Jake Gyllenhaal to star in Road House reboot

In July 2022, De Luca and Abdy left to run Warner Bros., and the film was put into turnaround. Still, Amazon Studios chief Jennifer Salke quickly salvaged it and was poised to greenlight the film with a cast that also included Billy Magnussen, Daniela Melchior and Lukas Gage. Sources familiar with the negotiations say the filmmakers and Gyllenhaal were given a choice: Make the film for $60 million and get a theatrical release or take $85 million and go streaming only. They opted for the latter.

“They all took the money,” says one knowledgeable source.

(Amazon and Liman declined comment.)

On Aug. 2, 2022, Amazon put out a press release that erased any ambiguity about the film’s distribution plans. “Road House” was labeled an Amazon Prime Video movie, with Salke touting the appeal “for our global audience.” Liman and Silver both signed off on the press release, with Liman gushing, “I’m thrilled to put my own spin on the beloved ‘Road House’ legacy,” and Silver noting he was “so excited to bring this newly imagined version to audiences around the world.”

But the acrimony was only just beginning.

Silver continued to push for a theatrical release and grew so combative that the studio threatened to cut ties with him. That prompted Emanuel, CEO of WME parent Endeavor, to lobby on Silver’s behalf. Sources say Emanuel reached out to Salke and begged her not to fire the legendary producer. One source familiar with the back and forth described his pleas as “desperate.” Emanuel enlisted private investigator-turned-quasi consultant Anthony Pellicano in an effort to help Silver keep his job. (WME declined comment.)

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But in late 2023, Salke finally booted Silver from working on the “Road House” rollout for verbal abuse of several staffers, including Amazon Studios and MGM marketing head Sue Kroll and Amazon film head Courtenay Valenti.