The release of the upcomingRoad Houseremake starringJake Gyllenhaalhas seen its share of drama as late due to Amazon Studios choosing to unveil the film exclusively on Prime Video rather than giving it a theatrical release, all despite director Doug Liman’s objections. As it turns out, Amazon gave Gyllenhaal and Liman an option to give the film a theatrical rollout, but it would have to be done on a cheaper budget.
Road House
Per a report fromVariety, back in 2021, Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, who were running MGM at the time, began negotiating with Gyllenhaal to star in a reboot ofRoad Houseand entered the same negotiations with Liman to direct. During this time, MGM was making big-screen movies, but soon Amazon closed a massive $8.5 billion acquisition deal with MGM that altered the direction of the reboot. In 2002, De Luca and Abdy left to run things at Warner Bros. and it was left up to Amazon Studios chief Jennifer Salke to salvage the remake. Part of the stipulation that she gave to Gyllenhaal and Liman, to get a theatrical release, was that they would have to make the film for $60 million. The other option was to get $85 million to make the movie go streaming only. The decision was then made, according to reports, to go with a streaming release.
Producers Pushed for Theatrical Release After Taking Streaming Deal
Despite the streaming decision being made, producer Joel Silver, who also produced the Patrick Swayze original, still pushed for a theatrical release. Tensions got so high at one point that the studio threatened to part ways with him, which seemed in stark contrast to the harmonious press release that was unveiled to the public when it was announced thatRoad Housewas “an Amazon Prime Video movie.” Liman and Silver both signed off on that release in which the director said, “I’m thrilled to put my own spin on the beloved ‘Road House’ legacy” and had Silver exclaiming, “So excited to bring this newly imagined version to audiences around the world.”
Road House Remake Posters Reveal Characters, Post Malone, and Easter Eggs
Jake Gyllenhaal takes center stage in the first poster for the Road House remake, which is littered with easter eggs from the ‘80s original.
By 2023, Silver was let go by Salke on the reboot because heallegedly began verbally abusing several staffers, including Amazon Studios and MGM marketing head Sue Kroll and Amazon film head Courtenay Valenti. As that fire appeared to be put out, another one had gasoline thrown on it when Liman put out an open letter expressing that he wasboycotting the film’s SXSW premiereon March 8 because, as he partly put it, “Amazon has no interest in supporting cinemas.” According to Liman, he signed on to film at MGM for the big-screen treatment, and that changed once Amazon became involved. There were also reports that the director and Gyllenhaalhad the film screened for the Executive Chairman of Amazon, Jeff Bezos, in a bid to convince him to release the film theatrically, but the decision was still made to go streaming.
Road Houseserves as a reboot of the 1989 original and follows a former UFC middleweight fighter named Elwood Dalton (Gyllenhaal) who ends up working at a roadhouse in the Florida Keys where it’s clear that everything is not as it seems. In addition to Gyllenhaal, the film also stars Daniela Melchior, Conor McGregor, J.D. Pardo, Arturo Castro, Billy Magnussen, and Lukas Gage.
Road Househits Prime Video on March 21.
