Copyright Deadline
EXCLUSIVE: Amazon MGM Studios‘ action sequel Road House 2 has added six new professional fighters to its cast: Rico Verhoeven, Michael Chandler, Michael “Venom” Page, Dustin Poirier, Stephen Thompson, and Tyron Woodley. The sequel has also set Jay Hieron — a former world champion mixed martial artist turned actor — to reprise his role as UFC fighter Jax “Jetway” Harris. Plot details for the film, in which Jake Gyllenhaal returns as UFC fighter turned bouncer Dalton, are under wraps. But it’s said to be a production of greater scope, scale, and ambition, shooting between the U.K., Malta, and Savannah, Georgia. Pic comes on the heels of 2024’s Road House — a reboot of the ’80s classic starring Patrick Swayze — which attracted 80 million viewers worldwide in its first eight weeks on Prime Video. As the big bad of the film, former UFC Featherweight and Lightweight Champion Conor McGregor was joined in the cast by such other figures associated with the fighting world as Hieron, UFC ring announcer Bruce Buffer, UFC play-by-play commentator Jon Anik, and UFC’s CEO and President, Dana White. Ilya Naishuller is directing the sequel from a script by Will Beall. As previously announced, others in the cast include Leila George, Aldis Hodge, and Dave Bautista. Atlas Entertainment’s Charles Roven and Alex Gartner are producing alongside Nine Stories Productions’ Jake Gyllenhaal and Josh McLaughlin, who are in a three-year first-look film deal with Amazon MGM. A 13-time, reigning Glory heavyweight world champion fighter recognized as “The King of Kickboxing,” Verhoeven has held the heavyweight world championship title for over a decade and has won more than 26 straight fights under the Glory banner. His screen credits include Den of Thieves: Pantera, Black Lotus, and Kickboxer: Retaliation, to name a few. He is represented by SeiSei, Luber Roklin Entertainment, and Vault Entertainment. UFC fighter Chandler’s rise to MMA stardom has seen him earn multiple Fight of the Night and Fight of the Year honors. He’s also an NCAA Division I All-American, a three-time Bellator world champion, and a UFC title contender. Page is a British mixed martial artist and former kickboxing champion who rose to fame in Bellator MMA before transitioning to the UFC. Poirier is a former lightweight fighter for the UFC, as well as a former Interim UFC Lightweight Champion. Thompson is an American mixed martial artist and former kickboxing world champion, currently competing in the UFC’s welterweight division. Best known for being a five-time UFC Welterweight Champion, Woodley has also made waves in boxing, including two blockbuster bouts with Jake Paul, and built a second career in production, film, television, and music. Screen credits include Straight Outta Compton, Sons of Anarchy, Cobra Kai, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Escape Plan 2, and Cut Throat City. His sports commentary has been featured on PFL, Fox, DAZN, ESPN, and elsewhere. He is repped by UTA. Hieron competed in organizations such as the UFC, Bellator, Strikeforce, and the IFL before transitioning into film and television. Additional credits include the drama film 7th and Union, The Equalizer 2, Ray Donovan, Daredevil, Lethal Weapon, Iron Fist, and Bobcat. He is repped by Eileen O’Farrell Personal Management.
