Channing Tatum Reveals Why He Almost Didn't Do Third 'Magic Mike' Movie

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” on Thursday that he considered not returning to the film’s upcoming final installment 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 Clarkson while looking at a photo of himself from one of the “Magic Mike” films.

He said that getting in shape for the previous movies was “not natural” and that “you have to starve yourself.”

“I don’t think when you’re that lean, it’s actually healthy,” he said.

Tatum 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.

Tatum 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 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. The release date has yet to be announced.

Tatum 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.

Tatum later told Kimmel that his hope is that “Magic Mike’s Last Dance” would be the “Super Bowl of stripper movies.”