After nearly one year under Disney’s Searchlight banner, the buzzy drama “Magazine Dreams” starring Jonathan Majors has found itself suddenly back on the market. Searchlight Pictures, the specialty division of Walt Disney Studios, has discreetly returned the rights for the bodybuilding film to its producers, according to an insider with knowledge of the project.
With Searchlight now out of the picture, the filmmakers will try to court new buyers and distributors for the indie project. The reversal marks a turn for a movie that initially seemed headed for Disney’s arthouse pipeline in 2023.
The decision came after Majors was found guilty of assault and harassment in his New York domestic violence case. The “Creed III” actor was accused of physically assaulting his ex-girlfriend in March. Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6.
Searchlight initially pulled the film last October from the release slate. Searchlight initially acquired “Magazine Dreams” at last year’s Sundance.
Just last week, Majors was also dropped from Lionsgate Dennis Rodman biopic. Majors was previously dropped from his contract with Marvel Studios, which would have seen him play “big bad” Kang for the next few MCU movies.
Searchlight had no comment.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.
