John Dalton in the original Road House, Jake Gyllenhaal’s take on the character in the remake is a badass. On top of that, both are depicted as friendly enough guys who don’t really lose their cool (that UFC fight notwithstanding), and that’s really what makes them so appealing in the first place.

Gyllenhaal could have totally approached the character from the standpoint of your typical badass who jumps in and takes care of business, but instead he takes a more restrained and somewhat goofy approach. 

I Know The Boat Crash Makes Absolutely No Sense, But That Sort Of Makes The Whole Sequence Even Better

I love big, dumb moments in action movies, especially those that defy all logic and the laws of gravity. That said, Road House gave me one of the biggest, dumbest, and most head-scratching boat crashes I’ve seen in a long time, and I LOVED it.

It makes no sense when Dalton, Ellie (Daniela Melchior), and Ben Brandt (Billy Magnussen) crash a speed boat into the reef in front of the Road House and Ben is thrown flying into the sky, only to survive. But, I’m a sucker for this type of thing.

The Dynamic Shared By Dalton And Moe Throughout The Movie Brings So Much Joy To My Life For Some Reason

Arturo Castro’s Moe, one of the bikers who’s always crossing paths with Dalton in Road House, might be my favorite character in the whole movie. After their first scene together, I was hopeful it wouldn’t be a one-and-done and he would be around later on. Not only did I get my wish, but each interaction got better.

I lost my mind near the end of the movie where Moe told Dalton he was leaving town and that he only hung out with those goons because he really wanted to ride motorcycles, which was “hard to do in South Florida without a group.” 

That Slo-Mo Closing Titles Sequence (Along With The Post-Credits Scene) Was Just Great

While I’m a sucker for a great opening titles sequence, I also get down with eye-popping closing credits sequences, as well. So, imagine how stoked I was after finishing Road House only to find a slo-mo segment. The way scenes from the movie would turn into slowed-down digital recreations with 3D effects hit me like I was listening to one of those “Chopped and Screwed” remix albums out of the Houston hip-hop scene for the first time back in 2005.

Oh, and that post-credits scene where Knox walks out of the hospital (I thought he was dead) like nothing happened was just the cherry on top.

The Fact That A Crocodile Ate Someone And Everyone Was Just Like 'Okay, Just A Normal Day In The Keys'

It’s no secret that Florida is a crazy place where anything and everything can happen, like a crocodile pulling a henchman below the surface, never to be seen again. I don’t know if the residents and police in Glass Key are used to massive reptiles just straight-up eating people, but I just kept wondering about the family of JD Pardo’s character and if they just went about their business saying, “Well, it’s Florida.” 

I’m not mad about it (like Betty White in Lake Placid, I’m rooting for the crocodile), I just think it’s funny that it’s never brought up again.

Can We Get More Billy Magnussen Villain Roles?

With performances like Ben Brandt in Road House and Logan Ash in No Time to Die, Billy Magnussen has played some great villains in recent years, and I hope this continues. The way he brought the spoiled, bratty, and self-centered son managing the empire of an imprisoned crime boss to life was great, and added a nice touch to the movie. 

Sure, he wasn’t as odd as Ben Gazzara’s Brad Wesley in the original Road House, but Magnussen did steal the show whenever he was on screen. What was up with that haircut though? 

Was Road House a perfect movie? No, not really. But was it one of the wildest and most enjoyable experiences I’ve had with a 2024 new movie? You bet! It’s going to be hard to top this one…

For years and years, there’s been a push to recognize the best action movies, and specifically, their stunt teams at the Oscars. When it comes to projects on the 2024 film schedule, flicks like the well-reviewed Road House would be a shoo-in for that category…if it existed. However, the category is still not part of the Academy Awards, and after people had a chance to see all the wicked action in Doug Liman’s remake of Road House, one of the movie's stars spoke out about The Academy still not honoring stunt performers. 

Dominique Columbus, who plays Reef, one of the Road House’s security guys who is caught in a lot of the action, spoke with Hollywood Life about being part of the action in the movie. He also made sure to give props to the stunt guys he worked with while speaking out about why their work should be recognized at the Oscars:

Road House, which was led by stunt coordinators Steve Brown and Garrett Warren, is jam-packed with high-octane action. Columbus’ character is involved in a lot of it too. His character Reef ends up working at the Road House bar, and he assists Jake Gyllenhaal’s Dalton in getting all the violent fellas out. So, naturally, he was part of shooting a lot of the incredible fights in the film, and he got to see the stunt performers do what they do best. 

He’s also 100% correct, stunt performers do deserve recognition at the Oscars, and people have been pushing for it for years. 

For example, Jason Statham has been a major advocate for stunt people being recognized by The Academy. As an action star himself, he’s aware of all the work that goes into action sequences, and he eloquently explained that it takes years to learn and perfect their craft while also noting that these performers “are putting themselves at great risk for the good of the movie.” 

John Wick’s director Chad Stahelski has been pushing for a stunts category too, using a BTS video from his movie to prove his point. He’s also gone on the record saying something that fits right in with Columbus’ point, as the iconic action director told Deadline:

With a new casting category being added to the Oscars, it became clear that the award show is willing to implement new categories. Also, the fact that Chad Stahelski has been speaking with The Academy about recognizing stunts is encouraging. I know I’m hopeful about stunt performers finally getting the credit they deserve, and it feels like many folks in Hollywood are too.

There was a lot of hype behind the action scenes in Road House, and between their stunt team and stars, including Jake Gyllenhaal and UFC fighter Conor McGregor, the fights in this film are next level. If there were a stunt category at the Oscars, I feel like this movie would be an obvious pick for a nod.

However, at least for the next year, another Oscars will go by without stunt performers getting the praise they merit. Hopefully, someday soon, Dominique Columbus’ hopes will become a reality. But for now, make sure to stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates about this ongoing campaign for stunts at the Academy Awards, and make sure to stream Road House with an Amazon Prime subscription.

Conor McGregor is one of the most entertaining MMA fighters to ever grace the octagon. Whether you love him or hate him for the way he struts around talking smack, it’s no surprise that fans have been all over his performance in Jake Gyllenhaal’s remake of the classic ‘80s action movie Road House. It sounds like Gyllenhaal had quite the experience with “The Notorious,” as he recalled the routine they had to go through before every take because McGregor kept trying to punch the actor in the face for real.

Jake Gyllenhaal paid a visit to the Smartless podcast to talk about the Road House remake (which is available to stream now with an Amazon Prime subscription), and he had plenty of positive things to say about the UFC star. The actor called Conor McGregor “amazing” and credited the fighter for coaching him through their fight scenes. However, when the cameras started rolling, McGregor apparently had to be constantly reminded not to actually hit Gyllenhaal. The star explained: 

It sounds like Conor McGregor’s instincts kept kicking in, because he’s definitely not used to throwing pretend punches when faced with an opponent in the octagon. It’s hilarious that Jake Gyllenhaal was still having to go through this routine with the UFC’s former two-belt champion months into shooting, but I understand why he did it, because I wouldn’t want to be hit in the face by McGregor either.

Unfortunately for the Jarhead star, he really did get “clocked” by Conor McGregor during one particularly late night of filming, so I’m sure he wanted to do everything possible to avoid that situation again.

Much of the buzz surrounding Road House has centered around the mixed martial artist in his first movie role. In the CinemaBlend review of Road House, Eric Eisenberg calls the movie “super violent and super funny,” while our own Sean O’Connell proclaims that Conor McGregor steals the show and is the main reason to stream the movie.

They’re not alone, either, as many critics have praised the UFC fighter, even saying he’s one of the reasons the remake is better than the 1989 original. Hopefully this will lead to Conor McGregor tackling more acting projects in the future, but his forthcoming co-stars should still be on the lookout if they happen to end up locked in a cage with him.

If you haven’t checked out Jake Gyllenhaal and "The Notorious" Conor McGregor in Road House yet, you can do so on Amazon’s Prime Video, and be sure to also take a look at our 2024 movie calendar to see what other films are premiering soon. 

In taking on the role of Elwood Dalton in the Road House remake, Jake Gyllenhaal follows in the footsteps of one of the most beloved actors who ever lived – Patrick Swayze. The late Swayze – who died of pancreatic cancer in 2009 – notably played the iconic role of James Dalton in the 1989 OG flick. While the two lead characters have their differences, their key similarity is that the two bouncers are both capable fighters. So that begs the question of who would actually win in a fight. Well, Gyllenhaal weighed in on that subject, and his funny response actually makes sense. 

This is a fair discussion to have and, on the surface, it would seem hard to narrow down a clear victor. I mean, James certainly knows how to handle himself whenever he’s in a scrap. This 2024 remake, though, shows that Elwood is just as (if not more) formidable due to being a UFC veteran. The question of a brawl between the two was floated to Jake Gyllenhaal while he was speaking with Collider. The star began his argument by humorously quoting a crucial line from the 1989 movie, before making his point: 

I have to say, this is a reasonable response. First off, it’s comically perfect that the actor would quote the OG flick when sharing his argument. As he goes on to say though, the era in which the supposed bout would take place could mean a lot. Technology, as far as when it comes to fight training, has evolved considerably, and Elwood is likely the beneficiary of that. So, if he were to cross paths with James today, he’d likely have the upper hand. However, without all of that in the heart of the ‘80s, I’d probably put my money on Elwood’s counterpart to win. With that being said, the Nightcrawler alum add the following thought: 

That’s a solid piece of wisdom to live by but, when it comes to movies, there are definitely instances in which there’s a winner. The actor no doubt knows that but is probably just being cheeky. Either way, I do appreciate that he’d seemingly prefer the characters have a kumbaya moment as opposed to coming to blows. 

The new movie, which is available to Prime Video subscribers, sees a ripped Jake Gyllenhaal play an ex-MMA fighter, who becomes a bouncer at a rough roadhouse in the Florida Keys. While there, he ends up helping to keep the establishment out of the clutches of a greedy businessman and the gang of bikers in his employ. Critics have been somewhat mixed on Road House, though the general consensus seems to be that Conor McGregor steals the film. Many argue that Gyllenhaal deserves more credit for his performance as well.

All in all, the funny and bone-crunching flick differs from its predecessor in a number of ways, and that’s arguably what makes it fresh. There’s also a lot of pleasure in seeing Jake Gyllenhaal’s Elwood beat thugs with ease. Of course, we’ll never get to see the character go toe-to-toe with Patrick Swayze’s Dalton. But, in all honesty, that’s probably a fight best left to the imagination. 

Anyone who’s yet to see Road House for themselves can stream the 2024 movie schedule release on Prime Video now. That same membership will also allow you to check out the 1989 classic as well.

When we rounded up critics’ reactions to Road House, many were quick to sing Conor McGregor’s praises and overlook Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance as our leading man Dalton. Well, while the UFC fighter is great fun to watch in this film on the 2024 movie schedule, I think we’re focusing on the wrong guy, and it’s time we give Gyllenhaal the credit he deserves. 

Overall, reviews for this movie from Doug Liman are mixed. While CinemaBlend’s review of Road House by Eric Eisenberg sang Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor’s praises, other outlets didn’t think so highly. For example, the AV Club’s review says Gyllenhaal “looks uncomfortable,” and IndieWire said he “lacks the charisma” to pull off Dalton’s one-liners. Meanwhile, CinemaBlend’s Sean O’Connell said that McGregor steals the show from Gyllenhaal, and that “outside of Conor McGregor playing a gonzo fighter for hire, the remake packs little punch.” 

Well, I deeply disagree with all these opinions. In fact, I think the only reason Road House works is because of how excellent Jake Gyllenhaal is. 

Conor McGregor’s Performance Flies, But Jake Gyllenhaal’s Grounds The Whole Movie

Jake Gyllenhaal’s Dalton and Conor McGregor’s Knox are great foils, they contrast each other quite well, and watching them go up against each other is epic. 

McGregor rolls up acting like an over-the-top Fast and Furious villain, he’s constantly operating at an energy level of 100 out of 10, and he will throw a punch or run a car into something whenever the opportunity arises. It’s a lot to take in, and his violent reaction to everything is almost too much. However, I love that his absolutely wild villain is balanced out by Jake Gyllenhaal’s character. 

So, while Knox literally and figuratively flies around this movie like an absolute madman, Dalton is doing the exact opposite. He’s teaching others how to defend the bar, he’s taking criminals to the hospital, and he won’t get into a fight unless he has to. I love that juxtaposition, and I think it’s super effective. 

I also think this movie wouldn’t work if it was just Conor McGregor and someone else playing Dalton. Jake Gyllenhaal’s take on his character, which we’ll talk about next, is fascinating and subdued, he grounds the film, and without him, the UFC fighter wouldn’t have thrived.  

I Really Dug Dalton’s Reluctant Vigilante Mindset 

What makes Dalton so interesting to me is he doesn’t actually want to be a fighter. After a fatal UFC fight, he left and became a fighter for hire. He’s very smart when it comes to human anatomy, and throughout the film, he says how folks are injured, and at one point he even takes a group of bad guys he beat up to the hospital. I never expected an action movie like this to follow a guy like him. I thought he’d be the first into a fight, and I loved Road House more because he wasn't. Jake Gyllenhaal did too, as he told Today about the scene that sold him on the movie:

In the same interview, Gyllenhaal also explained that he loved the stillness and reluctance in his character when it comes to fighting, which I loved too:

The Zodiac actor’s performance is almost understated in a way because he’s fairly subdued and still. However, it also reminds me of the contemplative wild characters Gyllenhaal has played in the past – like Nightcrawler – that we know and love him for. The way he delivered his lines in such a calm manner and his expressions whenever a fight broke out showed this idea and just how much work the actor was doing to help the audience understand Dalton’s internal struggle. 

While Dalton is level-headed, I also noticed this battle going on within him that made me wonder when he was going to blow, because we know how aggressive, violent and spontaneous he can be. I loved that this guy was trying so hard to be good, but was always struggling with fighting his instinct to fight. The push and pull of that was what made Road House so interesting. 

Overall, this reluctant vigilante Gyllenhaal plays was incredibly compelling, and I appreciated his mentality when it came to picking his battles. It upped the stakes because you know that if he gets involved it will be deadly. Also, it makes for a complex protagonist because of this juxtaposition between his being an ultra-skilled and lethal fighter and his trying to be a calm and contemplative presence. 

In Terms Of Action, Jake Gyllenhaal And The Stunt Team Brought Their A-Games

When we got those first photos from the UFC match of Jake Gyllenhaal filming Road House, it was clear that the actor had fully committed to transforming into Dalton, and he looked absolutely ripped.

It turns out, it was more than just good looks, because Gyllenhaal brought his A-game to the action in this movie. Between the actor and his stunt double Eric Linden, they made Dalton a guy who could hold his own against Conor McGregor, and I fully believed that anyone who challenged the former fighter would lose. I think the best example of this came in the final fight against McGregor in the bar. It was brutal and scrappy, and I was ready to stand up and applaud Gyllenhaal and everyone involved in creating that jaw-dropping fight. 

Along with his skills as an actor, Gyllenhaal and the folks working on Road House made him look like a real lethal fighter when it was time to throw a punch. When you mix that with the reluctant vigilante mentality, you get a fascinating main character to go on this bonkers journey with. 

To me, the whole reason Road House works comes down to Jake Gyllenhaal. Yes, Conor McGregor is good, and I liked his performance. However, it’s crazy to me that the leading man of this movie isn’t getting as much credit as he deserves considering everything we’ve just discussed. 

To come to your own conclusions about Jake Gyllenhaal and Road House, you can stream it right now with an Amazon Prime subscription. 

Those who have seen the new Road House movie know that it’s something that needs to be seen to be believed. The Road House fight sequences are insane, and it features real UFC fighter Conor McGregor as the primary antagonist to Jake Gyllenhaal. The Prisoners actor got in crazy physical shape for Road House, but this didn’t make fighting a real UFC champion any less scary, even if it was for the camera. Gyllenhaal recently opened up about what it was like working with McGregor, and how he once really got clocked by the famous fighter. 

In a recent interview with Howard Stern on Sirius XM radio, Gyllenhaal chatted with the host about working on the remake of Road House, and what went into making such a physical film. The actor is no stranger to transformative movie roles considering he lost 30 pounds for his role in Nightcrawler, and bulked up big time for Southpaw. But never before did he have to face a real MMA fighter like Conor McGregor on the big screen. Gyllenhaal said that even he was a bit nervous about the prospect, talking about one specific scene when McGregor had to headbutt him. He told the talk show host: 

For movies like Road House, the fights are choreographed stunts where no one is supposed to actually get hit. However, accidents happen and Gyllenhaal revealed that on one tired morning, McGregor accidentally swung and hit the Zodiac actor right in the face. The fighter totally felt bad about the whole thing, but Gyllenhaal was more bummed that the hit didn’t end up in the film. He explained:

I can’t imagine that was an easy hit to take head on. There is a lot of power behind that McGregor swing, and there was probably some kind of damage done. Gyllenhaal seems to have taken it like a champ, and cared more about how it looked on camera than his own wellbeing. Hitting someone by accident during a stunt isn’t unheard of, as Harrison Ford famously punched Ryan Gosling in the face while making Blade Runner 2049, and Frank Grillo also accidentally hit Ryan Reynolds during production on The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard. Accidents may happen, but getting hit by Conor McGregor is a whole different level. 

McGregor wasn’t the only real fighter in Road House, and the production actually worked with a number of real fighters to make the action in the film as real as possible. However, according to Gyllenhaal, there are some downsides to this, as real fighters don’t like to miss. He told Howard Stern:

Oftentimes, fake hits look better on camera than real ones, which is probably why the real McGregor hit didn’t end up in the actual movie. The real fighters must’ve gotten the concept of fake hits eventually, as the action in Road House looks phenomenal. Audience’s would never guess that the actors were purposely missing their hits, considering how tough they look on screen. Fans are loving the achievement in the action revenge genre, and may just be one of the best action movies released in a long time. 

Fans can check out Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor squaring off in Road House, which is now available to stream with an Amazon Prime subscription. Fans of the Brokeback Mountain actor can also see him in Presumed Innocent, which is a mini series becoming available for AppleTV+ subscribers on June 14th. 

Hollywood is truly a small world. You never know which actors competed against each other to play some of the most iconic movie characters. But every time I learn something new, like that Jason Statham was wanted to play Thomas Shelby in Peaky Blinders instead of Cillian Murphy or that Sebastian Stan wanted the Captain America role, I’m totally flabbergasted. Now, I’m shocked once again after Road House actor Jake Gyllenhaal talked about a few movies he was being considered for with stiff competition, including The Dark Knight and the chance to wear the Batsuit.

Gyllenhaal oozed nothing but positivity, good vibes, and dedication to his craft while talking to Howard Stern. When he spoke about going for Batman, he got real about how serious it was for him as he had aced all the initial auditions. Surprisingly, he also revealed that he had the same feelings while auditioning for the role of Christian in Moulin Rouge against Heath Ledger and Ewan McGregor. As he put it to Stern:

Stern mentioned that not getting those roles had to “shake” his confidence, but Gyllenhaal admitted that was never the case. In fact, he said that while he was disappointed, he had too much to be proud of to really get hung up about the rejections. He explained that:

As he continued, all I could notice was that he's all about self-love and celebrating the good things that happened. He got a bit more insightful and explained that he took those as opportunities to really be proud of his skills, the talent others saw in him to even be considered, and understand that other roles would work out. And, honestly, I really dig how he’s all about seeing the glass as half full. He said:

Gyllenhaal still has an extensive CV of fan-favorite movies that is more than impressive. He’s played a wide range of characters including Mysterio in Spider-Man: Far From Home, and Robert Graysmith, a cartoonist who becomes obsessed with the famed murderer in Zodiac. And, of course, I can’t forget Donnie Darko and his iconic cowboy role alongside Ledger in Brokeback Mountain.

Most recently, he’s taken on the lead role in the Road House remake, playing Elwood Dalton, a former UFC fighter who ends up working in a bar in Florida. In this one, Gyllenhaal is the highlight in a world that’s all about beautiful beaches and brute strength. It's gotten mixed reviews on Rotten Tomatoes so far.

Even though we didn’t get to see Jake Gyllenhaal go up against Ledger’s Joker or pine for Satine’s love, the good news is that his future on screen is seemingly limitless. There’s been ongoing chatter about him being the next caped crusader, and while he hasn’t confirmed or denied, he said it would be an honor. He’s also starring in another upcoming action movie by Guy Ritchie, along with playing Iago in Othello on stage. So, we’re going to see a lot more of him in the next few years, and I’m totally excited for that.

You can check out Gyllenhaal’s latest action flick, Road House, with an Amazon Prime subscription. With it, you can also watch some of his other hits like Nightcrawler and End of Watch.

If I’m challenged to pick my favorite filmmakers, Shane Black will forever be in my Top 5. With a resume that includes titles like Lethal Weapon, The Last Boy Scout, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and The Nice Guys, Black is a genius when it comes to crafting tight, pulp mysteries with “buddy” leads who always deliver banter and comebacks that are the perfect blend of badass and smartass. His movies play in the muck – chock full of bloody violence and foul language – but there is also a deep well of effortless wit.

This is admittedly a strange way to start my review of director Doug Liman’s Road House, because as far as I know, Black had absolutely nothing to do with the feature. But as a fan who annually celebrates Shane Black Christmas, I am well-tuned into his voice, and the new remake of the Patrick Swayze-led cult classic very much sings with it. A glance at the credits help this make sense – as Joel Silver is a producer (having previously produced all four movies mentioned in the previous paragraph), and the script is co-written by Anthony Bagarozzi (the co-writer of The Nice Guys) and Chuck Mondry (who has been working with Black for years on a developing Doc Savage adaptation). But beyond that minutia/logic, what’s most important is that the familiar voice a terrific choice for the material, as the film is ultimately a super successful blend of kick-ass and hilarious.

Skirting around some of the weirdness in the plot of the original (I'm still not clear on how a bouncer gets famous for being a good bouncer), the remake re-envisions the Road House protagonist as Jake Gyllenhaal’s Elwood Dalton – an ex-UFC fighter who has a hustle going using his notorious reputation to scare off would-be challengers at underground competitions and rake in prize money without lifting a finger. It’s an act that catches the attention of Florida bar owner Frankie (Jessica Williams), who offers him a job at her out-of-control establishment. He initially says no, but he reconsiders when thinks the job may give his life some purpose.

Dalton’s calm demeanor, in combination with his vicious punches and kicks, quickly gets people talking in the small town of Glass Key, and patrons of the Road House start to behave – but it is success that also earns ire. Ben Brandt (Billy Magnussen), the son of an imprisoned-but-still-powerful local kingpin, has a vested interest in the bar’s failure and sale in order to complete a massive land development deal. All stops are pulled out when our hero gets in his way, and when the villains take things too far, sending in a mercenary maniac named Knox (Conor McGregor) to ruin the establishment for good, Dalton decides that he needs to burn Brandt’s world down.

Road House is a smart remake with a properly displayed respect for the original.

As a remake, Road House is smartly constructed, as fealty isn’t paid to the 1989 version by having the story play out exactly the same beat-for-beat. The two films share the same vaguely worded logline, but the 2024 movie puts a new spin on the story while not feeling obligated to introduce a new version of Sam Elliott’s character or have throat-ripping being the center stage move for the action (and don’t let that last bit worry you: there are plenty of other examples of special signature violence). It’s the kind of remake you can double-feature with the original and not feel like you’re getting the exact same cinematic experience.

Story-wise, it loses a bit of steam toward the end of its second act, as new wrinkles are added into the narrative to bolster the stakes when the stakes are already clear, but it rediscovers its footing just in time for the launch of the explosive third act, which is a savage delight. The film is also never not compelling thanks to its rough charm, clever dialogue, and two brilliant performances from Jake Gyllenhaal and Conor McGregor (in a head-turning acting debut).

Jake Gyllenhaal does great things with an unexpected energy, and Conor McGregor delivers what will be remembered as one of the year's greatest breakout performances.

Road House is a movie that very much takes advantage of Gyllenhaal’s talent for intensity, as Dalton becomes a scary beast when he disappears into his own anger, but what makes the actor’s turn particularly great is confidence so powerful that it translates to a kind of silly/sociopathic nonchalance. He knows the power of his own rage, but he’s the ultimate bouncer who cools instead of escalates, and bringing that unflappable calmness into a showdown with a full crew of troublemakers is magnetic. Gyllenhaal finds the perfect level of cool.

McGregor, on the other hand, is on the complete opposite end of the energy spectrum, and it’s a phenomenal thing to witness. Knox is a character more aptly described as a chaos demon than a criminal enforcer, as he moves through the world violently opposing any interest than his own (his first scene has him strolling through Italy naked after exiting the window of a married lover and setting a massive fire amid his effort to acquire new clothes). It’s not exactly the most challenging part from a dramatic perspective, but McGregor has standout personality and presence that make the role shine, and he walks away from Road House as the most unforgettable aspect.

Road House never pulls its punches, and it's a brutal good time.

Of course, Conor McGregor’s history as a professional UFC fighter is also a big positive for the production, as the big third act fight between Knox and Dalton will likely be remembered as one of the best action-centric cinematic showdowns when we get to the end of 2024, but that’s just the cherry on the sundae. With a resume that includes The Bourne Identity and Edge Of Tomorrow, Doug Liman is a seasoned genre director, and he works magic with editor Doc Crotzer to craft sequences that are both ferocious and fun. Contrasting beautiful shots of beaches and blue ocean, there is a hefty dose of Florida slime and grime, with excellent injections of intensity delivered with smooth moves into first-person perspective camera work. Liman finds the sweet spot between brutal and awesome.

It’s a shame that Road House isn’t getting a theatrical release, as it’s a movie that would be best enjoyed amid a raucous, “into it” crowd – but that would just be a bonus, as this is a film that has the energy independently to bring that vibe to you even watching it alone in your living room. It’s a thrilling joy and one of the most straight-up enjoyable movies to be released so far in this young year.

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal has a wildly successful carer, spanning both the stage and screen. Gyllenhaal's best movies include a few villainous roles, including playing Mysterio in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Still, there are fans hoping to see him take on one of the most beloved superheroes of all time: Batman-- especially in James Gunn's new DCU. He was recently humble when asked if he's consider playing the Dark Knight, but also humble bragged about an upcoming gig with Denzel Washington. 

With a new DC Universe starting with Gunn's Superman movie, fans are curious about which actors will play heroes of the universe in upcoming DC movies. Jake Gyllenhaal recently spoke to ScreenRant about the ongoing chatter about him at Batman, where he name dropped a project with Denzel Washington. In his words: 

There you have it. While it doesn't sound like Gyllenhaal is taking the Batman talks too seriously, he is seemingly honored by how many fans want him under the cowl and cape. He was previously up for the role in Christopher Nolan's movies (which can be streamed with a Max subscription), although we all know that role went to Christian Bale.

In his comments, Jake Gyllenhaal mentions Denzel Washington. The pair of actors will star in the Broadway revival of William Shakespeare's Othello, which is already a highly anticipated theater event. While Denzel will be playing the title character, Jake Gyllenhaal is playing Iago, one of the most villainous characters in all of Shakespeare's work. So he's understandably feeling the pressure of his return to the Great White Way. Gyllenhaal previously starred in Sunday in the Park with George. 

Rumors about Jake Gyllenhaal as Batman date back to 2018, and have gotten more steam now that a new DCU is being developed by James Gunn. There will presumably be a new actor playing the role in The Brave and The Bold, but the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker hasn't shared much about that developing project. 

While we wait for official casting news, there's another Bruce Wayne expected to return to theaters. Namely Robert Pattinson, who stars in the Matt Reeves franchise. Unfortunately, The Batman Part II was recently delayed a full year. 

Jake Gyllenhaal's new movie Road House will arrive for those with an Amazon Prime subscription on March 21st.

The early word on Jake Gyllenhaal’s Road House remake is that it’s a solid action movie, and Gyllenhaal himself has hyped the film’s action, claiming that the fight scenes were filmed in unique ways that we've never seen before. However, it wasn’t all fun and games for the star, as Gyllenhaal says that he got a staph infection due to an injury on set that got pretty bad. 

Speaking with EW, Jake Gyllenhaal detailed a fight sequence in a bar that included a lot of broken glass. At some point, he put his hand on the bar, and in doing so, he cut himself pretty badly on the glass. Gyllenhaal said…

So… that’s just awful. I’m not squeamish around blood or anything, but the idea of putting my hand directly on a sharp piece of glass is just about the worst thing I can think of. 

Traditionally, special glass is used on movie sets designed to be a little less dangerous, but one can still cut themselves on it, so care is always taken. Gyllenhaal indicates that the wound from the broken glass was significant on its own, but that’s not even the worst part. The real issue was what came later, as the actor began to show signs of infection. Luckily, the issue was treated and did not become a problem, which Gyllenhaal says is thanks to the Road House crew. He continued… 

While an action movie like Road House certainly wants to look more dangerous than it is, sometimes injuries still happen. It’s wonderful to hear that, while Jake Gyllenhaal didn’t make it out of the movie unscathed, he was well taken of to ensure that nothing that happened had any lasting impact.  

Jake Gyllenhaal seems very happy with the new Road House. The same can be said of the film’s director, Doug Liman. He is so proud of Road House, believing it’s "fantastic" and one of his best movies, that he refused to attend the movie’s SXSW premiere because he’s angry the movie did not get a theatrical release. However, not everybody is happy with Liman airing his grievances with Amazon.

With the Road House release date hitting this week, fans with a Prime Video subscription will get to see how the remake measures up and can try to figure out which scene in the movie is the one that gave the star a serious infection. 

Some actors find themselves in one type of role and end up getting typecast as a particular sort of character or making particular sorts of movies. It seems that Jake Gyllenhaal is officially now the guy you call when you want to remake something from the late ‘80s or early ’90s. This week Prime Video subscribers will finally get a chance to see his Road House remake, but that’s not the only project from around the same period that the actor will remake this year for a streaming platform. 

This week Jake Gyllenhaal will take on the lead role in Road House, creating a new version of the character made famous by Patrick Swayze back in 1989. Just over a year after Swayze’s action movie opened in theaters, Harrison Ford starred in a legal thriller called Presumed Innocent and Gyllenhaal is set to take on that same role in a new series for Apple TV+ that will debut in June. 

Presumed Innocent isn’t one of Harrison Ford’s most popular roles. Still, anything that wasn’t Han Solo or Indiana Jones tended to get overlooked by audiences, and considering Presumed Innocent is one of Ford’s less heroic characters, it’s maybe not a surprise. Still, it showed the actor’s range in a way that other roles did not. Gyllenhaal has shown his ability to play hero and villain in equal measure, so the part shouldn’t be too difficult for him. 

The two roles are about as far from each other as they could be. One is an action movie while the other is a legal drama, but it is certainly a surprising coincidence to see Jake Gyllenhaal involved in both projects that will be released even closer together than the original film projects were. If Gyllenhaal wants to create something of a reputation for himself, there are worse things than to be the go-to actor for remakes from a particular era.

Based on the critics' response to Road House Jake Gyllenhaal’s new film is a solid win that will likely be popular with fans. If the Presumed Innocent TV series is embraced by those with an Apple TV+ subscription, then the actor will have successfully shown a significant range with just these two projects. And I’m sure there are plenty of other late ’80s and early ‘90s movies that haven’t been remade recently if Jake Gyllenhaal is interested. It would make for a unique acting niche, but if it works, why not?

And then in 30 years somebody else can come along and make a career out of remaking Jake Gyllenhaal movies, that were all remakes of other movies. At this point, there’s no indication that the needless cycle of perpetual remakes is ever going to end. Unless there is a real revolt and audiences stop showing up. But at the end of the day, if the movies are good, people will show up.

March is on its way out but there’s still plenty more fantastic content to watch on streaming this week. Whether you’re a Netflix subscriber, a Disney+ subscriber, or a subscriber to the seemingly endless number of streaming services out there, there is absolutely something to watch. Most streaming services add so much any given week that it can be difficult to figure out just what to watch, so let's try and cut through it all.

From movies to series, here are just a few of the highlights from the next seven days of streaming on the major platforms you know and love. From a highly anticipated Netflix series to the return of one of the most popular animated series of all time to a highly anticipated movie remake, here’s what’s coming to the major streaming platforms this week.

What's On Netflix

Odds are if you’re reading this you have a Netflix subscription, even if that’s the only streaming platform you have. The complete list of everything new on Netflix is so massive daily that finding what you’re looking for can be difficult. But there are a couple of glittering diamonds worth taking note of this week. 

The 3 Body Problem - March 21

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss changed television when the pair developed Game of Thrones. Since then the pair almost made a Star Wars movie, but instead left that behind to focus on projects for Netflix. The Three-Body Problem is the long-awaited new series from the pair. Based on the popular Chinese science fiction novel of the same name, the Netflix series isn’t the first time the book has been adapted, but it will likely be the first time many Western audiences have seen it. It is the first in a series of books, so if this one is the hit that Netflix is hoping for, it could be the next major television franchise.

Shirley - March 24

Shirley Chisholm was the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress and the first Black woman to run for a major political party’s Presidential nomination. An iconic woman, whose story probably isn’t as quell known as it should be. Regina King stars in Shirly. The film focuses on her failed, but historic run for President of the United States in 1972. The film also includes one of the final performances of the late Lance Reddick.

What's On Disney+

Disney+ isn’t a streaming service that releases masses amounts of content weekly, but what it does drop on the platform is almost always worthy of checking out. This week’s highlights include a documentary series from NatGeo and a brand new Marvel animated series that is also the return of a classic Marvel animated series.  

Photographer - March 19

The magazine from which NatGeo was born is perhaps better known for its images than its words. It’s perhaps fitting then that Disney+ has the new series Photographer which follows the stories of multiple professional photogs as they travel the world trying to get the iconic and inspirational shots that take our breath away. The series will also be available to Hulu subscribers.

X-Men ‘97 - March 20

Before the Marvel Cinematic Universe, one of the single most popular Marvel adaptations ever created was the X-Men animated series of the 1990s. X-Men ‘97 is something truly special to fans of that show. It is not simply a new X-Men animated series, but a continuation of the original that picks up where the the original series left off. Using a similar animation style, and many of the same voice actors that provided their talents the first time around, X-Men ‘97 is equal parts nostalgia and originality in a way that’s likely going to get people going back to watch the original series just to make sure they’re caught up. 

What's On Peacock

Documentary films are a popular source of original content on all streaming platforms, and this week Peacock has one that is sure to entice viewers, as it takes an unvarnished look at one of the stars of adult film, who is now famous for a great deal more.  

Stormy - March 18

Stormy Daniels likely wasn’t a household name in your house, unless your household spent a lot of time on the internet in the dark. But when the adult film star claimed she’d been paid hush money to prevent her from talking about her relationship with Donald Trump, she instantly became a national celebrity. The new Peacock documentary Stormy takes a look at the woman, and how her life has changed following her public allegations as she attempts to reinvent herself. 

Prime Video

Maybe you only have a Prime Video subscription because it came with your free shipping, but whatever the reason, you’re going to want to take advantage of your subscription this week, as it may provide you with one of the year's best action movies.  

Road House - March 21

Road House with Patrick Swayze is one of those classic action movies that fans of the genre ‘80s will always cling to. It was a simple movie with a simple premise and bone-breaking action. A great deal of controversy has surrounded the fact that the new Road House remake starring Jake Gyllenhaal has been a Prime Video project and not a theatrical release, but whatever the medium, action movie fans are almost certainly going to want to check this one out to see how it holds up to the classic. 

What's On Apple TV+

When it comes to Apple TV+, comedy is not necessarily what you come to the platform to find, but this week a new show drops that may change that in a very big way.  

Palm Royale - March 20

With a cast that includes Kristin Wiig, Leslie Bibb, Laura Dern, and the legendary Carol Burnett, Palm Royale is a show that may be worth subscribing to Apple TV+ if you don’t already. The new series stars Wiig as a woman trying to make her way in Palm Beach high society in the late 1960s. It’s got a near-perfect look and a perfect cast. The Palm Royale premiere date this week may be a big night for Apple TV+.

These are just a few of this week’s highlights. Be sure to check out everything new on Hulu for a complete list of what’s coming to that platform as well as the list of everything upcoming on Disney+ so you don’t miss anything there. 

Jake Gyllenhaal’s Road House remake has just premiered at Austin, Texas’ annual SXSW festival. So, how is it? Ahead of the Amazon Prime movie’s debut, the action movie was attached to a slew of controversial headlines between director Doug Liman blasting Amazon for having it go straight to streaming and a lawsuit from the original movie’s screenwriter. With the first reviews here, the feedback is mostly positive, and it's Conor McGregor who is getting a considerable amount of praise.

Conor McGregor is an Irish MMA fighter and UFC champion who makes his acting debut in Road House alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, who plays protagonist Elwood Dalton. So in the lead-up to the premiere, it was hard to predict just how McGregor might perform. Well, check out what CinemaBlend’s own Sean O’Connell said about Road House after attending the SXSW premiere: 

While Sean O’Connell shared that he “wouldn’t want a whole movie centered around McGregor’s character,” he felt the movie only reaches its “fullest potential” thanks to his presence. O’Connell is far from the only attendee of the premiere that is gassing up the championship-winning fighter's debut in a major way after seeing Road House. IndieWire’s Christian Zilko also said this: 

The pundit notably knocked Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance in his review, saying the actor doesn’t really sell it as a “conventional ‘80s macho man.” However, he also thought Conor McGregor, who plays the role of Knox, made up for what Gyllenhaal was lacking. On top of that, check out the praise The Guardian had to give the flick:

The publication’s Adrian Horton gave the movie three out of five stars, sharing that it delivers on a “good time” with some “knuckle-crackling fights” throughout. The Daily Beast also added to the praise for the Ireland native, saying this: 

It sounds like the flick is most definitely lucky to have Conor McGregor! The cast also includes Daniela Melchoir, Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams, Lukas Gage and Post Malone. It’s obviously inspired by the iconic Patrick Swayze film from the '80s but, in this version, Jake Gyllenhaal plays an ex-UFC fighter who takes a job as a bar bouncer in the Florida Keys. Here’s how IGN described McGregor’s performance: 

Overall, following Road House’s buzzy premiere, it sounds like this is an entertaining (but not perfect) revamp of a classic film. All in all, its first audience seems to have had a great time, especially thanks to Con McGregor’s debut as an actor. We'll see if general audiences enjoy his work as much as critics did at SXSW. Road House will be available to stream exclusively with a Prime Video subscription starting March 21. You can also read up on other hardcore flicks on the 2024 movie schedule later this year.

Jake Gyllenhaal’s remake of Road House rode into Austin for the SXSW Film Festival on a wave of minor controversies. The film’s director, Doug Liman, took shots at Amazon Prime Video for deciding not to give the movie a proper theatrical release. It will be available to those with a Prime Video subscription beginning on March 21. That brouhaha prompted Gyllenhaal to step in and say that Amazon was alway clear in its intent to go streaming with Road House, even though he respected Liman for defending their film, and championing the theatrical-going experience. These ripples would amount to nothing once Road House was released, so long as the film ended up being good. Entertaining movies tend to silence the noise.

Well, Road House is good. Just not great. It entertained the opening night crowd at the SXSW 2024 film festival… though that generous crowd tends to lose its mind at any film that’s marginally better than, say, Madame Web. But the adrenaline buzz that accompanies almost every festival screening should subside by the time Road House hits Amazon Prime Video, and people start to realize that outside of Conor McGregor playing a gonzo fighter for hire, the remake packs little punch. 

The original Road House was a showcase for the late Patrick Swayze, red hot thanks to 1987’s Dirty Dancing. He played Dalton, a seasoned bar bouncer hired by an establishment’s owner to come help clean up their honkeytonk. Swayze’s Dalton was a pacifist, a philosophy student whose mantra (which he spread to the bouncer recruits under his wing) was, “I want you to be nice until it’s time to not be nice.” 

That’s one of the biggest changes made by director Doug Liman as he modernizes Road House. Jake Gyllenhall’s Dalton is a former UFC fighter with rage issues who seemingly flushed his career after killing his friend in the ring mid-fight. His brutal reputation precedes him. He currently earns money participating in back-alley brawls but scaring opponents away (like Post Malone) because they know he’s lethal. It’s a creative choice, though the primal anger driving Dalton makes him less interesting, and more cliched than Swayze’s version. 

The other major change is a location shift to the Florida Keys, which leads to some breathtaking cinematography – a “date” scene on a sand dune between Gyllenhaal and Daniela Melchior helps make the argument for big-screen treatment, alone – and an ambitious but clumsy boat chase in the film’s third act. You know what doesn’t come with the Florida location? Weirdness. The movie’s painfully lacking in humor, the kind of off-the wall unpredictability that the Keys easily could have provided. Outside of one hilarious incident with an alligator, the Florida locale is underused. Why not set this Road House in Missouri, like the original, if you aren’t going to take full advantage of your Floridian setting. 

It didn’t hit me how pedestrian and flat Road House was until Conor McGregor showed up in the story… and finally, the movie wasn’t so humdrum anymore. McGregor (an actual UFC champion) provides the necessary spark every single minute that he’s on screen. His scenes with Gyllenhaal are the film’s most kinetic, and most dangerous. In every other confrontation, because Dalton’s legend surrounds him, the movie’s going through the motions. I wouldn’t want a whole movie centered around McGregor’s character. But Road House only reaches its fullest potential when he’s on the screen. 

It comes down to this: Road House doesn’t give enough reason to justify the remake. The “criminal” plot driving the story forward is muddled and silly. Dalton’s reasons for getting involved are thin, and his reasons for staying involved are nonexistent. Our crowd cheered the loudest every time Gyllenhaal, who properly sculpted his physique, took his shirt off. If that’s all you require, stream away. 

Check out the Road House trailer, as well as this collection of behind-the-scenes images that Gyllenhaal recently posted. Sadly, despite Doug Liman’s complaints, Road House is not going theatrical, but you can stream it on Amazon Prime Video beginning on March 21.

The Road House remake is getting closer to its world premiere at SXSW later this week and while the rest of us will still have to wait a couple of weeks to see the movie on Prime Video, star Jake Gyllenhaal is giving fans a peek behind the scenes. He’s posted a few images and videos from the production of Road House which reveals…well, mostly they reveal his chest.

It appears that Jake Gyllenhaal’s Dalton isn’t going to spend a great deal of time with a shirt on based solely on what he put on Instagram. While there are a couple of shots of him with a shirt on, there are even more of him with his shirt off, so if you’re a fan of Jake Gyllenhaal’s abs, get ready. Check it all out below.

I mean, it’s honestly pretty fitting. Patrick Swayze was shirtless through a lot of the original Road House so it’s maybe only right that Gyllenhaal does the same, the actor says he rewatched Road House a lot in the lead-up to the remake, so maybe this was a call the actor made so the remake fit with the original better.

The new Road House movie sets up Gyllenhaal’s character as a former MMA fighter, and we see some of that in the Road House trailer, so obviously that’s where some of the shirtlessness comes from, but based on these images it does seem to extend beyond that as well. 

Jake Gyllenhaal understands the assignment as he has been working hard to promote the film ahead of its release. The actor was recently quoted as saying that the action sequences in the new Road House were filmed in a different way from traditional movie fight scenes, something that director Doug Liman was very focused on doing. Gyllenhaal also speaks highly of Liman in the post that came with these images, it seems the two got along quite well.

Unfortunately, Liman himself seems to feel very differently about Road House right now. The director has said he will not be attending the Road House premiere because he feels Amazon should have given the film a theatrical release. While some have called Liman “disrespectful” for making his feelings so public, and before the film’s release, Liman feels very strongly about the film, calling it “fantastic” and he thinks it should be seen on the big screen. Certainly, Jake Gyllenhaal with his shirt off probably looks even more impressive on a massive theatrical screen.

Viewers at SXSW will be able to see Road House on the big screen, in what may be the only such exhibition the movie gets. The rest of us with a Prime Video subscription will be able to watch the movie at home on March 21.  

The Road House remake has yet to debut but a lot has already been said about the upcoming Prime Video film. The director has made his frustration with the studio known after Road House was not given a theatrical release, and now we might know why Doug Liman believes this is one of his best films. Jake Gyllenhaal says the movie’s action was done in an entirely new way that is apparently “groundbreaking.”

Speaking with our sister site Total Film (via GamesRadar) Jake Gyllenhaal said that director Doug Liman wanted to film the action in Road House in a way that was apparently somehow different than what we would be used to. It certainly sounds pretty incredible to hear the actor tell it. Gyllenhaal said…

While Gyllenhaal doesn’t go into any specifics regarding exactly how these fight scenes were filmed, it certainly sounds like they did something differently. The original Road House was a pretty straightforward ‘80s action movie. The fight scenes are solid, but nothing to write home about, but not so here it would seem. 

It would be one thing if it were just Jake Gyllenhaal hyping the movie’s action, but stunt coordinator Garret Warren backs him up, saying that these new techniques, whatever they are, are used in every fight scene in the film, and calling them “groundbreaking.” Warren said…

While fans of the original Road House, or just action movies in general, were certainly looking forward to checking out the remake, this puts an entirely new spin on it. Now Road House isn’t looking like just a solid action movie, but something that could change action movies as a genre. 

Road House has been a somewhat controversial film since Doug Liman publicly announced he would not be attending the premiere. He feels the movie should have been given a theatrical release, and if the action is that impressive, it's not hard to understand why he might feel way. Although some have called Liman disrespectful for publicly airing his grievances. 

The Road House trailer shows us some of the film's action, and while nothing we see there looks all that different, it's possible the unique elements are intentionally being held back. Audiences at SXSW will be the first to see these new action scenes when the movie debuts there later this week. The rest of us will have to wait until the Road House release date of March 21.