The confirmed sequel of an $85 million hit movie makes room for Sam Elliott‘s return to a 35-year-old action franchise. In an acting career spanning over five decades, Sam Elliott has earned credits in over 100 distinct projects. However, long before the actor landed major award nominations and became a household name, he started his journey as an actor with relatively smaller roles in Westerns. Almost ten years after he started acting, Elliott got his first breakthrough role in 1976’s Lifeguard, which paved the way for his other notable performances.

Although Sam Elliott is known for playing myriad roles in movies of diverse genres, many still remember his brief yet significant appearance in a late ’80s action flick. This action flick recently received a remake, which had the perfect opportunity to bring back Sam Elliott. Even though the film seemingly wasted this opportunity, it can make up for it by featuring Sam Elliott in its confirmed sequel.

Related

Road House Created An Oddly Specific (But Great) ’80s Action Movie Trend For Sam Elliott

Road House was one of several Sam Elliott action movies in the 1980s, and followed a weirdly specific naming tread for his choice of project.

Road House 2’s Confirmation Means The Sequel Can Fulfill Sam Elliott Cameo Wishes

Road House 2 Can Rectify Road House’s Failed Opportunity

Since Sam Elliott’s Wade Garrett was a crucial part of the original Road House, many viewers wanted him to make a cameo in the 2024 remake as well. Unfortunately, since Wade died in the original, Sam Elliott could not have reprised his role as the same character in the remake. However, audiences still hoped that he would appear as a different character, which would serve as a nostalgic nod to the original film. Now that Road House 2 has been confirmed after the remake’s runaway success on Amazon, the sequel movie can finally fulfill the Sam Elliott cameo wishes by featuring him as a new character in the franchise.

Patrick Swayze as Dalton and Sam Elliott as Wade Garrett in Road House 1989

Related

How Old Sam Elliott & Patrick Swayze Were In The Original Road House Movie

Age played a big part in Dalton and Wade’s friendship dynamic in the original Road House, but Swayze and Elliott weren’t actually far apart in age.

Who Sam Elliott Could Play In A Road House 2 Cameo

The Possibilities Are Endless

Sam Elliott's Shea Brennan leans on a fence in 1883

While only time will tell whether the confirmed Road House sequel will include him in its cast, it is hard not to anticipate how the movie franchise could reinstate him in its overarching storyline. In the original Road House, Sam Elliott’s Wade Garrett serves as a mentor for Patrick Swayze’s main character, Dalton. Even in Amazon’s Road House 2, he can be introduced as a guiding force for Jake Gyllenhaal’s Dalton, who not only helps him overpower his enemies but also shows him the right way to tame the demons of his past.

Given how the Road House remake tied Dalton’s origin story to the UFC, Sam Elliott’s new character can be portrayed as someone from Dalton’s MMA past. He could be his former fight coach, who could briefly appear in Road House 2 to help him build the right mindset and plan to defeat his enemies. Alternatively, Road House 2 could also flip the actor’s original role and depict him as one of the villains Gyllenhaal’s Dalton must face. Regardless of how Sam Elliott appears in the Road House sequel, his return to the franchise will be met with a lot of excitement and anticipation.

Road House 2024 Official Amazon Movie Poster

Road House (2024)

R
Action
Thriller

ScreenRant logo

Road House is a remake of the original 1989 film, which followed protagonist Dalton, a Ph.D. educated bouncer at the roughest bar in the south known as the Double Deuce. Jake Gyllenhaal stars as Dalton, with two major changes including Dalton being a retired UFC fighter and the bar locale being in the Florida Keys.

Director

Doug Liman

Release Date

March 21, 2024

Studio(s)

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
, Silver Pictures

Distributor(s)

Prime Video

Writers

Anthony Bagarozzi
, Charles Mondry
, David Lee Henry

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal
, Daniela Melchior
, Billy Magnussen
, Jessica Williams
, Joaquim De Almeida
, Conor McGregor
, Lukas Gage
, Arturo Castro
, B.K. Cannon
, Beau Knapp
, Darren Barnet
, Dominique Columbus
, Bob Menery