As a filmmaker with decades of experience under my belt, I wholeheartedly stand by Doug Liman’s stance on this issue. The streaming release of “Road House” may have been a game-changer for Amazon and a boon for viewers worldwide, but it was a raw deal for the creators who brought the movie to life.
The director of “Road House,” Doug Liman, is still upset about the streaming debut of his action film starring Jake Gyllenhaal. During an interview with IndieWire while promoting his latest Apple project “The Instigators,” he expressed that this frustration arises from not receiving fair compensation for a streaming launch. Originally, “Road House” was intended as a theatrical release by MGM, but the scenario altered following MGM’s acquisition by Amazon.
Initially, Liman expressed no objections towards streaming. He believes that streaming films are essential because it keeps writers, directors, and actors employed. Not every film needs to be in a cinema; therefore, he is a strong supporter of TV series, online movies, theater releases, and a mix of all formats.
“The problem with ‘Road House’ is that we produced the movie for MGM to be shown in cinemas. Everyone was paid based on this assumption. However, Amazon unexpectedly streamed it instead, and none of us were compensated accordingly,” he explained. “Beyond the impact on the industry – 50 million people watched ‘Road House’ – I didn’t receive a penny, neither did Jake Gyllenhaal nor producer Joel Silver. That’s not right.”
According to Amazon, the action movie “Road House” had 50 million viewers globally during its initial two weeks on Prime Video, making it their most-watched debuted film worldwide ever. Yet, director Liman alleges he didn’t receive any backend profits from the film’s successful streaming earnings.
EbMaster reached out to Amazon for comment but did not hear back.
Originally, Liman intended to skip the world premiere of “Road House” at SXSW because the movie was destined for a worldwide streaming release. It was disclosed earlier that “Road House” had always been planned for a global streaming debut. According to sources involved in the talks, Liman, Gyllenhaal, and producer Joel Silver were presented with two options: Create the film at a budget of $60 million for a theatrical release or accept $85 million and go straight to streaming. They chose the latter option. Later on, Gyllenhaal confirmed this in an interview with Total Film magazine.
As a dedicated movie enthusiast, I truly appreciate Doug’s unyielding spirit and his commitment to championing filmmakers and the cinematic experience. However, it’s essential to remember that Amazon has always been about streaming content. My primary concern is ensuring the widest possible audience for this film. We’re witnessing a shift in our viewing habits, both in terms of how movies are consumed and produced.
Currently, Liman is facing an issue over insufficient remuneration, given the massive viewership figures of the film on streaming platforms. In an interview with IndieWire, he expressed that his experience creating “The Instigators” for Apple was markedly distinct.
“From day one, when referring to Apple, we’ve emphasized that its focus is on streaming content. Our agreements reflect this, as they account for streaming and even include a ‘streaming buyout’ clause. This means Apple has always been transparent in its intentions.”
In May, Amazon confirmed that a new “Road House” movie is underway, with Gyllenhaal returning to his original role. As for Liman’s participation, details are yet to be revealed. The studio also mentioned that by mid-May, the movie had garnered approximately 80 million viewers worldwide on Prime Video, since its release on March 21st.
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2024-07-31 22:46