Summary

• Director Doug Liman is boycotting the premiere of the Road House remake due to its release on Prime Video.
• The movie was originally intended to be released in theaters.
• Liman has denounced Amazon's decision in a new editorial released on Deadline.

The director of Road House is boycotting the movie's premiere. The 2024 movie is a remake of the 1989 Patrick Swayze movie of the same name. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Elwood Dalton, a former UFC fighter who now holds a job as a bouncer. The ensemble cast of the movie also includes Daniela Melchior, Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams, Darren Barnet, Arturo Castro, J.D. Pardo, and real-life UFC champion Conor McGregor.

Deadline has published an editorial from Doug Liman explaining that he will be boycotting the premiere of the Road House remake. Liman explains that he is making this decision because Amazon MGM Studios pivoted the movie to a streaming release on Prime Video. He explains the movie's journey after Amazon acquired MGM before "they turned around and are using Road House to sell plumbing fixtures." He warns that decisions like this could have a major impact on the industry as a whole. Read an excerpt from his editorial below:

If we don’t put tentpole movies in movie theaters, there won’t be movie theaters in the future. Movies like Road House, people actually want to see on the big screen, and it was made for the big screen. Without movie theaters, we won’t have the commercial box office hits that are the locomotives that allow studios to take gambles on original movies and new directors. Without movie theaters we won’t have movie stars. Film executives are also at risk. Box office revenues are the war chests that allow studios the resources to make movies. It’s no surprise you see layoffs across the industry including at Amazon – without movies in theaters, there’s no revenue coming in. And once the theaters go out of business, it could take decades for the business to recover, if ever.

Is Amazon Not Learning From Their Theatrical Successes?

This decision to move the new Road House movie to Prime Video seems to ignore some recent successes for Amazon MGM Studios. After closing their deal with MGM in 2022, Amazon has seen solid success with theatrical distribution of MGM movies. This includes the Ben Affleck movie Air grossing $90 million worldwide, providing an initial influx of cash that bolstered the successful Prime Video release that followed.

Amazon MGM Studios was also behind the release of Saltburn, which earned $20 million in theaters, building the buzz that led it to become a viral sensation in addition to making it eligible for awards. In 2024, they have also released the Jason Statham hit The Beekeeper, which is breaking records for an original movie featuring the action hero as it es the $75 million milestone worldwide. However, that's not to say that Amazon hasn't also had streaming hits, as Prime Video found success with the 2023 streaming releases of movies including Red, White & Royal Blue and Shotgun Wedding.

Saltburn was nominated for five BAFTAs, three Critics Choice Awards, and two Golden Globes.

In spite of their theatrical successes, which have generally compounded with those movies' later streaming success, Road House is one of many movies on the schedule that are set to be Prime exclusives. Of the 10 Amazon MGM movies with official 2024 release dates, only three are not currently set to premiere on Prime: Challengers, Flint Strong, and Red One. While other titles have theatrical potential, that kind of release does not seem to be the company's priority throughout the rest of the year.

Source: Deadline