All but retiredUFClegend Conor McGregor is on the verge of clinching yet another milestone as “The Notorious” has been cast for a role inAmazon’sremake of 1989’sRoad House, starring Jake Gyllenhaal.
McGregor dominated the mixed martial arts scene between 2015 and 2018 when he became the first UFC fighter to hold championship belts in two different weight categories, featherweight and lightweight, however, it was his -off-ring persona and mass commercial appeal that turned into one of the world’s highest-paid athletes. It’s precisely his popularity that got him inside the ring with boxing G.O.A.T. Floyd Mayweather; what makes YouTuber turnedpro athlete Jake Paul want to fight him; and, why he now looks bound for Hollywood.
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As Deadline reports, McGregor will join the cast ofRoad Housein the Dominican Republic when the film starts shooting next month, and it’s been confirmed he will not be playing himself, but instead a completely original character. McGregor’s addition seems rather fitting since theRoad Houseremake will follow Gyllenhaal’s character, a former UFC fighter turned bouncer, with sources saying McGreggor was actually quite enthusiastic about the film after watching the original.
The newRoad Housepresents a very different setting, though Gyllenhaal as a bouncer is similar enough to Patrick Swayze’s “cooler” gig at the Double Deuce so that the action themes in it can remain intact when the movie eventually drops on Amazon Prime Video. Those same sources claim McGregor has been wooed by Hollywood before, but the fighter was waiting for the right role, as he clearly isn’t in it for the money.
McGregor is far from the only UFC veteran who’s later jumped into acting, with some of the more notable examples being Randy Couture (The Expendables),Ronda Rousey(Furious 7andCharlie’s Angels), and Gina Carano before being ousted fromThe Mandalorian. More recently, welterweight championKamaru Usman was cast inBlack Panther: Wakanda Foreverin a still undisclosed role, thus proving the gap between the octagon and Hollywood is not that big for the sport’s top talent.
Road Housewon’t be the first time McGregor steps into unknown territory, as he’s already impressed boxing experts when he fought Mayweather and has also done several commercials. The move makes it only a matter of time before other champs turn to acting, that is unless one counts Francis Ngannou’s film credits inJackass Forever.
Road Houseis currently in development.
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