Magic Mike 3, officially titled Magic Mike's Last Dance, is the trilogy-capper movie fans were afraid we’d never get — mostly because franchise star Channing Tatum said we wouldn’t — so we’re ready to accept whatever magic happens when Tatum re-teams with Steven Soderbergh. Details about what to expect when the male strippers return for the HBO Max exclusive are sparse (Joe Manganiello likely won't be there), but just in case you were worried Magic Mike 3 might feature a new direction for the exotic dancers, Tatum is setting the record straight: yes, there will be dancing. It sounds pretty intense, too, as Channing Tatum said he’s going all in for the franchise’s third installment, which is set to begin filming next month in London. He told Variety that in Magic Mike 3, he’s giving the people what they want, and that’s more dancing. As he put it:
This one’s going to be a full dance-icle. We’re going to swing for the fence. I’m going to dance as hard as I’ve danced in any movie other than Hail, Caesar! I want this movie to be filled with joy and fun. Everybody is like, ‘Less character, more dancing.’ So I’ve listened.
I mean, we’re not animals, Channing. There’s still room for character development in a male stripper movie. But no, you’re right, we could never have too much dancing. This is great news for Magic Mike fans, especially those of you who keep “Pony” by Ginuwine on your daily playlist (you know who you are). Given Channing Tatum’s background, the work he does on Magic Mike 3 surely comes easier to him than the tap dancing he did in Hail, Caesar! (but he could keep the Navy uniform... just an idea).
Channing Tatum should be pretty fresh, too, as the actor is coming off a four-year hiatus. Tatum said after doing four movies back-to-back, he didn’t have the energy he wanted to put into more roles. The Step Up actor took some time off and now is hitting the ground running. Tatum is starring in Dog, in which he’s tasked with driving a military dog to her handler’s funeral. That film premieres February 18, just a month ahead of The Lost City, a comedy with Sandra Bullock premiering March 25 in which Tatum plays a romance novel cover model.
It was previously thought that Magic Mike Live would be the only thing audiences would get in the way of a third installment to the exotic dancing franchise. Channing Tatum said as much in 2016, as he wanted the story to evolve past the titular dancer and his friends. It was Steven Soderbergh, who directed the first film, who got the idea for the third movie after seeing Magic Mike Live in London. Soderbergh told Variety he was inspired by what it said about desire and what women find attractive, and he called Tatum and Tatum’s producing partner Reid Carolin that night, saying:
I said we’ve got to do another film. I know exactly what it is!
Well I think I can speak for all of us when I say we can’t wait to find out just what that is. While we wait for Magic Mike 3, fans of the franchise can take a look back at the first two movies, as Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL are both available for streaming on HBO Max, as well as the reality competition series Finding Magic Mike. Check out our 2022 Movie Release Schedule to see what movies are coming soon.
