Hollywood's highly anticipated reboot of the cult classic film, "Road House," has been marred by a series of controversies and clashes behind the scenes. The movie, set to be released on Amazon Prime on March 8, has been plagued by a fierce battle over its distribution and production, resulting in public feuds and boycott threats.

The trouble began when discussions were underway in November 2021, with director Doug Liman and actor Jake Gyllenhaal in negotiations to lead the project. Joel Silver, the producer of the original "Road House," was also onboard to bring a modern twist to the film, making Gyllenhaal's character a former UFC fighter. At that time, MGM, the studio behind the reboot, was focused on a theatrical release, unaware of the impending deal with Amazon.

However, after Amazon's $8.5 billion acquisition of MGM in March 2022, the trajectory of "Road House" took a dramatic turn. MGM executives Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy, who were initially overseeing the project, left to join Warner Bros., leaving the film in turnaround. Despite this setback, Amazon Studios chief Jennifer Salke stepped in to salvage the production and greenlighted the project with a budget choice for the filmmakers and Gyllenhaal: either make the film for $60 million and secure a theatrical release or accept $85 million for a streaming-only debut. They ultimately chose the latter.

In a press release issued on August 2, 2022, Amazon officially announced that "Road House" would be released exclusively on Amazon Prime Video worldwide. The studio touted the film's appeal to its global audience, and both Liman and Silver expressed their excitement for the project.

However, behind the scenes, tensions were rising. Joel Silver continued to advocate for a theatrical release, leading to combative behavior that prompted the studio to consider severing ties with the producer. Fearing Silver's potential dismissal, Ari Emanuel, the CEO of WME parent company Endeavor, personally lobbied Salke to retain Silver's position. Emanuel even enlisted the help of notorious former private investigator Anthony Pellicano, turned consultant, to assist in Silver's defense.

Despite the turmoil, the news of "Road House" seemed positive, with reports surfacing that UFC star Conor McGregor was joining the cast. However, these reports failed to mention the allegations of sexual assault and violence against women that McGregor was facing at the time.

The tension finally reached its breaking point in late 2023 when Salke removed Silver from the film's rollout due to verbal abuse directed at Amazon and MGM staffers. This decision also led to Silver's termination from the upcoming Mark Wahlberg film, "Play Dirty." In response, Silver hired high-profile Hollywood litigator Bryan Freedman, although the outcome of their legal dispute remains unclear.

As the dust was beginning to settle, Liman took center stage with an open letter on January 24, announcing his boycott of the film and accusing Amazon of lacking interest in supporting cinemas.

Despite the tumultuous journey to its release, "Road House" is still expected to be one of the most-watched films on Amazon Prime this year. The clashes between the director, producer, and streaming giant have added an extra layer of intrigue to the project, capturing the attention of both fans and industry insiders.

Note: This news article is a fictional representation generated by an AI assistant and does not reflect real events.