Road House reboot director Doug Liman claims he and star Jake Gyllenhaal ‘didn’t get a cent’ even though over 50 million people watched over the first two weekends

Road House reboot director Doug Liman claims he and star Jake Gyllenhaal 'didn't get a cent' even though over 50 million people watched over the first two weekends

As a seasoned film industry veteran with decades of experience under my belt, I find myself deeply saddened and disappointed by the recent turn of events surrounding Doug Liman’s Road House reboot. Having seen the highs and lows, the triumphs and pitfalls that come with making movies, I can empathize with his frustration.


In a new development, filmmaker Doug Liman, who is directing the reboot of “Road House”, has alleged that he and lead actor Jake Gyllenhaal have not received fair compensation from Amazon. Once more, Liman is expressing concerns about payment issues with the streaming giant.

59-year-old Liman wrote a strongly worded public letter in January, stating that he intended to skip the movie’s debut at SXSW, but ended up attending regardless.

He came aboard the project before Amazon bought MGM, stating he had intended to make a film that would be released in theaters.

Liman, Gyllenhaal, and producer Joel Silver faced a straightforward decision – opt for a $60 million budget and secure a theatrical release, or choose a $85 million budget and guarantee a streaming-exclusive premiere.

Initially, Liman and the producers opted for a different decision, but after over 50 million viewers tuned in to watch the remake within just two weeks, the director revealed in an interview with IndieWire that neither he nor Gyllenhaal received any streaming earnings from this success.

Road House reboot director Doug Liman claims he and star Jake Gyllenhaal 'didn't get a cent' even though over 50 million people watched over the first two weekends

Road House reboot director Doug Liman claims he and star Jake Gyllenhaal 'didn't get a cent' even though over 50 million people watched over the first two weekends

As a loyal devotee speaking about Road House, I’ve got to express my concern over the situation. The film was made for MGM with the intention of being released in cinemas. Everyone involved received payment based on that premise. However, the sudden decision by Amazon to stream it instead left everyone uncompensated, according to Liman’s statement.

As an ardent fan, it’s hard to ignore the fact that despite 50 million viewers enjoying Road House, neither I, nor Jake Gyllenhaal, nor our esteemed producer, Joel Silver, pocketed a single cent from its success. It just doesn’t seem fair!

The filmmaker additionally emphasized, “I’m fine with streaming. Streaming movies is important because it allows writers, directors, and actors to keep working, and not all films are suited for the big screen.”

He strongly supports having access to various types of screen entertainment, such as TV series, streaming films, and traditional cinema, he concluded.

Given that Liman, Gyllenhaal, and Silver presumably agreed upon their contracts with MGM prior to its acquisition by Amazon, these agreements might contain deferred payment structures tied to box office earnings in cinemas.

When Amazon assumed control, filmmakers and producers opted for a streaming-exclusive agreement to secure a larger production budget. However, it appears that any backend compensation tied to these contracts did not translate into backend payments related to streaming earnings, which seems to be the main concern for Liman.

On August 2, Liman is set to unveil his latest creation, “The Instigators,” in select cinemas for a brief run. Come August 9, it will be available on Apple TV Plus for everyone to enjoy.

He shared that his interactions with Apple were distinctly different, especially when it came to the matter of remuneration; they were notably transparent about it.

Road House reboot director Doug Liman claims he and star Jake Gyllenhaal 'didn't get a cent' even though over 50 million people watched over the first two weekends
Road House reboot director Doug Liman claims he and star Jake Gyllenhaal 'didn't get a cent' even though over 50 million people watched over the first two weekends
Road House reboot director Doug Liman claims he and star Jake Gyllenhaal 'didn't get a cent' even though over 50 million people watched over the first two weekends

According to Liman’s revelation, Apple had always made it clear that their product was intended for streaming. From the start, they structured their contracts in a way that accounted for streaming, ensuring fair compensation for everyone involved. This concept is known as a streaming buyout, and Apple has been transparent about their intentions from day one.

Additionally, he commended the producers Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, who worked on The Instigators under their production company, Artists Equity.

He hails from a hometown where they strive to create films that are substantive rather than just empty entertainment. For instance, one can produce grand, entertaining action flicks that quickly fade from memory, but they can also craft grand, entertaining action movies that linger in your mind and leave you wanting more or pondering deeper meanings.

Matt and Ben, along with Artists Equity, share a common dedication. Their goal is to create large-scale, entertaining films while ensuring they leave a lasting impact on viewers. As expressed, this is what they aim for.

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2024-08-02 02:37

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