In the upcoming film Magazine Dreams, Jonathan Majors portrays a passionate bodybuilder whose relentless ambition leads him down a path of self-destruction. Briarcliff Entertainment has recently unveiled the film’s first trailer.
Majors takes on the role of Killian Maddox, a man willing to sacrifice everything to establish himself as the leading bodybuilder of his era. This obsession takes a toll on Maddox’s personal life, isolating him from meaningful relationships. The pursuit of fame through magazine features weighs heavily on Killian, affecting both his mental and physical well-being. Will he jeopardize his own stability to chase his dream?
In the trailer, Killian reflects, “You have to do something big and important, or nobody will remember you when you’re dead.”
Alongside Majors, the film features performances from Haley Bennett, Taylour Paige, Mike O’Hearn, Harriet Sansom Harris, and Harrison Page, who plays Killian’s ailing grandfather.
Written and directed by Elijah Bynum, Magazine Dreams made its debut at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, earning favorable reviews. Many critics anticipate that Majors’ portrayal will attract significant Academy Award attention. After a competitive bidding process, Searchlight Pictures secured the distribution rights, planning for a release in December 2023.
However, in October 2023, Searchlight retracted Magazine Dreams from its schedule following assault allegations against Majors. After his conviction on two misdemeanor counts of assault and harassment in December 2023, the studio returned the film rights to the creators, allowing them to seek other distribution options. During this period, Marvel Studios also let Majors go from all future projects.
Previously, he was slated to play Kang the Conqueror, the next significant antagonist in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, appearing in both Avengers: The Kang Dynasty and Avengers: Secret Wars. Following Majors’ exit, Marvel shifted its creative direction, casting Robert Downey Jr. as the new Doctor Doom.
In October 2024, Briarcliff Entertainment obtained domestic distribution rights for Magazine Dreams. The film is now set to premiere on March 21, 2025.
