He was always a polymath as a director, covering such diverse subjects as sexual politics (SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE) and the simple matter of taking down a casino (OCEAN’S ELEVEN). Having surprised the film community by opting to retire from features, Steven Soderbergh will add more strings to his bow by joining the sequel to one of his own movies as a cameraman and editor.
MAGIC MIKE XXL is the follow up to the hit comedy about male strippers and it appears star Channing Tatum (soon to be seen as Gambit in X MEN: APOCALYPSE) was vital in convincing Soderbergh to return to the fold. Going to show that naked persistence can cut through even the thickest curtain of artistic resolve, Tatum bugged his former collaborator so much about taking the director’s chair that Soderbergh yielded, agreeing instead to take a new role:
“I want to be there, but I don’t want to be the director. I want to be a part of it. I want to be in the band, but I just don’t want to be the frontman this time.”
The cap-wearing lensman clearly had a blast the first time round – when Tatum was pondering directing XXL himself he offered to be Director Of Photography anyway, though this could have been a comforting word for a friend rather than a solid promise. While this probably doesn’t herald a career revival the decision to be back among the glitter and jockstraps shows Soderbergh has faith in the new line up. The director of MAGIC MIKE XXL is Part One’s 1st AD Greg Jacobs and the movie will be released July 3rd, 2015.
Source: FirstShowing
