Doug Liman Amazon MGM Face Federal Lawsuit Over Competing Road House Sequels

Doug Liman, director of the 2024 "Road House" remake starring Jake Gyllenhaal, is embroiled in a legal and creative battle with Amazon MGM Studios over the sequel rights. Amazon shifted the release of Liman's remake from a promised theatrical debut to an exclusive Prime Video streaming release, causing Liman to lose box office-related compensation and publicly criticize the decision. Amazon is proceeding with a sequel directed by Ilya Naishuller featuring Gyllenhaal reprising his role. Meanwhile, Liman has partnered with original "Road House" writer R. Lance Hill, who reclaimed copyright to his script under the U.S. Copyright Act, to produce an independent sequel titled "Road House: Dylan." This has led to a federal dispute over the franchise ownership, raising the possibility of two competing sequels. The situation echoes past Hollywood rights battles and has created tension between Liman and Amazon, with the outcome of the lawsuit and the future of multiple sequels still uncertain.