The landscape for movies has changed drastically over the last few years. With the growth of streaming platforms as an option for viewers, that was turbo-charged by a global pandemic closing theaters, the future of movies is in question. While many major projects are still released in theaters, others are earmarked specifically for streaming. Budget is often a determining factor, as movies that spend more often get theatrical releases to help alleviate that cost, but in a strange twist, Prime Video’s Road House remake reportedly got more money to spend on production if it skipped theaters.
Why Road House Isn’t Getting A Theatrical Release
Next month Prime Video will release Road House, a remake of the 1989 action movie starring Patrick Swayze. The new film stars Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead role, as a former MMA fighter turned saloon bouncer. Considering the original film’s popularity, and the fact that it was a theatrical release, we might have expected the remake to get similar treatment, but Variety reports that the film’s streaming-only plan was part of a deal between Amazon and the producers that gave the movie a larger budget in exchange for the exclusivity.
The Road House remake was in early development at MGM before the studio was acquired by Amazon in March 2022, so at that point, the expectation was that it would be released theatrically. When Amazon bought the studio, however, things changed. The new bosses reportedly gave the filmmakers an option to make the movie for $75 million if the movie went directly to Prime Video. If they wanted a theatrical release, the production would only get $60 million. An unnamed source tells Variety the group took the money.
How Road House’s Director Has Responded
However, while that might have been the end of it, it has not been. Last month director Doug Liman published an open letter announcing that when the movie debuts at SXSW next month, he will not be attending as an act of protest against Amazon’s decision to not release the film theatrically. According to him, he was told Amazon would make the release decision based on the film’s quality. And even though he says Road House is fantastic and has tested better than the most successful movies he has ever made, Amazon is sticking with the streaming-only release. Liman says Amazon has promised to support theaters but in not releasing the movie there they are going back on the claim.
Liman’s public statement has rubbed some the wrong way, with one unnamed source saying “It’s so disrespectful” for Liman to air the dirty laundry in public. Clearly, there are a lot of very strong feelings about how Road House should have been handled. In the end, if the movie is as good as Liman says, the audience will be happy. But for those of us who love the theatrical experience, missing a chance to see a great movie on the big screen is always a little disappointing.
