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Hire Killer premiered March 21 on Prime Video, reimagining the cult classic starring Patrick Swayze (Dirty Dancing – Hot Rhythm) for a new generation. This time starring Jake Gyllenhaal (The Vulture), the film managed to please streaming subscribers, being the largest premiere audience for an Amazon Studios production in the entire history of Prime Video.
According to Amazon, Hire Killer was seen by more than 50 million viewers around the world in the two weeks since its streaming debut. In this way, it becomes Amazon MGM Studios’ most watched production, surpassing films such as Air: The Story Behind the Logo It is Saltburn.
Success with a bitter taste
The film’s success seems to come with a slightly different taste for director Doug Liman (Mr and Mrs Smith), who, shortly before its premiere, organized a boycott of Amazon for choosing to release the film directly on streaming, instead of in theaters. For Liman, sending the production directly to Prime Video was a disservice to those involved in the film, and on a higher level, to the cinemas themselves, as preventing this type of film from reaching cinemas only harms the film industry.
Gyllenhaal, star of the film, thanked the director for his work, but revealed that Hire Killer it was made for the streaming market from the beginning, and it was not a decision made during post-production. According to the actor, he doesn’t see any problems with releasing films on streaming, he just wants as many people as possible to watch them.
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What is the film about?
Hire Killer is a remake of the 1989 film of the same name that shows Dalton, a former UFC fighter who lives by taking part in illegal fights after his career was ruined. One day, he receives an offer to be a security guard at a bar in Florida that is being targeted by a group of troublemakers.
Dalton takes the job, only to discover that the problems are more serious than expected. This puts him in the crosshairs of local criminals who want to get rid of the bar and, now, him too.
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In addition to Gyllenhaal, the film features the big screen debut of MMA fighter Conor McGregor, as well as Daniela Melchior (The Suicide Squad) and Billy Magnussen (Lift: High Heist). Alongside them are names like Joaquim de Almeida (Fast and Furious 5: Operation Rio), Lukas Gage (The White Lotus), Hannah Love Lanier (Operation Lioness) and Kevin Carroll (The Leftovers).
