Road House Director Continues to Slam Its Streaming Release: ‘I Didn’t Get a Cent’ After 50 Million People Watched
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MGM’s Road House remake on Amazon’s Prime Video managed to be one of its most successful streaming releases of 2024, but director Doug Liman, star Jake Gyllenhaal, and more allegedly never saw a penny from that success.
Liman spoke about his grievances with Amazon during an interview with IndieWire. He’s been vocal about Road House’s straight-to-streaming release for months, but now clarifies that “nobody got compensated” additionally despite the film managing to reach 50 million people on Prime Video.
“My issue on Road House is that we made the movie for MGM to be in theaters, everyone was paid as if it was going to be in theaters, and then Amazon switched it on us and nobody got compensated,” Liman explained. “Forget about the effect on the industry — 50 million people saw Road House — I didn’t get a cent, Jake Gyllenhaal didn’t get a cent, [producer] Joel Silver didn’t get a cent. That’s wrong.”
Liman’s issues with Amazon continue following the promise that he would be boycotting the SXSW Road House premiere after the company moved to make its release exclusive to Prime Video. In a Deadline guest column, he warned the affect decisions like this could have on theaters, saying, “This could be industry-shaping for decades to come.” Liman attended the premiere despite his initial plans.
He clarifies now that his anger is not with streaming but specifically with Amazon.
“So I’m a big advocate of TV series, of streaming movies, of theatrical movies, we should have it all.
“First of all, I have no issue with streaming,” Liman said. “We need streaming movies cause, we need writers to go to work and directors to go to work and actors to go to work and not every movie should be in a movie theater. So I’m a big advocate of TV series, of streaming movies, of theatrical movies, we should have it all.”
IGN reached out to Amazon for comment.
Variety reported in February that Amazon had been upfront with Liman and Gyllenhaal about Road House’s release plans from the beginning. Its sources said that the two filmmakers were given the choice of a theatrical release for $60 million or a streaming release for $85 million, a decision that saw them sticking with streaming. Gyllenhaal confirmed that Amazon remained clear about distribution plans from the outset when speaking with Total Film.
“I adore Doug’s tenacity, and I think he is advocating for filmmakers, and film in the cinema, and theatrical releases,” Gyllenhaal said. “But, I mean, Amazon was always clear that it was streaming. I just want as many people to see it as possible. And I think we’re living in a world that’s changing in how we see and watch movies, and how they’re made. What’s clear to me, and what I loved so much, was [Liman’s] deep love for this movie, and his pride at how much he cares for it, how good he feels it is, and how much people should see it.”
Though Liman struggled with Road House’s release this past March, Amazon has already announced that a sequel is on the way. Gyllenhaal is set to reprise his role as Elwood Dalton. It’s unclear if Liman will be involved. We reviewed Road House when it premiered at SXSW in March and gave it a 6/10. We said, “If you can look past Road House’s horrendous cinematography, CGI fights, and poor lighting, there’s a fun movie to be found.”
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He started writing in the industry in 2017 and is best known for his work at outlets such as The Pitch, The Escapist, OnlySP, and Gameranx.
Be sure to give him a follow on Twitter @MikeCripe.
