Channing Tatum is turning his children’s book “The One and Only Sparkella” into a feature film.
Tatum will star in the live-action movie, which is set at MGM and does not have a title yet. Per the official logline, the story will “take on the magic of Sparkella that sees a father and his daughter fall headlong into the infinitely surprising world of her imagination.” There’s no word on who will play Tatum’s character’s daughter, a little girl who loves all things glitter.
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Tatum’s book “The One and Only Sparkella,” a charming ode to self-esteem and father-daughter love, was released in May 2021 and debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times best-seller list. It was the first of a three-book deal with Feiwel and Friends. A sequel, “The One and Only Sparkella Makes a Plan,” is publishing on May 31, 2022.
Pamela Ribon, a story writer on “Moana” and “Ralph Breaks the Internet” is adapting the book for the screen. A director has not been attached.
In addition to starring in the film, Tatum will serve as a producer through his company Free Association. “Sparkella” is a part of Free Association’s first-look deal with MGM, which was announced last year.
Michael Parets will oversee the project at Free Association. Parets, Tatum, Peter Kiernan, Reid Carolin and Cody Carolin will also serve as producers.
Tatum most recently starred in the buddy road-trip comedy “Dog,” opposite a canine named Lucy, and the romantic comedy “The Lost City,” opposite Sandra Bullock. Those films were both commercial winners, with “Dog” generating $70 million at the global box office and “The Lost City” earning $165 million worldwide.
He will appear next in Zoe Kravitz’s directorial debut “Pussy Island” and “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” which is being released later this year.
Little is known about “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” the third and final movie inspired by Tatum’s days as a male stripper, other than Salma Hayek joining the cast as the new lead.
“It’s going to have a really strong — almost stronger than Mike — character that’s female,” Tatum previously told Variety. He added, “We’ve never done a traditional love story, and this isn’t a traditional love story.”
He also hinted that “Magic Mike’s Last Dance,” fittingly, has “the sickest dancing that we can possible create.”
“I want this movie to be filled with joy and fun. Everybody is like, ‘Less character, more dancing.’ So I’ve listened,” he said.
Tatum and Free Association are repped by CAA, Relevant and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller. Ribon is represented by CAA, Atlas Literary Management, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher, LLP.
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