Warning: This post contains spoilers for Magic Mike’s Last DanceMagic Mike’s Last Dance, following in the footsteps of its predecessors, includes quite a bit of dancing. Channing Tatum’s Mike Lane takes center stage for his final bow, and he doesn’t miss a step — even while sliding along a water-soaked stage during the film’s final dance. But does Tatum actually perform all the dances himself?
Steven Soderbergh returns to direct the final installment of the Magic Mike trilogy, working from a screenplay by Reid Carolin. Unlike the original film and Magic Mike XXL, Magic Mike’s Last Dance noticeably has less dance sequences, and even less performances featuring Mike, with a new group of dancers taking the spotlight. Tatum isn’t a stranger to dance movies, with Step Up having a profound impact on his career. But after three films, it would be understandable if the actor decided to step down from doing the strenuous dances. The intricate choreography alone requires a lot of rehearsal. Luckily, Tatum is still up to the task.
Channing Tatum Does All His Own Dancing In Magic Mike
Channing Tatum does indeed do all his own dancing in Magic Mike’s Last Dance, just as he did in the previous two films. Tatum doesn’t have any professional training as a dancer, but audiences are well aware of the talent the actor has when busting a move on the dance floor. It was a talent that was apparent all the way back in Step Up; he showed off his dance moves once more in Hail, Caesar!, in which he had a show-stopping tap number.
Magic Mike’s Last Dance builds upon Tatum’s dancing abilities, providing him with some intense choreography — and he rises to the task. Tatum, along with the other dancers in the film, spent many days rehearsing the dances, with the actor ultimately performing three dances overall, only two of which end up being crucial to the film's story: The lap dance he gave Maxandra and the final staged rain dance. Even after three films, Tatum gives the dancing in Magic Mike's Last Dance his all and does not disappoint in that regard.
Why Channing Tatum's Character Barely Dances In Magic Mike 3
Channing Tatum has long been one of the main highlights of the Magic Mike franchise, and he’s done a good amount of dancing throughout the films. However, Magic Mike’s Last Dance doesn’t have as many Tatum-centered dance sequences as the two previous films. Mike Lane has been upgraded from a performer to a stage director; he’s coaching a new batch of dancers in the film, passing along his expertise in stripping and collaborating on choreography instead. Magic Mike’s Last Dance shows Mike’s growth as a person, and the film showcasing his strengths in other areas means he’s less focused on doing the dances himself.
The only time Tatum dances for an entire sequence is at the beginning and end of Magic Mike’s Last Dance. Both times he’s doing it for Maxandra. This also shows the development in his love life. Since Mike had moved on from stripping, the fact that he only danced for Maxandra — giving her a lap dance and, through dance, expressing their story on stage — conveyed how he’d moved on from his past. The direction Mike’s story took in Magic Mike’s Last Dance was ultimately not one where it centered the character as a dancer. Shifting the focus to other aspects of Mike’s life and skills meant Tatum’s dancing took a back seat.