Channing Tatum is back! Sure, you may not have realized he was really ever gone, but it has actually been years since Tatum has shown up in a major film project. Now, he’s on the verge of releasing, “Dog,” a film that he co-wrote, co-directed, and stars in. But before we get to that release, Tatum wants to explain why he had to take a step back from the film industry years ago, and what it has to do with “Jupiter Ascending.”
Speaking to Variety, Channing Tatum talked about his hiatus from the film industry and how it was a result of pushing himself too hard. And ultimately, the straw that broke the camel’s back, so to speak, was his time working on The Wachowski’s “Jupiter Ascending.”
“I felt like I was the fat kid at the buffet, just working and working and working,” he explained. “I took four movies back to back without any time off. I wasn’t as good as I wanted to be in those last two movies because I didn’t have the energy.”
What are those “last two movies” that he didn’t feel great about? One is the successful comedy sequel, “22 Jump Street,” which saw him reunite with Jonah Hill and filmmakers Phil Lord and Chris Miller. The other film is The Wachowski’s oft-maligned sci-fi epic, “Jupiter Ascending.” And though he doesn’t say anything specific, Tatum minces no words when talking about that film.
“‘Jupiter Ascending’ was a nightmare from the jump,” Tatum said. “It was a sideways movie. All of us were there for seven months, busting our hump. It was just tough.”
You probably remember “Jupiter’s Ascending” as a massive bomb when it was released in 2015. The film was expected to be the beginning of a huge sci-fi franchise with The Wachowskis creating their own version of “Star Wars.” Instead, the film, where Tatum co-starred with Mila Kunis, was killed by critics and ended up only earning well under $200 million worldwide.
Clearly, even before the film bombed, Tatum was already experiencing the woes of making “Jupiter Ascending.” Perhaps, with that knowledge, it’s a bit obvious now why the film didn’t do as well as it could have. That and the fact that the film is just not good.
Tatum’s new film, “Dog,” opens in theaters on February 18.