The reboot of the 1989 cult classic Road House which will star Jake Gyllenhaal is set to debut on Amazon Prime on March 21, but its journey to the screen has been marred by intense conflict behind the scenes. Such conflicts between studios and filmmakers are not uncommon, but this one has been particularly tumultuous, involving a range of subplots including the intervention of a notorious private investigator, the departure of a producer, a cameo appearance by Ari Emanuel, and director Doug Liman taking a firm stand. Even more surprising, some of the messy details have spilled into the public eye in recent months, with Road House director Doug Liman vowing to boycott the film’s premiere at SXSW on March 8.
Despite the turmoil, Road House directed by Doug Liman and starring Jake Gyllenhaal is anticipated to become one of Amazon Prime’s most-viewed films this year. So, what led to this chaos?
In November 2021, MGM executives Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy were in charge and were in talks with Doug Liman to direct and Jake Gyllenhaal to star in Road House, with Joel Silver onboard to produce. However, the acquisition of MGM by Amazon in March 2022 changed the course of the Road House project. With De Luca and Abdy leaving to lead Warner Bros. in July 2022, the film was put on hold. Yet, Amazon Studios head Jennifer Salke stepped in to salvage it, offering a choice to the filmmakers and cast: make the Road House film with Jake Gyllenhaal for $60 million with a theatrical release or take $85 million for streaming only. They chose the latter.
On August 2, 2022, Amazon announced Road House directed by Doug Liman and starring Jake Gyllenhaal as an Amazon Prime Video movie, despite ongoing tensions. Joel Silver, however, continued to push for a theatrical release of Road House, leading to further disputes. Even high-profile figures like Ari Emanuel got involved, lobbying on Silver’s behalf. Meanwhile, the public remained unaware of the internal conflicts with the Road House project starring Jake Gyllenhaal, with announcements about the cast and streaming plans proceeding smoothly.
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By late 2023, tensions reached a breaking point as Salke removed Silver from the project due to his alleged mistreatment of staff, prompting Silver to hire legal representation. But just as the dust seemed to settle, Liman escalated the situation by announcing his boycott of Road House‘s premiere, criticizing Amazon for prioritizing streaming over theatrical release. Liman’s open letter underscored the broader industry concerns about the future of cinemas in the streaming era, with Liman saying “Amazon is hurting way more than just me and my film,” adding “If I don’t speak up about Amazon, who will?”
The Road House directed by Doug Liman and starring Jake Gyllenhaal project’s troubled journey has left a sour taste for some involved, despite the anticipation surrounding its release. While it promises to be a “great big fun streaming movie,” the conflicts surrounding its production highlight the complexities and challenges facing the film industry in the digital age.
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