Magic Mike XXL Release Date Confirmed – And It’s A Lot Sooner Than You Might Think!

Magic Mike XXL is going to be released in theaters on July 1, 2015, according to a recent post on the official Facebook page of leading actor and producer Channing Tatum.

Magic Mike XXL, the highly-anticipated sequel to the 2012 hit film, has been shooting for the past couple of months now. Unlike during the production stage of the first film, there has been a lot of press and media circulating online and through other outlets about the shooting of this sequel.

Pictures of Joe Manganiello working out and Channing Tatum dressed in one of his costumes for the film have been circulating online for several weeks, along with a lot of information about the cast — who is in and who is out.

From the original cast, it has been confirmed that Alex Pettyfer and Matthew McConaughey (two actors that starred in major roles in the first movie) will not be reprising their roles in Magic Mike XXL. Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer, Adam Rodriguez, Kevin Nash and Joe Manganiello are all returning for Magic Mike XXL, in addition to comedian Gabriel Iglesias.

However, one of the more impressive highlights of Magic Mike XXL is the extensive list of new actors and actresses that have joined the cast – including Jada Pinkett Smith, Elizabeth Banks, Donald Glover (aka rapper Childish Gambino), Andie MacDowell, Amber Heard and Michael Strahan.

As of right now, there has not been any information leaked about the characters that will be played by these new additions. However, Warner Brothers did release an official synopsis for Magic Mike XXL in order to peak the curiosity and interest of the franchise’s loyal fans and critics.

“Picking up the story three years after Mike bowed out of the stripper life at the top of his game, the film finds the remaining Kings of Tampa likewise ready to throw in the towel. But they want to do it their way: burning down the house in one last blowout performance in Myrtle Beach, and with legendary headliner Magic Mike sharing the spotlight with them. On the road to their final show…Mike and the guys learn some new moves and shake off the past in surprising ways.

The prequel to Magic Mike XXL, Magic Mike, was made on a budget of $7 million but became one of the biggest hits of the summer in 2012 – generating over $167 million at the box office alone. Without a doubt, the studio expects a similar turnout for the sequel, which is probably one of the main reasons why they are releasing the film around the same time that its predecessor was released in theaters three years prior.

What do you think? Will Magic Mike XXL be as successful as the first movie?