Chris Bumstead teased a feature-length film about his journey to bodybuilding's highest stages back in 2024. Scheduled to release in 2025, 'The Standard' had bodybuilding enthusiasts captivated, only for the date to be pushed further. 

The documentary film had its test screening this week, as announced by Beyond the Stage TV on Thursday. As reported by them, the director has motioned to a positive reception of the movie.

'The Standard' not only scored 9/10 in the screening, but also managed to capture the hearts of the non-bodybuilding crowd. This took aback Bumstead, too, whose previous documentary film 'The Raw Story' scored an average on IMDB.

"Was blown away by how much people loved it. Half our audience said they had little to no knowledge of bodybuilding, but said they loved the film... Great feedback all around," the bodybuilder shared on his IG story.

Filmed over seven years, it captures Bumstead’s journey to six Olympia titles and his ultimate retirement. Beyond just bodybuilding, it’s a story about discipline and the psychological cost of chasing perfection 

The film, directed by Mark Bone, will not be split into episodes but will be released altogether for a theatrical opening. The official description for the documentary reads: 

"An exclusive, in-depth documentary on Chris Bumstead's life and journey to become a 6x Mr. Olympia Classic Physique Champion."

Moreover, the Art of Documentary production will feature 7+ years of footage from Bumstead's close friend and filmmaker, Calvin Youttitham, making this documentary one of its kind, blending cinematic shots with real-time scenes.

When Will 'The Standard' Hit Theaters?

Despite the growing buzz surrounding the feature film, there is no official confirmation yet of the release date. However, Beyond the Stage TV ensured that "negotiations" are going on about the film's distribution, with news of the official date coming soon.

The date has already been pushed ahead once, after the film remained behind the curtains in 2025. The trailer, however, is available to watch on Mark Bone's YouTube channel.

And it seems like 'The Standard' already has the bodybuilding world raving behind it. 

"This is going to be groundbreaking for the fitness industry," IFBB Pro Jordan Gladman commented.

Clearly, Cbum has done a great job at uniting the world of bodybuilders and non-athletes for the thrilling documentary. The question is: would it be able to live up to the hype?

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi