"By the time movies come to your screen - be that at your local theater or in your living room - hundreds of people's thoughts, ideas, and labor have gone into it. From the producers and stars to the office PAs and caterers, every movie is a group project involving plenty of strong personalities and big egos. Often, that means behind-the-scenes drama that fans never learn about unless it goes to court."
"Our saga begins in January 2024, ahead of the release of Amazon's remake of Road House, the classic 1989 Patrick Swayze action movie. The remake seemingly had all it needed to succeed, including a big star in Jake Gyllenhaal and direction by renowned action director Doug Liman. But in a lambasting guest article in , Liman stated he wouldn't attend the movie's premiere at SXSW because Amazon did not plan a theatrical release for the movie."
"The second bit of drama here revolves around R. Lance Hill, the original screenwriter of the 1986 script that became Road House. He believes he is the true owner of the Road House property, not MGM (currently owned by Amazon), because the copyright would have expired after 35 years unless it is a "work for hire," which is exactly what Amazon believes it was. Amazon apparently clearly understood this rights deadline, as Hill previously sued the streamer for allegedly using A.I. to replicate"
Movies involve hundreds of contributors across creative and support roles, which often generates behind-the-scenes conflict. Amazon released a Road House remake in January 2024 starring Jake Gyllenhaal and directed by Doug Liman, who publicly objected to Amazon's decision not to give the film a theatrical release and initially declined the SXSW premiere before later attending. Original screenwriter R. Lance Hill claims ownership of the Road House property on the basis that the copyright would have expired after 35 years unless it qualified as a work for hire, a point Amazon disputes and has litigated.
Read at Inverse
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