It’s a real shame that “Magazine Dreams” director Elijah Bynum had to experience the ordeal he went through with that film. He and Jonathan Majors were the toast of Sundance 2023 — Majors’ work was revelatory, and Bynum’s direction showed some real promise for his career.
Then Majors became embroiled in an infamous domestic violence scandal, and the film was dropped by Searchlight. Two years later, it was finally picked up and released by Briarcliff Entertainment, with not much marketing or fanfare to its name.
Here’s some much-welcome news for Bynum: he’ll live to see another day in cinema. Not only that, he’s assembled one hell of a cast for his next film — no doubt many of these actors were impressed by the chops he showed in “Magazine Dreams.”
Bynum is set to direct the crime thriller “My Darling California,” which will star Jessica Chastain, Josh Brolin, Mikey Madison, Don Cheadle, and Charles Melton. Last week, I heard strong buzz about the “California” script out of the AFM market, but had no idea it came from Bynum — and with this kind of cast, I’m certainly intrigued now.
Set in Los Angeles, the film follows how a single crime intertwines the lives of a TV host, his discontented wife, a country music star, two small-time crooks, and an ex-con — each driven by the pursuit of a better life.
Bynum has chosen Chayse Irvin (“BlacKkKlansman”) as his DoP. An editor (Leslie Jones), production designer (Judy Becker), and costume designer (Erin Benach) have already been hired, suggesting that a shoot might be happening sooner than we think.
Bynum is known for his stylish, character-driven dramas. He made his directorial debut with A24’s “Hot Summer Nights” (2017), starring Timothée Chalamet, a coming-of-age crime tale that earned him attention for its striking visuals and sharp writing. Six years later, he followed it with “Magazine Dreams,” a dark, psychological drama about a Travis Bickle–like bodybuilder. I look forward to “My Darling California.”