What to expect from ‘Magic Mike’ sequel

Story highlights

Channing Tatum's "Magic Mike" sequel is officially under way

The movie, "Magic Mike XXL," will arrive in July 2015

Tatum expects most of the cast to return

CNN  — 

Channing Tatum’s “Magic Mike” is back in action.

On July 3, 2015, Tatum’s stripper with a heart of gold will be back in theaters with a new story after winning over audiences in 2012’s “Magic Mike.”

And instead of simply calling the sequel “Magic Mike 2,” Tatum and his team have conjured up a more memorable title: “Magic Mike XXL.”

Because of course.

In the first “Magic Mike,” 33-year-old Tatum starred as the titular Mike, a construction worker and aspiring furniture designer by day and magical male stripper by night. Directed by Steven Soderbergh and including stars like Matthew McConaughey, Joe Manganiello and Alex Pettyfer, “Magic Mike’s” summer 2012 debut was hot enough to earn $113 million domestically.

According to Tatum, “Magic Mike XXL” will shift the action from Florida nightclubs to the road.

“This one will be a road trip movie,” he told MTV on Sunday, when he was honored with the network’s Trailblazer Award at the 2014 MTV Movie Awards. “We don’t want to make it a serious, slice-of-life movie. We want reality in it, but we don’t want to make it some dark drama. There was some darkness in the last one, and I think it surprised people and shocked people. This one, we want there to be a lot of conflict and struggle, but we also want a s***-ton of fun. Just ridiculous stuff that you would never see in a movie.”

Tatum is again writing and producing “XXL” with Reid Carolin, with Gregory Jacobs directing. As far as the cast, “I think everyone’s going to be back,” Tatum said, although he cautioned that deals aren’t set in stone.

“Magic Mike XXL” will follow a very busy few years for Tatum. On the heels of success with 2012’s “21 Jump Street” and “Magic Mike,” the actor has starred in no less than eight films, with three of them still to come this year. His “21 Jump Street” sequel with Jonah Hill, “22 Jump Street,” arrives June 13, and his sci-fi film with Mila Kunis, “Jupiter Ascending,” bows on July 18.