Channing Tatum says 'the stripperverse will never be the same' after new Magic Mike

You've heard of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the DC Extended Universe, and the MonsterVerse. Now, make way for the Stripperverse.

A third Magic Mike film called Magic Mike's Last Dance is in the works, with Tatum reprising his role of dancer Mike Lane and Steven Soderbergh back as director, Deadline reports. The sequel, which Deadline described as the series' final installment, is set to debut as an HBO Max exclusive.

"There are no words for how excited I am to blow the doors off of the world of Magic Mike with Steven, [producer] Greg [Jacobs], [screenwriter] Reid [Carolin], and the amazing people at HBO Max," Tatum said. "The stripperverse will never be the same."

Tatum first played Mike Lane in 2012's Magic Mike, drawing on his own background as a male stripper. It was a hit at the box office, grossing nearly $170 million, and the follow-up Magic Mike XXL was released in 2015. The movies also spawned a show in Las Vegas, as well as the competition series Finding Magic Mike that premieres next month; the winner will receive a cash prize and a chance to perform in the stage show.

"As soon as I saw what Channing, Reid, and the Magic Mike choreographic team did with the live show, I said we have to make another movie," Soderbergh said. "Mike Lane's dream of connecting people through dance must be realized!"

The decision to debut Magic Mike's Last Dance exclusively on HBO Max also comes after a year in which Warner Bros. released its major films like Godzilla vs. Kong in theaters and on the streaming service on the same day due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The company has said this practice of simultaneous streaming releases for all of its movies will end after December 2021, but 10 films are expected debut exclusively on HBO Max in 2022. No release date for the epic "stripperverse" trilogy-capper has been confirmed.

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