Doug Liman snubs Road House debut over Amazon's choice

The upcoming Road House remake, directed by Doug Liman and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, has been subject to controversy as Liman announces a boycott of the film's SXSW festival premiere. The director is protesting Amazon MGM's decision to skip the movie's theatrical release and send it directly to streaming on Prime Video. Liman believes the film, which he considers to be one of his best, is meant for the big screen and criticizes Amazon for potentially damaging the future of movie theaters and the larger film industry.

Doug Liman signed on to direct the project before Amazon's acquisition of MGM and states that Amazon reassured that they would invest in theatrical releases. However, he feels the studio has gone back on their promise by planning to exclusively stream Road House on Amazon's Prime, thus affecting the team involved, particularly Jake Gyllenhaal's chance for recognition during award season. Liman advocates for the importance of cinema experiences and warns that if tentpole movies don't make it to theaters, it could contribute to their decline.

The remake of Road House, which follows a character named Elwood Dalton, a former UFC fighter, will be available on Prime Video on March 21. The cast includes Gyllenhaal, Daniela Melchior, Conor McGregor, and Billy Magnussen. The film is a reimagining of the 1989 Patrick Swayze feature, with the modern iteration involving Dalton encountering unexpected challenges at a Florida Keys roadhouse.

Director Doug Liman is boycotting the movie's premiere at the SXSW festival as a protest against Amazon MGM's decision to forgo a theatrical release and directly stream it on Prime Video, despite initially indicating they would support cinema releases.

Background Information: The original Road House film was released in 1989 and quickly became a cult classic, starring Patrick Swayze as a cool-headed bouncer hired to clean up a rowdy bar. Directed by Rowdy Herrington, the movie was known for its action sequences and quotable dialogue. The upcoming remake, helmed by venerable action director Doug Liman, aims to capture the spirit of the original while introducing the story to a new generation with updated themes and a contemporary setting.