Look to Beyoncé and Amy Schumer, according to screenwriter Reid Carolin. The upcoming finale to the “Magic Mike” trilogy, based on Channing Tatum’s experiences as an exotic dancer, is set to have a “strong” female protagonist and an untraditional love story at its heart. Carolin looked to both Schumer and Beyoncé while crafting the “Magic Mike Live” musical showcase in Las Vegas, which launched in 2017. “It’s almost like if an Amy Schumer stand-up comedy act merged with Beyonce’s backup dancers who just happened to take their shirts off, merged with ‘Alice in Wonderland,’” Carolin told Variety of the hit show. “It’s really about a woman stuck at a horrible strip show like a Chippendales and then realizing, ‘What the hell am I doing here?’ And then Magic Mike comes down from the ceiling. She gets to go down the rabbit hole and asks: What do I really want?”
The third film, “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” will be directed by Steven Soderbergh. Lead star and executive producer Tatum noted that the new “Magic Mike” lead will be a woman: “It’s going to have a really strong, almost stronger than Mike, character that’s female,” Tatum explained. “We’ve never done a traditional love story, and this isn’t a traditional love story.” Plus, the “Step Up” alum teased breaking new boundaries with the final “Magic Mike” installment. “I want this movie to be filled with joy and fun,” Tatum said, citing the “sickest dance moves that we can possibly create” to build the “Super Bowl of stripper movies.” Tatum added, “I think you’re going to see this might have been the movie we always should have made, but we shouldn’t have gotten here without our education on the other two and the live show.” “Magic Mike 3” will launch on HBO Max for a full, private viewing experience for fans. “I just don’t want the pressure [of opening in theaters],” Tatum said. “It’s a stripper movie. I want people to see it when they want to see it. People’s screens in their homes are giant now for no money. I don’t need you to get out of your comfy house. Go have fun.” Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
