Matthew McConaughey To Play Ex-Stripper In Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Magic Mike’

Richard Linklater, William Friedkin, Lee Daniels, Jeff Nichols and now Steven Soderbergh. These are just some of the helmers Matthew McConaughey has worked with since 2009’s “Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past,” the tedious rom-com that seems to have spooked the actor into ditching the easy paychecks that required little more than taking off his shirt, and digging into some real material. That said, this next project may find a reason for the actor yet to flex those pecs.

McConaughey has now joined Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer in “Magic Mike,” Soderbergh’s account of the male stripping biz in the story about an experienced stripper (Tatum) who teaches a younger dancer (Pettyfer) how to hustle his wares on stage and off. Penned by Reid Carolin, the film is inspired by Tatum’s own experiences and thus, he’s also producing the film as well. McCounaughey will play Dallas, a former dancer himself who now owns Xquisite, the establishment where the titular Magic Mike struts his stuff.

There’s still more casting to come, including a supporting part for an actress (it was offered recently to Brit Marling, who turned it down due to a potential scheduling conflict). The low budget film — operating on a lean $6-7 million pricetag — begins shooting next month and has put together a pretty interesting cast. It’s yet another step in a new direction for Soderbergh, taking on a world that has barely been explored on the big screen and we’re keen to see what kind of aesthetic he brings to the material. No distributor is lined up yet, so we’ll have to wait to find out just when and how this will roll out. [Variety]