Jonathan Majors’ ‘Magazine Dreams’ Heading to European Film Market in Search of International Buyers After Actor’s Conviction
Jonathan Majors‘ violent bodybuilding drama “Magazine Dreams” is heading to market for international sales for the first time ahead of its U.S. release on March 21 via Briarcliff Entertainment.
Celsius Entertainment has acquired international sales rights to the film, written and directed by Elijah Bynum and starring Majors alongside Haley Bennett, Taylour Paige, Harriet Sansom Harris, and Mike O’Hearn.
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“Magazine Dreams” centres on Killian Maddox (Majors), a man consumed by his dream of becoming a world famous bodybuilder and one day gracing the cover of fitness magazines. He lives a lonely regimented life and his relentless drive for perfection only pushes him deeper towards self destruction. But beneath his tenacious pursuit of superstardom lies a desperate aching need for human connection. As he battles both the limits of his physical body and his own inner demons, the film explores the lengths one man will go in his haunting quest for recognition in a world that often overlooks him.
The film was met with huge buzz after its debut at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, sparking a bidding war that led to it being acquired by Searchlight Pictures for a reported mid-seven figures. However, the distributor dropped the film in January 2024 after Majors was accused of domestic violence against his ex-girlfriend Grace Jabbari. After going to trial in New York, he was found guilty of two misdemeanor counts of harassment and assault. Jabbari also sued Majors for assault and defamation, but the suit was settled in November 2024. Briarcliff acquired the title in October 2024.
The film is produced by Jennifer Fox, Dan Gilroy, Jeffrey Soros, Simon Horsman, and Luke Rodgers. Los Angeles Media Fund presents a JF Production in association with Tall Street Productions.The film is executive produced by Andrew Blau, Morgan Earnest,Jonathan Majors, Tom Ortenberg, Lemuel Plummer, LJ Plummer, and Jason Tolbert, and co-produced by Christopher Bryson and David Kirchner.
“Briarcliff’s Tom Ortenberg has a well-earned reputation for championing outstanding films the studios shy away from, including ‘The Apprentice,’ ‘The Dissident,’ ‘Fahrenheit 9/11’ and Oscar winners like ‘Spotlight,’ said Celsius’ Thierry Wase-Bailey. “We wish him all the best on the release.”
See a new trailer released by Briarcliff below
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