Channing Tatum to return for ‘Magic Mike 3’ movie on HBO Max
Channing Tatum and director Steven Soderbergh are set to reunite for Magic Mike’s Last Dance, the third film in Warner Bros. male stripper saga, which the actor has dubbed the “stripperverse.”
Magic Mike 3 won’t be heading to theaters, but will premiere directly on HBO Max, the streaming service owned by WarnerMedia.
Reid Carolin, who wrote the first two movies, is also returning to write the latest film about Tatum’s character Mike Lane, with the film expected to end the trilogy.
Tatum confirmed the news on Twitter Monday (Nov. 29), sharing a picture of his script with the caption,” Well world, looks like Mike Lane’s tapping back in.”
Well world, looks like Mike Lane’s tapping back in. @hbomax pic.twitter.com/V9Ce62n710
— Channing Tatum (@channingtatum) November 29, 2021
According to HBO Max, Magic Mike's Last Dance will stream exclusively on HBO Max in 2022.
One last dance.
— HBO Max (@hbomax) November 29, 2021
@channingtatum is back as Mike Lane in Magic Mike’s Last Dance, streaming exclusively on HBO Max in 2022. pic.twitter.com/VtXQgeGlg9
“There are no words for how excited I am to blow the doors off of the world of ‘Magic Mike’ with Steven, Greg, Reid and the amazing people at HBO Max. The stripperverse will never be the same,” the actor said in an interview with Variety.
Magic Mike XXL director Gregory Jacobs is producing Magic Mike’s Last Dance with Carolin, Nick Wechsler and Peter Kiernan.
Magic Mike is loosely based on Tatum’s experiences as an 18-year-old stripper in Tampa, Florida.
The original 2012 movie proved to be more than a shameless cash-grab for audiences to watch a shirtless Tatum, accompanied by muscular co-stars Alex Pettyfer, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello and Matthew McConaughey.
The film became a surprise critical and commercial success, earning $167 million at the box office and earning praise for Tatum and Soderbergh. The sequel Magic Mike XXL was released in 2015 without Soderbergh in the director’s seat, but still managed to generate $120 million globally.
Both Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL are currently streaming on HBO Max.
The best cure for the Sunday Scaries is a Magic Monday. Here's a dose of Channing Tatum to get you through the week. pic.twitter.com/bDcGFHu9WA
— HBO Max (@hbomax) November 29, 2021
The franchise proved to be lucrative beyond the big screen. Tatum later conceived and co-directed “Magic Mike Live” in Vegas, which expanded internationally with sold-out shows in London, Berlin and Australia. The immersive, acrobatic spectacular recently announced its first North American tour, with stops planned in Nashville and Miami.
The live performance shows also inspired the upcoming HBO Max reality competition series Finding Magic Mike, which is set to premiere on the streamer on Dec. 16.
The reality show follows 10 men who have “lost their magic” as they bare their souls and learn to perform dance routines. The winner will be awarded a cash prize and a chance to perform on the “Magic Mike Live” stage in Vegas.