[5] In June 2011, a few months after it started operations, Open Road Films signed a pay-TV deal with Netflix,[6] which expired in 2016.
The studio released its first film, Killer Elite, on September 23, 2011, directed by Gary McKendry and starring Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro.
[16] In 2018, the company made an agreement with Blumhouse Productions to co-develop and co-finance low budget Chinese language genre films.
Shows being developed include Cat's Cradle, a limited series based on the novel by Kurt Vonnegut, being written and executive produced by Noah Hawley for FX; Kilroy County, a dark comedy from Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor being developed for Showtime; Jenji Kohan's Lifetime drama American Princess;[24] Muscle Shoals, a drama in development at ABC with Johnny Depp as executive producer;[25][26] the eight-part crime drama Cold Courage, based on the novels by Pekka Hiltunen;[27] Fried Chicken and Latkes, an adaptation of Rain Pryor's one-woman comedy show;[28] Jett, a crime drama starring and executive produced by Carla Gugino for Cinemax;[29] the reality cooking competition Fridge Wars for Canada's CBC network;[30] and global rights to Idiotest, based on the Game Show Network quiz show.
[32] Later that month, the company signed a first-look television deal with Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot's production company Offspring Entertainment;[26] projects announced under this deal include Wolfgang, based on the life of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and an untitled comedy from husband-and-wife actor-producers Carlos and Alexa PenaVega.
[26] Around the same time, Global Road also announced co-development deals with French production company Newen and the Ukrainian Film.UA Group.
[33] The company was also sued along with TV rights distributor Miramax by lender Bank Leumi over loans for City of Lies.
[36] On October 23, 2018, Global Road filed with the court plans for an auction of its assets beginning November 7 with a stalking horse bidder selected with term of $800,000 in expenses coverage and a $2.1 million outbid fee if approve by the judge.
[37] In November 2018 after lack luster auction bidding, Open Road agreed to be purchased by Raven Capital Management for $87.5 million pending court approval.
[39] In August 2017, Rob Friedman was named Global Road's chairman and CEO after Eric Hohl left the company.