Magazine Dreams starring Jonathan Majors sells to Searchlight Pictures while Cat Person struggles to find distribution after Sundance.
Jonathan Majors is quickly becoming one of the busiest actors in Hollywood. In addition to returning as Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania this weekend, he’ll square off against Michael B. Jordan in Creed III on March 3. As if that’s not enough, Majors plays Killian Maddox in Magazine Dreams, a buzz-worthy film recently picked up by Searchlight Pictures after its Sundance Film Festival premiere.
While everything is coming up Milhouse for Majors and Magazine Dreams, the same cannot be said about director Susanna Fogel’s Cat Person, which is going through hard times on its way to distribution. According to Puck, an email sent by agents Hildy Gottlieb and Brian Siberell of CAA, which represents CODA star Emilia Jones and screenwriter Michelle Ashford, there are “deep concerns” about a Netflix offer for the U.S. rights to the film. Failing to bring Cat Person stateside would “certainly not be perceived to be talent-friendly,” and would “greatly diminish its chances to make its intended impact upon audiences, and will unnecessarily harm the reputation of a very fine film,” according to the email.
Meanwhile, Studiocanal, who invested $12 million in Cat Person, says the movie is already rubbing against losses. “Our gap against the U.S. rights is $5 million, and given the catastrophic offers out of Sundance, we are potentially facing our biggest loss in 5 years,” Anna Marsh, deputy C.E.O. of Canal+ Group, Studiocanal’s French parent, said about the situation. Marsh continued by saying Netflix’s $1.75M offer to secure the streaming rights for three years (with an option to gain a theatrical distributor) is better than deals proposed by Open Road and Bleecker Street – who offered $1.5 for a “20+ year license fee, opposing significant fees.”
It’s a shame that Cat Person is struggling to find distribution, as the film is well-reviewed and regarded by many as a Sundance favorite. JoBlo’s Chris Bumbray reviewed the film, saying, “Cat Person will undoubtedly inspire a lot of talks when it eventually comes out.”
Meanwhile, Majors’ Magazine Dreams is bound to be one of the most talked about films of the year. Our own Chris Bumbray experienced the film during Sundance, saying it’s “the kind of film that will likely inspire a lot of discourse, with buzz out of Sundance being overwhelmingly positive.”
In Magazine Dreams, an amateur bodybuilder (Jonathan Majors) struggles with severe psychological issues while dreaming of stardom. As for Cat Person, Fogel’s drama explores the brief relationship between a twenty-year-old sophomore college student and an older man who is a regular at the movie theater where the young woman works. While wildly different in tone, both films inspire thought-provoking conversation and feature stunning performances by the cast.
While Magazine Dreams is sure to hit audiences hard, Cat Person may need help finding a deal for worthwhile distribution. We’ll monitor the situation and report once everything settles.
