As announced a month or so ago MGM is developing a new version of the Patrick Swayze action classic Road House, retooled to star UFC fighter-turned actor Ronda Rousey. Now that project also has a writer/director. Nick Cassavetes will be sweeping up the eyeballs at the Double Deuce.
Son of John, brother of Xan, Cassavetes has a long CV as an actor (he even played himself in Entourage, as did Rousey in the movie), but also has eight credits to his name behind the camera, with several other projects in the works. In terms of crunchy drama we might look to John Q or Alpha Dog for clues to what he might do with Road House. He also made The Other Woman and The Notebook, which Variety claim got him through the Road House door. "Strong female characters", y'see.
The original Road House sees the owner of the sleazy bar, tired of his joint being wrecked by muscle-bound “power drinkers” and provocative bimbos, hiring the best bouncer in the business (Swayze) to cool things down. Pre-dating his Bodhi in Point Break by a couple of years, Swizzle is similarly Zen here, preaching that "nobody ever wins a fight". But he will resort to extreme throat-ripping measures when pushed to his limit.
Rousey, frankly, will nail this new version, and has apparently reached out to Swayze’s widow, Lisa Niemi, to get her blessing, which she received. The studio has Road House on a fast track, with production pencilled in for sometime next year.