Jake Gyllenhaal’s 2024 hit Amazon movie Road House has set the bar very high for its upcoming sequel. Road House 2, not to be confused with 2006’s Road House 2: Last Call starring Jonathan Schaech, was recently announced by Amazon MGM Studios. Gyllenhaal will return as Dalton in the modern Road House sequel, setting the stage for one of Amazon’s most highly anticipated upcoming projects following Road House’s massive popularity on its streaming platform, Amazon Prime Video.

Road House became the most-watched Amazon production upon its release on Prime Video on March 21, 2024, making the quick announcement of its follow-up movie not much of a surprise. There is little additional information on Amazon’s Road House sequel at this time, such as whether Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow, American Made) will return to direct. Considering that Liman’s latest film The Instigators will be released in August and he currently has two projects in production, including that Tom Cruise outer space project, Road House may have to find itself a new director.

Road House 2 Has More Pressure To Get Positive Reviews After The Remake’s Franchise-Best RT Score

The upcoming Road House sequel will either make or break its promising franchise trajectory

Amazon’s Road House sequel will face tougher criticism after the popularity and acclaim of the modern Road House remake. Although the Gyllenhaal-led film received mixed reviews from critics, earning a 59% Rotten Tomatoes score, it still marked an improvement from the original 1989 movie starring Patrick Swayze, which only earned a 44% critic score. The original’s aforementioned direct-to-video sequel Last Call was even more of a critical failure.

Amazon’s Road House 2 must continue to improve the quality of the franchise. While the film undoubtedly has its flaws, 2024’s Road House was certainly a step in the right direction for the franchise at large. Swayze’s Road House has remained a classic for 35 years despite its poor reviews. This, combined with the record-setting streaming performance of 2024’s remake, demonstrates that the franchise is still relevant and has the legs to become one of Amazon’s most valuable assets. The upcoming Road House sequel will either make or break its promising franchise trajectory.

How Road House 2 Could Improve From The Remake To Beat Its Rotten Tomatoes Score

Amazon could add more action & characters while also developing a stronger story

2024’s Road House captured the same over-the-top tone as the 1989 original, for better and for worse. Both films chose to emphasize brawn over brains, which was a staple of the Swayze-led cult classic that Amazon’s remake updates effectively. However, Amazon’s Road House sequel should improve on the remake’s premise by introducing a more sophisticated plot without sacrificing the fun-spirited nature of the franchise. As with all sequels, the next Road House installment should also double up on the action scenes, introduce more compelling star characters, and increase its $85 million budget accordingly.