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Sometimes, the stories of life and art feel eerily similar.
In January of 2023, Jonathan Majors was Hollywood’s next major player. He was the central villain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s second ‘saga’. He had blown audiences away with strong performances in Da 5 Bloods and Lovecraft Country and was gaining strong reviews for his role in the upcoming Creed III and Magazine Dreams.
Then, in a moment, it was gone.
After a series of accusations and a conviction of harassment and one count of reckless assault, Majors found his world in pieces. Instructed to take a year of domestic violence intervention program and probation, he began the process of putting his life and career back together. And now, with this week’s release of Magazine Dreams, those two worlds collide.
Written and directed by Elijah Bynum, Magazine Dreams tells the story of Killian Maddox (Jonathan Majors), an aspiring bodybuilder who is determined to find success. Spending his days training relentlessly while he stares endlessly at posters of his bodybuilding hero, Brad Vanderhorn (Mike O’Hearn). With his dream of superstardom firmly in view, his obsession leads him down a dark path that threatens to cause permanent damage to his body and his personal life.
Putting Majors’ personal issues aside just for a moment, it’s important to notes that Magazine Dreams—as a film—is brilliant. Although there are some moments when the script meanders, Majors is a tour-de-force in this film. He plays Maddox with a blend of intensity and affability that is so compelling that we can’t help but be heartbroken by his journey. Every single scene is played with laser focus, even in moments when he’s being charming and humorous. But, under it all, he is a broken man who is trying to find redemption. And this is where the lines between reality and fiction become blurred.
In many ways, the fictional Magazine Dreams feels almost awkwardly real. (What’s more, it’s worth noting that the film was completed before the charges were laid. This isn’t a ‘comeback’ film but rather the film that was going to put him in the heat of the Oscars race two years ago.) After all, Maddox is a man with severe anger issues who struggles to keep a relationship or draw close to anyone. Bearing the scars of his own trauma, he yearns to be the face on the cover of the magazine. Fame isn’t just the ‘dream’. It’s Maddox’s obsession. Every aspect of his life remains laser focused on maintaining the perfect image so that he can succeed. (Without giving spoilers, the final line of the film even states that, “The most important thing to a man is how he is remembered.”)
To be clear, Killian Maddox isn’t Jonathan Majors. BUT that doesn’t mean that the stories feel eerily similar.
Dreams feels like nightmare drenched with fairytale aspirations. Maddox’s bodybuilding hero is merely an image in the posters of his wall, one that he writes to frequently. He is crying out for help as he attempts to climb the mountain of fame. He wants to make something of himself.
He is going to make something of himself.
Yet he remains unimaginably broken, clinging to the rage within him of those that doubted his abilities. The dreams of fame that he has are what will justify his life—his very existence—and he attacks the weights in pursuit of perfection. If there is hope for Maddox, he hasn’t found it yet. But he’s pleading with others (and himself) to show him what it might be. (“I have a sickness inside me,” he growls with deep sadness.) Frankly, it’s heartbreaking.
Yet, once again, reality shakes fiction. With this week’s news that Majors admitted to having ‘aggressed’ his now ex-girlfriend, his past has come back to haunt him once again. Although the admission stems from his previous allegations, it has already refreshed the pain of abuse in the court of public opinion. Once again, Majors is trending and not in a good way.
So, do we separate the film from the star? As a film critic, I’m called to engage the stories that are offered to us and give insight to our readers. I love to do interviews and hear the heart of the artists behind their journey towards the onscreen product. (In fact, prior to this week’s release of new information, I actually interviewed Majors for this very film.)
But even I struggle here.
The more we find out about Majors’ personal problems, the more it invariably affects our viewing. This week, as someone who wants to stand with victims of abuse, I find it difficult to separate Majors the man (or, at least, the one we see through the media) from Maddox the character. Although I fully believe that people can change and find redemption, it’s often not an easy road. And it takes time to traverse.
So, with that in mind, it could be argued either way whether or not this is the film to begin Majors’ return to the spotlight. On the one hand, it could become a moment where he owns his brokenness in the public sphere on the road to healing and restoration. On the other, it could come off as insensitive, given the circumstances.
With this in mind, I find myself torn between worlds myself. Without question, for all intents and purposes, Magazine Dreams is an unbelievable showcase of Majors’ talent as an actor. As a matter of fact, it is easily the first noteworthy film of 2025. Even so, these Dreams remain constantly interrupted by Majors’ nightmares. And that makes it hard not to disconnect from the film as a conscientious viewer and wake up in a bit of a sweat.
Magazine Dreams is available in theatres on Friday, March 21st, 2025.
