*Courtesy of Jesse Grant / Getty Images for Disney.*

Guy Ritchie is no longer attached to direct ‘Road House 2,’ the upcoming sequel from Amazon MGM. The reasons behind Ritchie’s departure remain unclear. The project, which will see Jake Gyllenhaal return as Dalton, is still scheduled to begin production in September.

The script is being written by Will Beall, known for ‘Bad Boys: Ride or Die’ and ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.’ Plot specifics have not yet been revealed. The film is being produced by Charles Roven and Alex Gartner of Atlas Entertainment, along with Gyllenhaal through his Nine Stories Productions, in collaboration with Josh McLaughlin. While early casting included names like Dave Bautista, it’s uncertain whether the change in director will impact casting decisions.

The first ‘Road House’ released in 2024, reimagined the 1989 cult classic starring Patrick Swayze. Gyllenhaal played a former UFC fighter who becomes a bouncer at a bar in the Florida Keys, only to find himself caught in a battle involving outlaws, bikers, and a developer with plans to build a luxury resort.

The film premiered on Prime Video in March 2024 and was considered a major win for Amazon MGM. It broke records with nearly 80 million viewers worldwide in its first eight weeks, becoming the studio’s most-watched original film debut globally, according to former studio chief Jennifer Salke. A sequel was officially announced during Amazon's first Upfronts presentation last summer.

Despite the film’s success, original director Doug Liman publicly criticized its release strategy. In an interview with IndieWire, Liman expressed disappointment over the decision to skip a theatrical release, saying he wasn’t adequately compensated since ‘Road House’ was initially planned for theaters before MGM’s acquisition by Amazon shifted its distribution to streaming.

Ritchie’s past credits include ‘Snatch,’ ‘The Gentlemen,’ ‘MobLand,’ and ‘Sherlock Holmes.’

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