On Wednesday, the teaser trailer for Magic Mike XXL, the sequel to Channing Tatum's semi-autobiographical film about his time as part of a gang of Floridian human meat hunks who are paid to take off their clothes, was released.
Make no mistake. This is not a story of wizards, sorcerers, or magicians. The "magic" here ostensibly refers to the art of erotic dancing, thrusts and gyrations that don't seem grounded in reality but are nonetheless performed by mortal men who have given themselves names like "Big Dick Richie" (Joe Manganiello):
Big Dick Richie assaults a bottle of water (Magic Mike XXL)
The first movie, directed by Steven Soderbergh in 2012, was both a hit, and a trojan horse of sorts. Encased in a promise of thumping man flesh was a story that delved into themes of addiction and desperation.
From its trailer, XXL looks to be the opposite.
That's because the trailer is brimming with smirky innuendos like this one:
This is an innuendo (Magic Mike XXL)
And it's not satisfied with subtlety. This is a woman's face being pummeled with a man's crotch:
This is a very obvious innuendo (Magic Mike XXL)
Despite the crotch barrages, there are moments where Magic Mike XXL seems to be educational. One thing that the franchise has made very clear is that abs are like snowflakes — no one set is shaped the same:
Magic Mike XXL
The more you know, you know?
Magic Mike XXL hits theaters on July 1, 2015.