It looked like the end had already come for the Magic Mike franchise, as the film’s 2015 sequel wasn’t followed too closely with talks of a potential third entry. Even Channing Tatum himself said that if anything was going to act as the capper to the trilogy, it was going to be in some form of live stage show. Well, prepare for some twists to that particular story, folks, as not only is Magic Mike 3 absolutely happening, it has a home on HBO Max.
Even more surprising is the fact that this new project, currently titled Magic Mike’s Last Dance, sees the return of another familiar face from the franchise. No, it’s not Joe Manganiello, as there’s been no word on whether or not this new project will entice him to rescind his previous thoughts on such a return. As you’ll see in the Twitter post from Mr. Tatum below, the director on board for this potentially final ride, Steven Soderbergh, has some unique qualifications:
Well world, looks like Mike Lane’s tapping back in. @hbomax pic.twitter.com/V9Ce62n710November 29, 2021
Bringing director Steven Soderbergh back is a killer move for two very big reasons. His experience bringing the first Magic Mike story to the screen is the first and most important, as he wasn’t involved in 2015’s middle entry. On top of that is the fact that Soderbergh has worked on originals for HBO Max, with his last two films, 2020’s Let Them All Talk and this year’s No Sudden Move, both debuting on the streaming service. For him to return for Magic Mike’s Last Dance is like a member of the family coming home for the holidays.
Speaking of the holidays, if you’re looking to get your eyes on some more immediate magic, HBO Max has something special lined up in the month to come. In Warner Bros’ official announcement for the third film, it was mentioned once again that the reality competition Finding Magic Mike will be starting its 10-episode run on December 16th. Previously named The Real Magic Mike, the experience of this television expansion is part of why that the powers that be are so hyped on making another film. No one is more pleased than Channing Tatum himself, as he made the following statement in the studio’s announcement:
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.
While he may not have gotten to play Gambit in the MCU-adjacent world of the X-Men, Mr. Tatum has found himself building a universe of his own after all. It may not be based on the exploits of heroes in restrictive costumes, but that seems to only help “The Stripperverse” of Magic Mike projects be all the more popular. That only makes us question whether or not this will really be “the last dance” for "Magic" Mike Lane, and that's only part of the fun leading up to the film's debut.
Magic Mike’s Last Dance will head to HBO Max at some point in the unplanned future. That just means there’s more time to check out what’s debuting on the center stage in theaters, through the 2021 release schedule. Or, if you’re more of a big picture sort of person, you can peek ahead at 2022’s movie landscape instead. Otherwise, the betting odds for the return of Big Dick Ritchie are officially open.
