If you’re sad you missed out on “Step Up” super stud Channing Tatum’s exotic dancing glory days, you can catch a glimpse of his former life in the upcoming flick “Magic Mike,” which follows a male stripper and his protege.
“This was a wild and pivotal time in my life and I couldn’t be more thrilled to go down the rabbit hole with Steven,” Tatum said in a statement.
Director Steven Soderbergh was eager to fulfill Tatum’s desire to bring his stripper background and stories to the big screen.
“When Channing talked to me about this, I thought it was one of the best ideas I’d ever heard for a movie,” Soderbergh said. “I said I wanted in immediately. It’s sexy, funny and shocking. We’re using Saturday Night Fever as our model, so hopefully we’re on the right track.”
In January 2010, Tatum said he’d love for his exotic dancing experiences to be depicted on film. But according to a Sydney Morning Herald interview from last year, Soderbergh might not be Tatum’s first choice for director.
“I’ve already got the director picked out. I’d like Nicolas Refn, who did the movie ‘Bronson,’ to do it because he’s insane for it,” Tatum said last year. “It needs to be a crazy film and I think it’s also possible to do a cute, romantic movie.”
When asked if he’d dress down for the potential flick, Tatum told the Sydney Morning Herald, “Oh yeah. I’m going to be getting back in my thong again.”