It turns out that Channing Tatum wasn’t always entirely on board for a third Magic Mike movie.
The actor, who stars as Michael Lane in the film franchise, revealed on The Kelly Clarkson Show this week that he considered not returning for the upcoming final instalment due to the intense workout and diet regimen required for the role.
“That might be the reason why I didn’t want to do a third one ’cause I have to look like that,” Channing told Kelly while looking at a photo of himself from one of the previous Magic Mike films.
He said that getting in shape for the previous movies was “not natural”, claiming: “I don’t think when you’re that lean, it’s actually healthy.”
Channing later said that he didn’t know how “people who work a 9-to-5 actually stay in shape”.
“Because it’s my full-time job and I can barely do it,” he said.
Channing starred in the first 2012 Magic Mike movie and its 2015 sequel, Magic Mike XXL.
The actor announced in November that the third film in the franchise, Magic Mike’s Last Dance, was officially underway.
“Well world, looks like Mike Lane’s tapping back in,” he tweeted at the time.
The movie, directed by Steven Soderbergh, will stream exclusively on HBO Max in the US. The release date has yet to be announced.
Channing hasn’t divulged too much on the plot of the upcoming movie, but he has shared some details about his grooming plans.
The actor revealed on Jimmy Kimmel Live! earlier this month that, unlike for previous films, he does not plan to wax his body for the upcoming one.
“We are going to change with the times and I’m not going to do the whole waxing thing,” he told Kimmel. “I’m just going to go natural.”
“A little bit of hair is fine,” he added.
Channing later told the host that his hope is that Magic Mike’s Last Dance”would be the “Super Bowl of stripper movies.”