My Darling California taps Jessica Chastain, Josh Brolin, Chris Pine, and more for Magazine Dreams director’s crime thriller

Last Updated on November 18, 2025

Before next week’s AFM (American Film Market) event kicks off, Deadline has the scoop on a star-studded project going up for sale from writer-director Elijah Bynum (Magazine Dreams), a crime thriller titled My Darling California.

The cast for My Darling California is positively stacked, featuring Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), Josh Brolin (Weapons, Dune), Chris Pine (Hell or High Water, Wonder Woman), Don Cheadle (the Ocean’s franchise), and Riverdale’s Charles Melton, who leads the project.

Anton (Greenland) and 2AM (Materialists) are behind the project, which is set in LA. According to Deadline, “the film will chart how a single crime weaves together the lives of a TV host, his restless wife, a country music idol, two small time crooks, and an ex-con, all of whom are chasing the promise of a better life.”

“Elijah is one of the most exciting new filmmaking voices today, and My Darling California solidifies him as a major talent. Along with this stellar cast, we are thrilled to help bring his vision to life and create a true cinematic event,” David Hinojosa of 2AM said.

“Elijah has written something electrifying and we are proud to support his bold and uncompromising vision. He’s a filmmaker with the rare ability to marry emotional depth with cinematic scale — and My Darling California is a testament to that,” said Anton’s Sebastien Raybaud.

David Hinojosa of 2AM will produce My Darling California, with Zach Nutman of 2AM serving as executive producer. Chayse Irvin (BlacKkKlansman) serves as DoP, Leslie Jones edits, Judy Becker is on production design, and Erin Benach is on costume design.

Elijah Bynum’s last film, Magazine Dreams, hardly got a fair shake when the film’s star, Jonathan Majors, was found guilty of two misdemeanor counts of assault and harassment against his then-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. The bad press surrounding Majors had a knock-on effect on Magazine Dreams, despite the film’s obvious excellence. JoBlo’s Tyler Nichols reviewed Magazine Dreams for the site, saying it’s “a heartbreaking experience that will have you thinking about it long after the credits roll.”

Are you excited about My Darling California? Let us know in the comments section below.

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