Bodybuilding movie Magazine Dreams created a buzz in early 2023 with critics touting star Jonathan Majors for awards success, but his subsequent conviction for assault and harassment brought the axe down on the much-anticipated project. Now, fans are rejoicing as the film has a new release date and will finally flex on the big screen.
The movie is written and directed by Elijah Bynum and centers around amateur bodybuilder, Killian Maddox, who is played by Majors (best known for his roles as Damian Anderson in Creed III, and Kang the Conqueror in the Marvel franchise). Unveiled at The Sundance Film Festival in January 2023, Magazine Dreams earned Majors a standing ovation at that time for his commitment to the role.
What is Magazine Dreams about?
The premise sees Majors taking on the role of Killiam Maddox, an amateur bodybuilder who puts his mental and physical health through the wringer in order to chase his dreams of success. Despite the pleas of doctors and the threats to his personal relationships, Maddox dismisses any distraction in pursuit of his extreme dreams.
“What I attached to the most was this idea of society and what happens to an individual when they are rebuked by society,” said Majors in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter following the festival showing. “If you are unseen and you can’t see yourself in society, the gaslighting begins and your mental and your spiritual, and your social begins to shift and change. I’ve not read a script that offered that type of opportunity and that type of challenge to myself as an actor or myself as a citizen for society. And I also thought it was impossible to be a bodybuilder as I was reading it, and I was 172 pounds at the time. I was up for that challenge as well.”
Despite that early buzz and talk of Majors’ receiving a potential Oscar for his work, the star’s conviction led to the movie’s distributer, Searchlight, dropping the project. Fortunately, almost three years on, Briarcliff films have picked up the mantle and an official theatrical release date has been set. Magazine Dreams also stars Mike O’Hearn who plays the man that Major’s character is aspiring to replicate. O’Hearn told Chris Van Vliet that Majors was “impressive,” and was surprised by his insight into an often misunderstood world.
