I’ll put this one down as a rumor, although EmpireCity seems pretty confident that it’s almost a done deal.
The outlet is saying that “Magazine Dreams,” starring Jonathan Majors, which was being shopped around by Searchlight, might have found a willing buyer in Lionsgate. The studio would distribute the film themselves or via their Roadside Attractions arm.
The plan is for the film to hit the awards season schedule. Majors, who was just honored with a “perseverance award,” and was yesterday cast in a new sci-fi thriller, is angling for a full comeback and a surprise release to contend in this year's Oscars. Good luck with that.
Last fall, Searchlight pulled “Magazine Dreams” from an intended December 8 release date, as the film’s star, Majors, was embroiled in a domestic violence scandal. Majors’ trial lasted a few weeks and the actor was eventually found guilty of assault and harassment.
Not too long after that, THR, via their sources, reported that the chances of seeing “Magazine Dreams” on the big screen were “highly unlikely”. Even a dump on Hulu wasn’t happening as the film would likely be too “problematic”.
“Magazine Dreams” is a grim character study about an amateur bodybuilder (Majors) struggling to find human connection as his relentless drive to be recognized pushes him to test his sanity. It’s a film that takes inspiration in Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle — an oddball loner starving to get recognized and slowly losing his mind.
It’s a real shame that ‘Dreams’ director Elijah Bynum had to go through this ordeal. He and Majors were the toast of Sundance 2023. Majors’ work in this flawed film was revelatory. Here’s what I wrote about the “Magazine Dreams”, and the performance, at this last January’s Sundance Film Festival:
It doesn’t have a shot at Best Picture, but Majors’ sure as hell has a chance at getting nominated for Best Actor. Ultimately, this is and should be seen as the Jonathan Majors show — the commitment he brings to his role as a sociopathic bodybuilder is damn-near terrifying to behold. There’s a kind of softened terror in the way Majors makes his Killian unravel before our very eyes. You’ll be hearing a lot about this performance in the months to come.
A THR source adds that “Magazine Dreams” would have “100 percent been in the awards conversation” had it not been for Majors’ legal troubles. They’re not wrong. Searchlight was prepping a massive campaign for Majors.
Searchlight/Disney has a brand image to protect, I get it, but there is most definitely an audience out there for “Magazine Dreams.” I’d go as far as to say that interest in the film has only grown because of the Majors controversy.
Lionsgate acquiring “Magazine Dreams” makes sense. They haven’t been shy in supporting problematic artists that nobody else wants to back up. It’s not just their recent acquisition of “Megalopolis,” but also allowing Mel Gibson to direct “Flight Risk” and greenlighting “Michael,” the Michael Jackson biopic that is about to pull in some major controversy come next year.