Road House, featuring UFC megastar Conor McGregor and Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead roles, has delivered a history-making debut for Amazon Studios.
Released on March 21 via Prime Video to mostly positive reviews, Doug Liman’s remake of the 1989 action classic originally starring Patrick Swayze scored 50 million viewers worldwide in its first two weeks. According to a report from Deadline, that is more than any other film or television series produced exclusively for the streaming service.
“The groundbreaking, successful debut of Road House is a testament to the hard work and commitment from the entire Road House filmmaking team and the film’s cast led by the phenomenal Jake Gyllenhaal,” Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon MGM Studios, said in a press release. “The world is absolutely loving this entertaining, action-packed ride anchored by the performances of Jake, Conor McGregor, Daniela Melchior, Darren Barnet, Billy Magnussen, Jessica Williams, Lukas Gage, Arturo Castro, JD Pardo, and the rest of our stellar cast.
“It’s great to see the film taking off with both fans of the iconic original as well as a huge turnout from new audiences. This incredible film is really giving everyone something to talk about, and we couldn’t be more proud!”
‘ROAD HOUSE’ has become Prime Video’s “most-watched produced film debut ever worldwide”
Over 50M viewers so far. pic.twitter.com/tK4d7XVTXr
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 1, 2024
Road House Rises Above to Become a Massive Hit
Road House has proven to be an immense success despite some early adversity. Aside from having to shut down in the middle of production due to the SAG/AFTRA strike, longtime producer Joel Silver was fired by Amazon after being verbally abusive to two female executives. Silver and sources close to him have vehemently denied the accusations.
But despite some behind-the-scenes drama, Road House has found immense success, proving that a theatrical release is not the only way to make a buck in the film industry.
For those who have not seen Road House, the high-octane action-thriller stars the Academy Award-nominated Gyllenhaal as a former UFC fighter named Elwood Dalton. Accepting a job as a bouncer at a roadhouse in the Florida Keys, Dalton unwittingly wages war with a corrupt businessman (Billy Magnussen) and his over-the-top henchman Knox, played by McGregor.
Though a first-time actor, McGregor has seen heavy praise for bringing his skull-cracking villain to life and delivering some memorable fight sequences with his chiseled co-star.
The film also stars Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad), Jessica Williams (Shrinking), and Grammy Award-winning artist Post Malone.
Check out the official trailer for Road House below:
