Road House Star Jake Gyllenhaal Addresses Conflicting Reports About Reboot’s Release Strategy

The last few years have been a bit of a tumultuous time for movies, as the growth of streaming platforms has seen highly anticipated projects come to life in these markets, while some of these companies have also been able to expand their markets to offer theatrical experiences. The upcoming Road House reboot has found itself at the center of unexpected conflicts regarding its debut, as director Doug Liman claims he was developing the project for a theatrical release and that Amazon Studios changed the plan and it will instead be a streaming-only movie, yet star Jake Gyllenhaal is now pushing back against Liman’s claims. Road House is set to hit Prime Video on March 21st.

“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 confirmed to Total Film, per GamesRadar. “I just want as many people to see it as possible. 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.”

He continued, “I’ve also sat watching a film on my computer, or in different places, and been so profoundly moved. 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.”

The film was originally being developed by MGM, though during development, Amazon acquired the studio, understandably complicating the film’s future. Back in January, Liman shared an open letter about his experience, claiming that he wouldn’t be in attendance at the film’s premiere at next month’s South by Southwest Film Festival. 

Earlier this month, however, a report from Variety claimed that during the development process, Liman was offered the opportunity to either have a smaller budget and get a theatrical release or earn a larger budget to send the movie straight to streaming, the latter deal he took. 

Road House is set to premiere on Prime Video on March 21st.

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