Doug Liman Talks To The Air: Streaming Releases and the ‘Road House’ Feud
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Overview by Doug Liman about Streaming Services
Recently, in a big announcement, the award-winning filmmaker has taken to assuage the vitriol concerned with his films going directly to streaming. His latest, ‘The Instigators,’ premiered on Apple TV after a limited theatrical run, a move that ruffled many ‘Road House’ fans when it was announced to be in the works. In an interview with Empire Magazine, Liman made clear the misconception that he doesn’t feel negative about streaming services and pointed out that every film has a unique situation for release.
The ‘Road House’ Streaming Controversy
‘Road House’ is the kind of movie that was first set up at MGM for theatrical release, with Jake Gyllenhaal as an ex-UFC fighter who becomes a bouncer. The studio would later be bought by Amazon, and the release plan would change. Liman has taken Amazon to task in the past for claims that the company does not have a veneration for film, in a controversial op-ed that he wrote. The film was released solely on Prime Video but was a massive hit.
The Decision for Streaming Releases
Another report says Liman and Gyllenhaal had the choice between taking a $60 million budget with a release in theaters, or an $85 million budget with a straight-to-streaming run on Prime Video. The one they went with would come to land their movie in much behind-the-scenes turmoil before making its debut on the streamer. Liman, to his credit, has said he was concerned but that strong testing results from the audience wanted it out in theaters. Financial considerations were at play for them in the decision.
‘The Instigators’ and Liman’s Evolving Attitude Toward Streaming
Liman’s attitude towards ‘The Instigators’ was distinctly other. Made for Apple, the film embraced its streaming future, as being released with a streamer. In his interview, Liman conveyed that he did not have any innate problem with streaming films. In fact, it was through home video that his earlier film, ‘Swingers,’ found a large audience. He underlined the fact that both ‘Road House’ and ‘The Instigators’ were good experiences for him overall despite all the hassle about going on streamers.
Prospects for Future Liman’s Projects
Well explained are Limans’ varying responses to the launching of ‘Road House’ and ‘The Instigators,’ taking into consideration the production backgrounds of each and budgetary decisions. While ‘Road House’ was conceived as a typical theatrical release, Apple TV had always been the destination for ‘The Instigators.’ And even when its sequel to the former is being talked about, it’s still not known if Liman will direct it again or not. However, his positive views on the production of the original movie are an indication of high potential for him to get involved in it.