The marketing campaign around Amazon MGM’s “Road House” release has been a mess and a bare-knuckle brawl since the beginning. On the same day that it was announced that the reimagining of the ’80s classic, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, would premiere at the SXSW Film & Festival in March, the film’s mercurial director, Doug Liman, announced he would be boycotting the premiere because Amazon was refusing to release the film theatrically.
Liman basically went all scorched earth, venting his disappointment with Amazon for essentially refusing to release the film outside of streaming, and went all-in with an op-ed piece on Deadline where he shaded the studio.
But, uh oh, just a few weeks later, a trade report revealed that Liman may not have been totally transparent. According to sources, Liman and Gyllenhaal were offered a choice: produce the film for $60 million and get a theatrical release or take $85 million and go streaming only. The pair apparently opted for the bigger payday at the expense of a theatrical release.
So what was Liman complaining about exactly? And is this a boycott made in bad faith?
Well, basically, it seems so. In a new TotalFilm interview with some of the cast and Gyllenhaal, the actor seemed to totally blow up Liman’s argument, emphasizing Amazon’s clear intention to release the film on streaming and siding with the sources that told the trades they knew “Road House” wouldn’t be a theatrical film. So, this is absolutely not a good look for Liman, who already had a reputation for being something of a wild card.
“I adore Doug’s tenacity, and I think he is advocating for filmmakers, and film in the cinema, and theatrical releases. But, I mean, Amazon was always clear that it was streaming,” Gyllenhaal told the outlet, seemingly ending any confusion about what deal was initially made.
“I just want as many people to see it as possible,” he continued. “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.”
“I’ve also sat watching a film on my computer or in different places and been so profoundly moved,” Gyllenhaal added. “If the job of a story is to move people, I have been moved in both forms. I’m a deep lover of cinema and the theatrical release— but I also do really embrace the streaming world.”
“Road House” will be released on March 21 via Prime Video and will make its world premiere at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival. Perhaps more importantly, Doug Liman seems like he has some explaining to do or send multiple people some apologies.
