Magazine Dreams is a 2023 American drama film written and directed by Elijah Bynum. The film stars Jonathan Majors, Haley Bennett, Taylour Paige, Mike O'Hearn, Harrison Page, and Harriet Sansom Harris.
Magazine Dreams had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2023. The film received positive reviews from critics.
Premise
Magazine Dreams follows aspiring bodybuilder Killian Maddox (Majors), who struggles to find human connection in this exploration of celebrity and violence. Nothing deters him from his fiercely protected dream of superstardom, not even the doctors who warn him of the permanent damage he causes to himself with his quest.
Cast
Jonathan Majors as Killian Maddox
Haley Bennett as Jessie, a grocery store worker and Maddox's love-interest
Taylour Paige as Pink Coat, a prostitute
Mike O'Hearn as Brad Vanderhorn, a professional body builder and Killian's idol
Harrison Page as William Lattimore, Killian's grandfather
Harriet Sansom Harris as Killian's counselor
Bradley Stryker as Ken Donaghue, a roofing and plumbing worker who assaults Killian Dan Donahue as Dr Prescott, Killian's doctor Craig Cackowski as a bodybuilding contest judge who placed Killian poorly Andrea Figliomeni as waitress who tells Killian his date had to leave
Production
In October 2021, Jonathan Majors joined the cast of the film, with Elijah Bynum directing from a screenplay he wrote, with Majors also serving as an executive producer, and Jennifer Fox and Dan Gilroy serving as producers. In July 2022, Haley Bennett, Taylour Paige and Mike O'Hearn joined the cast of the film.
In preparation for the role, Majors ate 6,100 calories a day for four months and would body-build for six hours every day to obtain and maintain the extreme muscular physique of his role.
Release
Magazine Dreams had its world premiere at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2023. At the premiere, the jurors collectively walked out as the open captioning that was intended for juror Marlee Matlin malfunctioned. The following month, Searchlight Pictures acquired distribution rights to the film.
The film was originally scheduled to be released theatrically on December 8, 2023, but in October 2023, Searchlight's parent, Walt Disney Studios, removed the film from its release schedule in response to both the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike and assault allegations against Majors.