Searchlight Sets ‘Magazine Dreams,’ Starring Jonathan Majors, for December Release – Film News in Brief
Searchlight has set a release date for the Jonathan Majors-starrer “Magazine Dreams” — and it’s right in the mix for awards season.
The film, written and directed by Elijah Bynum, will hit theaters on Dec. 8.
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Majors plays aspiring bodybuilder Killian Maddox, who struggles to find human connection amid his quest for superstardom in the bodybuilding world. Haley Bennett, Taylour Paige, Harrison Page, Harriet Sansom Harris and Mike O’Hearn also star in the film, which Variety chief film critic Owen Gleiberman praised for its “highly orchestrated style, with each lustrous image flowing into the next.” He added, “scenes […] play out slowly, naturalistically, but are charged with such tension that at moments you may find you’ve stopped breathing.”
In addition to starring in the project, Majors serves as an executive producer (his first film under via his Tall Street Production banner), alongside Luke Rodgers and Andrew Blau. Jennifer Fox, Dan Gilroy, Jeffrey Soros and Simon Horsman produced.
Searchlight acquired the film after a buzzy debut at Sundance in January, where it went on to win the U.S. Special Dramatic Jury Award for creative vision. At Variety’s Sundance Studio, Majors detailed the fitness regimen required to transform into the character, who has a perfectly chiseled physique.
“I’m 6 feet tall. I’m 202 pounds,” he told Variety. “In order to sustain that and grow, I ate 6,100 calories a day for about four months.”
He also visited the gym constantly: “The normal bodybuilder works out two times a day. I would train two hours, two times a day for the movie and a third time after wrap. Meanwhile, you eat six times a day. Lots of chicken. Lots of elk. I like it.”
With the release of “Magazine Dreams,” Majors adds a third title to his 2023 filmography, which kicked off in Feb. with his MCU feature film debut as Kang the Conqueror in “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” followed just two weeks later by his turn as Damian “Dame” Anderson in “Creed III.” When “Creed III” dethroned “Quantumania” for the top spot at the box office in early March, Majors experienced an incredibly rare career milestone.
“As rare as a unicorn sighting, landing the box office gold and silver medal in the same weekend puts any actor in a very exclusive club, as it is extraordinary for the cinematic planets to align in this way,” Dergarabedian told Variety about the achievement. “Jonathan Majors now joins this rarefied group with this incredible one-two punch at the box office.”
Amazon Studios Sets Multi-City “Fresh Air” Activation Featuring Sneaker Culture Icon Jason Markk
Amazon Studios is taking to the streets to promote Ben Affleck’s “Air,” which chronicles the beginnings of the iconic Air Jordan sneaker brand.
The studio has teamed up with iconic sneaker culture icon Jason Markk to host a multi-city consumer experience, dubbed “Fresh Air,” which ties into the film’s social campaign, “A shoe is just a shoe until I step into it.”
The activation will see guerilla street teams flood U.S. cities including Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Chicago, in a unique opportunity to bring together sneakerheads and celebrate the culture and history of the sneaker community. The street team will also have a presence at the Jason Markk flagship store in L.A.
Free to the public, the “Fresh Air” activation allows attendees to celebrate self-expression through fashion as they share their sneaker stories while getting a complimentary shoe cleaning, with premium care products from Jason Markk and staff on site to offer advice on keeping their shoes in pristine condition. In addition to their freshly cleaned kicks, attendees will also walk away with an “Air” and Jason Markk sneaker duster bag.
Directed by Affleck and written by Alex Convery, “Air” made its world premiere as the closing night selection for South by Southwest, where it earned a massive standing ovation. Starring Affleck, Matt Damon, Jason Bateman, Marlon Wayans, Chris Messina, Julius Tennon, Chris Tucker and Viola Davis as Deloris Jordan, mother of basketball legend Michael Jordan, who led negotiations with Nike for her son’s worth as their prospective spokesperson.
The film will hit theaters on April 5.
“Copycat” Comic Book Series Touches Down
A new comic book franchise titled “Copycat” is launching from Broken Road Productions, Hustle & Heart Films, and Source Point Press. It’s described as tonally similar to “Atomic Blonde” and “John Wick” following a protagonist with a unique power.
Sarah, a talented ER nurse, has a unique gift of diagnosing her patients with just one touch. Unfortunately, her power comes with a painful price, as she experiences the same suffering as her those she cares for. In her pursuit to save Emma, a woman with extraordinary abilities, Sarah inadvertently gains Emma’s enhanced strength. After Emma’s murder, Sarah sets off on a mission to face her killers, collecting their abilities along the way.
The series is based on a concept by producer Todd Garner (“Mortal Kombat”) and will be produced by his company Broken Road Productions. The series is written by Hustle & Hearts Films’ duo of Heath Amodio (“The Heathens”, and “Foretold”) and New York Times bestselling writer Cullen Bunn (“Deadpool Kills the Marvel Universe”, “6th Gun”). Elmer Cantada (“Masque”, “Big Jack”) provides the line art, with colors by Gabe Contreras (“Datura”, “Witchblood”) and letters by Dave Lentz (“Good Boy”, “Curse of Cleaver County”). The publisher, Source Point Press, will debut a collector’s Ashcan limited run edition of the first issue at Cleveland Fan Expo on March 24-26 featuring an exclusive Fan Expo cover by Joshua Werner (“Winchester Mystery House”, “Crossbone Skelly”).
“We’re trying to do things differently,” Amodio said. “Through our Hustle & Heart Films production company, and our newest endeavor Overlook Multimedia, where we adapt concepts across all mediums like comics, television, film, and tabletop games with producing partner Aengus McLoone, Cullen and I connect with people we admire, and collaborate to tell great stories.”
This is the second collaboration between Source Point Press and Hustle & Heart, the first being “Nightwalkers.”
Casting Society Announces Latest “Commitment to Equity in Entertainment in Casting Initiative” Event
The Casting Society announced its latest virtual event, A Conversation on Equitable, Ethical, & Accessible Casting Practices for Deaf Actors & Creatives, which will join the CSA’s “Commitment to Equity in Entertainment in Casting Initiative.” The virtual event will be held on March 28 at 3:30 p.m. PT/6:30 p.m. ET.
The CSA’s initiative was developed to connect casting directors with underrepresented artists and creatives. The initiative’s upcoming event will focus specifically on the accessibility and ethics surrounding the casting process for D/deaf/Hard of Hearing (HoH) actors and creative professionals.
The conversation will be led by a panel of accessibility coordinators, actors, casting directors, Directors of Artistic Sign Language (DASL), interpreters and producers. Those speaking include Alexandria Wailes, Andrew Fem, CJ Jones, Craig Fogel, Delbert Whetter, Lisa Zagoria, Maleni Chaitoo and Raven Sutton.
ASL interpreters and CART captions will be provided. Those who would like to attend can RSVP here.
USC Announced Brian Grazer and Ron Howard Will Deliver the School of Cinematic Arts 2023 Commencement Address
USC announced that Academy Award winners and School of Cinematic Arts alumni Brian Grazer and Ron Howard will deliver the USC School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) 2023 commencement address. Additionally, producer, writer and director Tracy Oliver (“Girls Trip”) will receive the Mary Pickford Alumni Award at the May 12 ceremony at the Shrine Auditorium.
“Brian and Ron’s longstanding partnership and tremendous accomplishments make them such a unique driving force within the industry. Their insights and wisdom will be invaluable to our students as they prepare to start their own journeys,” said Dean of the USC School of Cinematic Arts Elizabeth M. Daley.
Daley added, “Tracy Oliver is an exemplary role model for our students, and a stellar representative of the new generation of SCA creators who are leading today’s golden age of entertainment media. As an SCA board member she is a vital contributor to the success of our SCA community, and we couldn’t be prouder to honor her this year.”
Grazer, who currently serves on the School of Cinematic Arts Board of Councilors, received a BA in Psychology at USC in 1974, and has previously received the Mary Pickford Alumni Award. Howard attended courses at the School of Cinematic Arts, and in 2022, he and Grazer both received honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degrees from USC. Oliver earned an MFA from SCA’s Peter Stark Producing Program in 2010.
Composers David Shire and John Debney Honored With Life Achievement Award at Abu Dhabi Festival
The Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation awarded six recipients with the Abu Dhabi Festival Award during its 2023 ceremony. Those awarded include the Lifetime Achievement recipients, composers John Debney and David Shire and veteran film music producer Robert Townson.
The recipients’ prolific careers, include Academy Award and Emmy nominations, with Debney, receiving an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score for his work on “The Passion of the Christ.” While Shire received the Academy Award for best original song in 1980, for “Norma Rae’s” “It Goes Like It Goes.” Townson, joins Quincy Jones as one of the only producers to receive this award, and has been recognized for his archival work and re-release of several films’ iconic scores, including “The Goonies,” “The Matrix,” “Dracula,” and “The Abyss.”
African American Film Critics Association Announces Special Achievement Award Honorees
The African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA) announced it will honor Sherry Lansing, Rita Cooper Lee, Dr. Jennifer Turner, Wonya Lucas and the “A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting” documentary at the sixth annual special achievement awards luncheon. The four industry innovators will be celebrated on April 8, at the California Yacht Club in Marina Del Rey.
Studio executive Sherry Lansing will receive the Legacy Award for both her industry and philanthropic contributions. TriStar Television’s executive vice president, Dr. Jennifer Turner will be awarded the Salute to Excellence Award for her leadership and commitment to creating quality programming with inclusive casts and storylines.
President and CEO of Hallmark Media, Wonya Lucas will receive the TV Vanguard Award, in recognition of her visionary leadership for Hallmark Media. Head of Communications and Publicity, Apple Worldwide Video and Apple TV+, Rita Cooper Lee will receive the inaugural Rosalind Stevenson Award for Excellence in Publicity for her contributions to developing Apple TV+ and the streamer’s innovative campaigns.
The four honorees have been chosen by a committee and selected on the basis of their achievements throughout the course of their careers.
The “A Tree of Life: The Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting” documentary will receive the Stanley & Karen Kramer Award for shining a light on the hate that threatens America, through its examination of the 2021 shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue.
“Recognizing their incredible achievements gives us a moment to reflect on the progress that’s been made as our industry continues to evolve and gives each of us the inspiration needed to tackle our next challenges. AAFCA looks forward to celebrating them,” said AAFCA president and co-founder Gil Robertson.
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