Where did Channing Tatum go? Over the course of the past decade, the actor-producer built an impressive portfolio, especially with critical darlings like Foxcatcher, Logan Lucky, Hail Ceasar!, The Hateful Eight, and the Magic Mike movies, along with a few commercial hits such as The Vow, Kingman: The Golden Circle, and the Jump Street movies. Aside from a few voice-only roles in The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, Smallfoot, and this summer's America: The Motion Picture, however, Tatum has largely kept out of the public eye over the past few years, focusing instead on his personal life. But fret not; Channing Tatum is set to return to the spotlight, thanks to a few notable projects.
Between his screenwriting/directorial debut, Dog, a prominent role in a star-studded romance, and an intriguing-sounding reunion with Phil Lord and Chris Miller, along with several more projects that he'll produce under his Free Association banner, Channing Tatum is keeping plenty busy, and we'll see the fruit of his labors soon enough. If you love the muscle-bound star, here are the movies (and TV shows) to keep on your radar.
America: The Motion Picture - June 30, 2021 (Completed)
Following a multi-year hiatus, Channing Tatum returns with a monumental new role. More specifically, the Step Up actor will be heard voicing our nation's founding father, George Washington, in America: The Motion Picture, a gleefully R-rated animated comedy that provides an irreverent revisionist take on the building of this free nation. That's right; this ain't your grandaddy's George Washington. This chainsaw-wielding, foul-mouthed, fun-loving portrayal of The American Fabius promises to be, at the very least, an original interpretation of our first president's time in the Oval Office, in a movie that sounds like Drunk History crossed with Adult Swim's brand of mayhem. For better or worse, it might be the only time we hear Tatum's voice come out of a U.S. president.
The feature directorial debut of Matt Thompson (Archer), working from a script from hotly-in-demand screenwriter Dave Callaham (Mortal Kombat, the upcoming Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse 2), America: The Motion Picture follows George Washington as he builds up a team alongside beer-chugging Sam Adams (Jason Mantzoukas) to take down the pesky Brits, led by King James (Simon Pegg). Judy Greer, Killer Mike, and Bobby Moynihan also lend their voices. Netflix's animated movie drops on June 30th.
Dog - February 18, 2022 (Completed)
We're seen Channing Tatum, the dancer. We've seen Channing Tatum, the actor. And over the past decade, we've seen Channing Tatum, the producer. Now, get ready to meet a whole new side of the celebrity: Channing Tatum, the writer and director. That's right; Tatum has spent the past year making his screenwriting and directorial debut with Dog, a personal dramedy that's inspired by Tatum's own relationship with his late canine companion. The movie centers around Briggs (Tatum), a fast-living man who embarks on a road trip with his soon-to-be deceased furry friend, Lulu, in order to attend a funeral. During this tragic period, Briggs and his dependable dog make the most of everything thrown their way. That sounds like a sweet, highly emotional return for the actor-turned-writer/director; it's easy to see why it sparked such an intense bidding war.
Though it was sought by several major studios, Dog sold to MGM. It's slated for release on February 18th, which is near Valentine's Day weekend. That's a profitable time for Channing Tatum; The Vow and Dear John did well in that timeframe. Will Dog find the same success? Hard to say, but we'll see! Co-written and co-directed by Tatum's long-time producing partner, Reid Carolin, Dog is good to go. Time to play the waiting game.
Lost City Of D - April 15, 2022 (Pre-Production)
In this age of intellectual property-driven mass media, star power is becoming less of a commodity. Movie stars don't carry the same firepower that they used to, but maybe that will change. In what sounds like a return to the star-driven romantic blockbusters of old, Lost City of D is rounding up a trio of famous faces, including Sandra Bullock, Brad Pitt, and Channing Tatum, to appear in this promising project. Likewise, Daniel Radcliffe, Patti Harrison, Oscar Nunez, and Da'Vine Joy Randolph have also signed on to appear in supporting roles. The movie will center on a reclusive romance novelist (Bullock) on a book tour with her cover model (Tatum, presumably) as they get thrown in a kidnapping attempt that lands them both in a thrilling cutthroat jungle adventure.
While it's not a totally original concept (the plot does sound similar to Romancing the Stone), it's refreshing to see a high-profile movie that relies on star power rather than existing IP. Directed by Aaron and Adam Nee (Band of Robbers) and written by Oren Uziel (22 Jump Street) and Dana Fox (Cruella), Lost City of D is in pre-production and expected to film soon. Make no mistake; Tatum is back on the horse — quite literally!
Soundtrack Of Silence - TBA (Announced)
Reuniting with Jamie Linden, the screenwriter behind Dear John, Channing Tatum is set to produce and star in Soundtrack of Silence, based on a true story uncovered by KQED. As Deadline reports, Soundtrack of Silence will follow a college student who learns a life-changing truth: he's going deaf. In the process of coping with this difficult change, he memorizes his favorite songs to capture the most important memories of his life — including falling in love. It's unclear who Tatum will play (it seems unlikely that Tatum will play a college student unless the script is reworked), but one has to wonder if this project was put on hold, considering that the plot shares a notable likeness to Sound of Metal and Hulu's The Ultimate Playlist of Noise, which were released months earlier.
Certainly, there are many worthwhile stories that could — and should — be explored in the deaf community, and it would be a shame if Soundtrack of Silence fell through the cracks due to its narrative similarities to these aforementioned character dramas. Alas, the film hasn't seen any publicized updates since its initial early 2020 announcement.
Untitled Monster Movie - TBA (Announced)
Channing Tatum remains in good hands with Phi Lord and Chris Miller. The Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs directors paved the way for Tatum's warm acceptance as an affable comedy star in 21 and 22 Jump Street, while also employing him as a voice actor for a leading role in Smallfoot and a supporting turn as Superman in The LEGO Movie 1 and 2 and The LEGO Batman Movie. Now, the team will reunite once more for an untitled monster movie, which is supposed to be "a modern-day, tongue-in-cheek thriller inspired by Universal’s classic monster legacy.” Sounds about right, based on the talent involved. The concept comes from Tatum's long-time producing partner, Reid Carolin, who wrote the story. The screenplay will be penned by Wes Tooke (Midway).
While Phil Lord and Chris Miller called the shots on the Jump Street movies and the original LEGO Movie, they're not expected to helm this new movie. Rather, they'll join the project as producers alongside Channing Tatum and Reid Carolin. Nevertheless, it's exciting to know that Lord-Miller and Tatum have another collaboration in the works.
Six Years - TBA (Announced)
Not to be confused with 10 Years, another movie that Channing Tatum made... well, ten years ago (time can be funny like that), the A-list actor has signed on to star in and produce Six Years, an upcoming Netflix movie based on Harlan Coben's 2013 novel.
Adapted by Arash Amel (A Private War), this streaming title will follow Tatum as Jake Fisher, a lovelorn young man who watched the love of his life marry someone else. Six years later, hence the title, Jake discovers the other man's obituary. Resolving to attend the funeral in the hopes of getting acquainted with his long-lost beloved, he's shocked to discover that the widow is not, in fact, the woman he fell in love with, which causes him to question all of his past memories. With no director currently attached (unless our lead decides to step behind the camera), details remaining slim. Therefore, this project is likely still a few years down the line, at least — assuming the movie is ever made.
Bob The Musical - TBA (Announced)
No matter how you feel about Hail, Caesar! (It's a good one, but that's a discussion for another article), you walk away feeling like Channing Tatum's talents are underutilized in the musical genre. The actor can dance; no question about it. Now, we know that he can hold a tune. Which begs the question, why isn't he leading his own musical? Well, that opportunity may finally arrive thanks to Disney's long-gestating Bob: The Musical.
A labored project that's been stuck in development hell for over a decade, according to Variety, this original comedy centers around an ordinary man whose worst nightmare is realized when he wakes up and discovers that he's trapped inside a musical. Tatum will produce in addition to playing the titular Bob. Certainly, Tatum is well-versed at playing a befuddled everyman who wants to figure a way out of their troubles, and this movie would hopefully play his comedic and musical talents equally — if it comes together. The last update was over a year ago, so Bob: The Musical may be delayed once more.
Upcoming Movies That Channing Tatum Is Producing
While Channing Tatum's next steps as an actor are still being determined, his future as a producer is looking very active. Next, Tatum is an executive producer on Fatherhood, Netflix's upcoming dramedy starring Kevin Hart which will premiere on the service next month. He's also producing Spaceman, another Netflix production, which stars Adam Sandler, Carey Mulligan, and Paul Dano. The sci-fi movie just started production and it's expected to land sometime next year. Speaking of the far recesses of the galaxy, Tatum will produce an upcoming HBO limited series with Elon Musk's SpaceX. He's also signed on to produce an untitled Lady Macbeth musical, an adaptation of Vertigo Entertainment's The Maxx, and a reality TV series based on Magic Mike. And that's naming only a few projects that Channing Tatum's producing company is cooking up.
While Channing Tatum has kept a low profile in recent years, he's expected to return with a force in the years to come. You better get ready, because he's expected to stay.
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