Channing Tatum Teases 'Super Bowl of Stripping' in 'Magic Mike's Last Dance' : 'We're Going to Go Off'

Channing Tatum has some big ideas for what is likely his final bow as Magic Mike.

The actor, speaking to PEOPLE in this week's issue about his directorial debut Dog, also provided a great tease for Magic Mike's Last Dance, the third film in the franchise.

"I want it to be the Super Bowl of stripping," says Tatum, 41. "I want dancing like we've never been able to do in the other two movies, because we had to be honest to what the reality of that world is, which isn't great dancing."

The actor says that his final dance sequence with Stephen 'tWitch' Boss in Magic Mike XXL is a small indication of the caliber of dancing they're going for in the third movie — which is not the type of dancing male strippers are known for.

Watch the full episode of People Features: Channing Tatum on PeopleTV.com or on the PeopleTV app.

"There was never anything in the real world that I actually stripped in that was even nearly as good as that [last dance]," he explains of his time as a male stripper, aka the inspiration for Magic Mike itself. "We're already breaking the rules of that, the reality of that world. I want to have professional dancers [from all over], Russian ballet dancers, I want to go for it and create a completely new genre of this form."

In addition to featuring professional dancers, Tatum says it was important for Magic Mike's Last Dance to have a well-written, lead female character.

"I want to have an equal, if not even more centralized female character for Mike to really play off of and almost to," he explains. "I don't want to say, [to have her] take the baton, but really let the movie be about a female's experience and not Mike's experience, because it has been so much about Mike and the guys' experiences. These movies are very, very female-forward. At least that is our intention."

Those looking for even more insight into where the third film is headed should seek out Magic Mike Live, the stage show executive produced by Tatum currently running in Las Vegas and London, with a nation-wide tour launching soon.

"The live show is the reason for the third one," he says. "I wanted the live show to be the third movie. It has real meaning, without trying to force feed you any kind of message or anything. [Magic Mike director] Steven Soderbergh went to see it in London, then came to the opening of our live show in Berlin. He was talking to [producing partner Reid Carolin] and me after, 'We should make a third movie and base it off of the themes and what the live show does.' I think every single movie is us leading to this movie."

Tatum is currently prepping to film the sequel in London soon, and has been rehearsing with longtime friend and choreographer Alison Faulk.

"We're going to go off," he promises. "I'm so sore right now because I [have been] in Alison's garage with a Dexter-type situation that you guys will all know about eventually, when the movie's out. You'll know why it looked like Dexter in her garage."

Tatum's XXL costar Adam Rodriguez, who also served as a mentor on the HBO Max series Finding Magic Mike (also executive produced by Tatum), teased that the third film will present the opportunity to "be introduced to some new faces and fall in love with some new people," he said. "[There is] an outside chance you might see some of the old guys briefly, but I wouldn't count on it. I know that they're not going to disappoint."

Faulk, who choreographed the first two films and starred as a mentor/choreographer on Finding Magic Mike, also promised a good Last Dance.

"I can't say much other than that the script is really good," she said. "And we're so excited and pumped. It's such a gift to be involved with this franchise at all. And then second of all, to be doing another film, we never thought that was going to happen. So we're super pumped and excited and can't wait."

Tatum's new movie and directorial debut Dog opens in theaters Feb. 18.