All we know About Magazine Dreams: The Jonathan Majors Starrer Underdog film
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Stories about underdogs who fight against all the odds to emerge successful are always loved by people. Magazine Dreams is also a story about a down-on-his-luck man who has one dream- to be a famous bodybuilder. However, the path to glory isn’t easy, especially when his own body is holding him back.
To make the odds even more insurmountable, he has responsibilities weighing him down. The film from Searchlight Pictures and writer-director Elijah Bynum will explore the emotional, physical, and mental toll it takes to chase one’s dreams. A trailer has been released, and it shows Jonathan Majors’ protagonist trying to balance his dreams with the reality he is living in.
Want to know more about this film? In this article, we will discuss all that we know about Magazine Dreams from its release date to its cast and more. Also, stay tuned as we will keep updating this space with new details when available.
Release date and Where to Watch
Magazine dreams will be released in theaters on Friday, March 21, 2025. It was first screened at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. The film is rated R for violent content, drug use, sexual material/nudity and language.
What is the film Magazine Dreams About?
Magazine Dreams follows Killian Maddox, who wants to become a famous bodybuilder, but the path to success isn’t easy, and to make matters more difficult, he aches for a personal connection. The synopsis of the film on its official website states:
“Killian Maddox is 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.”
The synopsis further says: “As he battles both the limits of his physical body and his own inner demons, MAGAZINE DREAMS explores the lengths one man will go in his haunting quest for recognition in a world that often overlooks him.”
Jonathan Majors transforms into a hulking bodybuilder who is tall and strong. However, his onstage confidence vanishes when he has to ask the girl he loves out on a date. This juxtaposition is fascinating because it shatters the perceived links between male physicality and confidence.
In an interview with Collider, Jonathan Majors talked about his character. He said, “The story of Killian Maddox in the world of Magazine Dreams is a world populated with people who have been rebuked in many ways. That really pulled me, that idea that there's a whole group of folks that have been put aside by society, and how we cope with that, and I aligned with that in some ways, and I felt very seen in that.”
He also explained his character’s insecurity and said in an interview with The Movie Blog, “For Killian, bodybuilding becomes more than a passion—it’s his lifeline to self-worth. His grueling routines, his strict discipline, and his relentless comparison to others fuel his belief that success will finally earn him acceptance. But as Majors pointed out, this thinking can lead to a dangerous spiral of insecurity.”
The film will explore multiple themes ranging from male sexualization and objectification within the bodybuilding industry to the issues prevalent in the wider fitness industry. It is also an unadulterated look at what a person is willing to do to achieve their dreams.
Who is Starring in Magazine Dreams?
- Jonathan Majors as Killian Maddox
- Harrison Page as William Lattimore
- Harriet Sansom Harris as Patricia Waldron
- Haley Bennett as Jessie
- Michael O'Hearn as Brad Vanderhorn
- Taylour Paige as Pink Coat
- Bradley Stryker as Ken Donaghue
- Craig Cackowski as Middle Aged Man
- Sonny Valicenti as Jimmy
- Justin Cuomo as Jon
- Peter Ivanov as Nate
- Mark Rhino Smith as Bryce
- Kimberly Christian as Nurse
- Dan Donohue as Dr. Prescott
Magazine Dreams Trailer
The trailer begins with the narrator saying, “You have to do something big and important or nobody will remember you when you’re dead.” This is followed by Jonathan Majors’ character Killian Maddox declaring his life’s mission, “I want to be Mr Olympia one day, I have been training for this my entire life.”
But the people in his life encourage him to move beyond the physical and seek an emotional bond with someone. But that’s easier said than done. When push comes to shove and no one wants to consider him for the title he desperately wants, Maddox decides to inject himself with drugs to become bigger and stronger.
But those drugs mess with his mind and ultimately might take away the one thing from him that he has been striving for all this time. Check out the trailer below:
Also, check out this clip from the film below:
Behind the Scenes
Elijah Bynum has written and directed Magazine Dreams. This is his second directorial venture, with his first one being the Hot Summer Nights. The 2017 film starred Timothée Chalamet. Andrew Blau, along with Jonathan Majors and Luke Rodgers are the executive producers while Jennifer Fox, Dan Gilroy, and Simon Horsman are the producers.
The music is by Jason Hill while the production design is by Freyja Bardell. The production companies include Searchlight Pictures, Tall Street Productions, and Los Angeles Media Fund (LAMF). In October 2024, Briarcliff Entertainment acquired the domestic distribution rights to the film.
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