Road House director Doug Liman has expressed his disappointment over the direct release of his latest film ‘The Instigators‘ on streaming platforms. Liman said about his film, which was recently released on Apple TV+, that such quick adoption of streaming services reduces the cinema experience of the film. With the remake of the 1989 classic Road House, starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a former UFC fighter, Liman had expressed his unnecessary concern about Amazon‘s cinema through a controversial op-ed. He said:
Well, Road House I made for MGM. Wasn’t a streaming company, and it got bought by Amazon and they changed course on me. Instigators, I made for Apple. The reality is, I’ve never had an issue with streaming movies.
Other than what happened during the release, Road House was such a positive experience, and Instigators has been a positive experience every step along the way. And I’m the last person in the world to criticise anyone for putting something on streaming. Nobody went to see Swingers outside of a small group in New York and LA. And then Disney Home Video stepped in and said, “We think Miramax screwed up and that this could be a big movie.” So they gave it a massive push. My whole career launched with people watching Swingers at home.
Liman’s ‘The Instigators’, starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck, was streamed directly on Apple TV+ in August, although it also received a limited theatrical release. This is against the expectations of the filmmaker, who believes that a big project like his cannot be reached without a theatrical release. Liman said in his opinion that streaming platforms can change the film experience as a whole and this can have an impact on the authenticity of the film.
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Liman’s concern with Road House is also that releasing directly on a streaming platform can harm the identity and experience of the film. According to him, the audience enjoys the experience of watching the film on the big screen, and such an experience cannot be found only by sitting on the sofa at home. This situation has raised a big question for Liman whether the increasing relevance of streaming is changing the long-standing standards of cinema.
Behind the Scenes of the “Road House” Release: A New Twist
The decision to release “Road House” on streaming has created a lot of buzz among audiences and industry experts. A recently published report revealed that the film’s director, Doug Liman, and star Jake Gyllenhaal were offered a budget of $60 million for a theatrical release and $85 million for a streaming release. Opting for this option, they ultimately decided in favor of streaming. According to the report, Liman and Gyllenhaal considered the film’s release on Amazon-operated streaming platform Prime Video a perfect fit, which later proved to be a successful move.
When Amazon acquired MGM, the direction of the film’s release suddenly changed. Initially, Road House was thought to be released through a traditional movie studio, but Amazon had a different plan. According to Liman’s op-ed, Amazon made it clear that the final release of the film would be based on the product they presented. Liman had hoped for a theatrical release given the film’s positive reception, but it was released exclusively on Prime Video.
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Fortunately, “Road House” parlayed its success into streaming platforms. Additionally, a sequel to the film has been confirmed to be in development, with Gyllenhaal slated to return. Additionally, the film’s success has only further raised expectations, and given the circumstances in the meantime, eyes are on Liman’s return.
The difference in reactions to Liman’s “Road House” and “The Instigators” shows how changing circumstances can affect a film’s production and release. Although Liman opted for a bigger budget despite initial warnings, he still had a positive attitude towards the production. It’s a good sign for the sequel in development that there is still hope for the director’s potential return.
