It has been 10 years since Steven Soderbergh and Channing Tatum introduced the world to Magic Mike, an engaging dramedy that took a deep dive into the world of professional male strippers and the dancers who work a flashy Tampa club. A sequel to the surprise box office hit, Magic Mike XXL, followed in 2015, and continued the story of Tatum’s Michael “Magic Mike” Lane as he got back into the world he left behind. For a while there, it seemed as if the franchise would remain a one-two punch.
But, that will soon change when a third movie, titled Magic Mike’s Last Dance, hits the big screen and takes the series to the next level with an all-out festival of male stripping and the comedy and drama in that world. If you are just now hearing about the movie, don’t worry, because we’re about to break down everything we know about it!
Magic Mike’s Last Dance Will Be Released Theatrically February 10, 2023
At one point in the film’s development, Magic Mike’s Last Dance was going to be released as an HBO Max exclusive instead of theatrically, but that all changed in September 2022, when Warner Bros. Discovery announced that the upcoming threequel will be heading to the big screen on February 10, 2023, a.k.a. Super Bowl weekend, according to Deadline.
But, those with an HBO Max subscription will most likely see the title land on the platform at some point in future, as Warner Bros. releases typically land there before anywhere else upon their streaming debut.
Channing Tatum And Salma Hayek Are The First Two Additions To The Magic Mike’s Last Dance Cast
The first two Magic Mike movies saw an assortment of male strippers played by the likes of Matthew McConaughey, Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nash, Adam Rodriguez, Alex Pettyfer, and others in addition to Channing Tatum’s titular character. Though some of those actors could return for Magic Mike’s Last Dance, as of right now, Tatum is the only member of the original cast who’s signed on to appear in the 2023 movie.
Joining Tatum in the film is Salma Hayek, who will make her debut in the franchise in as a character whose identity has yet to be revealed. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Eternals star is taking over for Thandiwe Newton in the undisclosed role. Tatum even shared a first look image of Hayek’s character touching his abs in an October 2022 Instagram post, along with the caption “All good things begin in Miami.”
Magic Mike’s Last Dance Has Been Described As ‘A Variation On All That Jazz’
Specifics about the movie's plot are being kept under wraps, but Steven Soderbergh described it as “a variation on All That Jazz,” Bob Fosse’s 1979 musical drama starring Roy Scheider as theater director and choreographer Joe Gideon, as he attempts to get a Broadway show off the ground.
In a September 2022 interview with Variety, where the All That Jazz comparisons came up, Soderbergh explained that the movie is a “sort of fictionalized procedural” that focuses on Mike coming up with an idea before dealing with all the obstacles that come with producing an over-the-top strip show.
Steven Soderbergh Is Back In The Director’s Chair After Skipping Magic Mike XXL
Soderbergh retired from film directing following the 2012 release of Magic Mike, but that didn’t last long as he went on to helm Side Effects and Behind the Candelabra the following year. Despite this, the Academy Award winner did not return for Magic Mike XXL, which was instead directed by Gregory Jacobs. But now, the filmmaker is back in the driver’s seat with Magic Mike’s Last Dance. When speaking with Thrillist in February 2022, Soderbergh revealed that it was his decision to come back to the franchise after not directing the second installment in 2015.
Magic Mike’s Last Dance Was Penned By Franchise Screenwriter Reid Carolin
Also returning for the upcoming movie is screenwriter Reid Carolin, who wrote the first two installments in the franchise, according to Deadline. Caroline has worked with Channing Tatum several times over the years, including as a producer on Logan Lucky and America: The Motion Picture. The two also co-directed the 2022 drama, Dog, which featured Tatum in a starring role and Carolin as screenwriter.
Steven Soderbergh Decided To Make The Threquel After Seeing The Magic Mike Live Show
Back in November 2021, when it was revealed that Tatum and Soderbergh would be returning for Magic Mike’s Last Dance (still titled Magic Mike 3 at the time), EW shared a statement from the director in which re revealed the reason he decided to come back and direct the next installment. Basically, it was because of Tatum’s live Magic Mike show:
As soon as I saw what Channing [Tatum], Reid [Carolin], and the Magic Mike choreographic team did with the live show, I said we have to make another movie. Mike Lane's dream of connecting people through dance must be realized!
The show, which started in Las Vegas, has gone international with performances in London, Berlin, and other locations, in addition to a North American tour. How the live show will impact the upcoming movie remains to be seen.
Channing Tatum Has Teased Magic Mike’s Last Dance As The ‘Super Bowl Of Stripping’
This film will be released in early February 2023, which is rather ironic, because Channing Tatum has teased the upcoming movie as the “Super Bowl of stripping.” When speaking with People in February 2022, he made the threequel sound like an even more over-the-top version of the earlier films, stating:
I want it to be the Super Bowl of stripping. I want dancing like we've never been able to do in the other two movies, because we had to be honest to what the reality of that world is, which isn't great dancing.
Tatum would go on to explain that he wants to “create a new genre of this form” when talking about stripping in the movie, and that he wants to show professional dancers from all over, even from the world of ballet.
There are still a few months before Magic Mike’s Last Dance takes to the big screen in February 2023, but in the meantime, now’s a good time to check out the remaining 2022 releases on the movie schedule.
