'Magic Mike XXL' grinds out its first trailer

Posted Thursday, February 5, 2015 at 1:41 PM Central

by John Couture

Look, I get it. For all of the reasons that I think Showgirls is an underrated campy and fun little film, many of you love Magic Mike. It's OK, I've often said that sex sells and there's no better proof of that than in the form of the film opening up next week.

While Fifty Shades of Grey is naturally getting the lion's share of the publicity slanted towards risqué erotic films marketed towards women, we shouldn't sell Magic Mike XXL short. People love Channing Tatum and they really love when he takes his clothes off.

Beyond that though, Magic Mike is known commodity and a proven box office winner that is looking to rise to the occasion with its sequel. Fifty Shades of Grey was a wildly successful book, but there's no proof that its fans will venture out into public and put their money where their lustful thoughts might take them.

Personally, I think that both films will be fine, but that Magic Mike XXL will ultimately nip Fifty Shades of Grey at the box office mainly due to its timing. It is far better positioned in July to cater to women looking to escape the heat of Summer by having a different type of heat ignited in the comforts of air conditioning.

Valentine's weekend is traditionally a time for couples to go out and compromise and I think selling your boyfriend or husband on the virtues of Fifty Shades of Grey is a risky bet at best. As you can see from the trailer below, Magic Mike XXL knows what it is and has no bones about selling itself in such a fashion.

Magic Mike XXL hits theaters on July 1.