A Magic Mike dance competition show is coming to HBO Max. The original film, which starred Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Alex Pettyfer, Matt Bomer, and Joe Manganiello, was a major hit when it released in 2012, spawning a sequel, Magic Mike XXL, in 2015. The first movie was directed by Steven Soderbergh, and the sequel was directed by Gregory Jacobs.
Loosely based on Tatum’s own experiences working as a stripper, Magic Mike follows the saga of Mike, a dancer at a Florida strip club called Xquisite. The film details the lush and often dangerous lifestyle of its core characters, who include club owner Dallas (McConaughey), new dancer Adam (Pettyfer), and seasoned strippers Ken (Bomer) and Big Dick Richie (Manganiello). Magic Mike XXL takes place three years later, following some of the original characters on a celebratory farewell tour. Rumors of a third film in the series have yet to materialize.
Warner Bros. has now announced that it is developing an unscripted dance competition show using the Magic Mike brand, with the working title The Real Magic Mike. Tatum reunites with Soderbergh, who, after publicly retiring from and then returning to filmmaking, has worked steadily in television. The two will serve as executive producers along with original screenwriter Reid Carolin. The series will air on HBO Max. Per the official description, the new show will feature 10 contestants who have “lost their magic,” and who "will bare their souls and more as they evolve their bodies, learn to perform spectacular routines, and develop a new level of self-confidence. As they strip off their clothes, they will rid themselves of emotional baggage and regain their mojo, but only one will be the Real Magic Mike." The winner will receive a cash prize and have a chance to perform at the Las Vegas Magic Mike Live show.
The Magic Mike name certainly still carries weight, but it will be interesting to see how the tone of the movies translates into reality TV. The official description promises that the show will be about more than sexy dancing. Hopefully, that promise can yield a show that’s affecting as well as sexy.
Magic Mike was largely about the complexities and difficulties faced by male sex workers – an aspect that likely won’t be present in the new show. In an era when the conversation around both male objectification and masculinity in general has become more nuanced, Warner Bros. has a responsibility to deliver on its pitch of an emotionally and socially cognizant series. The new Magic Mike dance competition show has no official release date as of now, but it will reportedly be coming soon to HBO Max.
Source: Warner Bros.