A Dirty Dancing sequel is on the way, and now, another Patrick Swayze classic is receiving the reboot treatment. This news arrives as a surprise, however, because the project is being reimagined with the leading man role portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal. Maybe that casting news is not what one would expect on paper, but Jake has been known to whoop some ass (see 2015’s Southpaw). Here’s everything we know about the project so far.
– The project’s not newly in development. In fact, word began circling back in November 2021 that Gyllenhall could star in such a revamp as directed by Doug Limon. Now, it’s official, and together, they’ll put an updated spin on the 1980s film that saw Swayze star as an NYC philosophy student who heads down South to be a bouncer. The original film’s got some crushing and brutal fights, though there’s no telling whether that 1980s “sensibility” will work in 2022.
– Co-stars are coming. The MGM film’s gaining new life after the MGM/Amazon acquisition news, and the film will officially arrive under the Amazon Studios banner. Variety quotes Amazon Studios chief Jennifer Salke as calling the movie “a home run,” and Deadline reports that Gyllenhaal will be accompanied by UFC champ Conor McGregor within what will be his first major studio acting gig. Salke further promises to not go easy on the “action-packed” nature of this reimagining.
-What we don’t know. Do we have a release date? Nope, not yet! But we’ll keep you posted. Nor do we know what time period this movie will take place in, so we don’t know if this will be a period piece or contemporary, or what era of hairstyles we’ll see on Jake and Conor.
– The biggest pressing question. Bill Murray has not weighed in yet, although he will probably still pick up the phone every time he catches the movie on cable and sees Swayze’s sex scene with Kelly Lynch. Yep, there’s nothing like the original.