We were recently given the thrilling news that Magic Mike is dusting off his jockstrap for one last ride on the pony. Magic Mike’s Last Dance will be coming to HBO Max, with Steven Soderbergh and Channing Tatum returning. And casting news is gradually in, with Westworld’s Thandiwe Newton being the latest addition, according to Deadline.
British actress Newton had early roles in Interview with the Vampire, Mission Impossible II and The Chronicles of Riddick, as well as a recurring role on the long-running medical drama ER. In 2004, she starred in Best Picture Winner Crash. More recently she played Val in Solo: A Star Wars Story, Mona in Big Mouth and Maeve in Westworld.
In case you need reminding, the Magic Mike phenomenon began in 2012, with a film about male strippers that had an indie aesthetic, thanks to director Steven Soderbergh. The first film starred Matthew McConaughey and Alex Pettyfer, alongside Tatum as the titular Magic Mike.
The 2015 sequel – Magic Mike XXL – was directed by Gregory Jacobs (although many people suspect that Soderbergh had a heavy hand in it). The crew, including Joe Manganiello and Matt Bomer, returned alongside some new faces including Jada Pinkett-Smith, Donald Glover and Elizabeth Banks.
The Magic Mike films have since spawned a successful Vegas live show, which has gone on to tour the world. A reality competition series will also be coming to HBO Max, to find new dancers for the show.
Steven Soderbergh has a strong relationship with HBO and the streaming service HBO Max. His last two films – Let Them All Talk, starring Meryl Streep, Dianne Wiest and Candice Bergen and No Sudden Move, starring Don Cheadle, Benicio del Toro and David Harbour – were both made for HBO Max. Before that, he made the HBO show The Knick about an early 20th century hospital in New York and HBO originals Mosaic and Behind the Candelabra.
We are looking forward to seeing the cast of Magic Mike’s Last Dance round out. In the meantime, check out our guide the best drama movies, which contains a film from a familiar director…