Jonathan Majors made the Hollywood A-list, then came 2023, a series of abuse allegations, and eventual convictions for reckless assault in the 3rd degree and harassment. The news of the accusations broke a few months after Majors was lauded for his performance in Magazine Dreams, which has played to accolades at the Sundance Film Festival. In the wake of the scandal, Searchlight Pictures, which had acquired the film out of the festival, canceled plans for its release. But when there's money to be made, few films stay dead forever. This month, Magazine Dreams is finally slipping out into the wild—an event further complicated by the release of audio recordings in which Majors allegedly admits to an assault that he's previously denied.
Majors is undeniably a talent, but the allegations and his actions raise the age-old question: Does he deserve a comeback at all? The response to Magazine Dreams might offer a clue. And what of other movies that have struggled to escape controversy?
