For privacy and security reasons, people involved in filming a major motion picture must sign non-disclosure agreements. So while we know many scenes for the newly released “Magic Mike XXL” were filmed in Savannah, we weren’t sure just how much of Savannah would actually appear on the big screen.
Until now.
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Savannah audiences finally got their chance to see more than just the trailers on Tuesday night when the film opened in select theaters across the city.
“Magic Mike XXL,” starring Channing Tatum, filmed in Savannah and surrounding areas in September and October, and local filming locations included Tybee Island, downtown Savannah, Savannah Civic Center and the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center.
My colleague Jennifer Menster and I attended the 7 p.m. showing at Regal Cinemas, and we were blown away by how much of the film contained scenes shot in Savannah.
If you’ve seen the first “Magic Mike” movie, you know Mike leaves the male stripping world and his buddies known as the Kings of Tampa to focus on his handmade furniture business. In “Magic Mike XXL,” he decides to rejoin his
buddies for one last hurrah as they take a road trip from Florida to Myrtle Beach for the annual stripper convention.
Stops scripted into the movie include Jacksonville, Savannah and Charleston.
While the film is scripted to open in Tampa, the opening shot features Mike (Tatum) sitting on one of the wooden swings on Tybee Island beach. He’s wearing his Mike Lane Custom Designs T-shirt, which was made by local T-shirt company 13 Bricks Clothing.
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Mike’s home where he makes his furniture is a beach rental on the corner of Solomon and 2nd avenues on Tybee Island, and there are several scenes featuring the home. The most popular scene shot at the home is Tatum’s dance scene where he is wearing the welding helmet that has been featured in the trailers.
Then we see Mike trying to peddle his furniture around town. These scenes feature the location at 10 Whitaker St. and show him walking down Whitaker Street near the Whitaker Street Parking Garage.
Hooking up with the old gang
Mike is later reunited with the rest of the gang at a hotel. This was filmed at the Dunes Inn and Suites on Tybee. According to owner Sanjay Patel, film crews spent about five days at the location. The movie spotlights the hotel in a pool scene and later shows the guys hanging out in the rooms.
Patel says he hasn’t received any requests – yet- from guests wanting the rooms where Tatum and his buddies lounged on the beds.
The next stop on the road trip is scripted to take place in Jacksonville, but the drag club known as Mad Mary’s was actually filmed at the Gentlemen’s Club on Montgomery Crossroad. After some dancing, the guys get back in their van and head to a party.
The following morning, Joe Manganiello’s character, Richie, needs to make a pit stop, so the guys roll into a small town and stop at a gas station. This scene has been promoted in the trailers as the scene where Richie practices his moves in the store to impress a sour-looking cashier.
The scene was filmed at the Friendly Express #74 in Darien, which is near the bridge coming into town. There is a nice shot of the guys driving into Darien over the bridge as well.
Without giving away too much information, someone from the group gets injured and has to go to the hospital. The hospital scene was filmed at Savannah Technical College.
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The next stop on the road trip is Savannah, which is scripted into the movie. Mike meets up with former flame Rome (Jada Pinkett Smith), who owns a strip club in Savannah. The location shows the façade of Elizabeth on 37th, but the interior was shot in several private residences adjacent to the restaurant as well as a private residence near Forsyth Park.
The guys wrap up their stay with Rome in the evening to make their way to Charleston. The trip was actually filmed in southside Savannah on Abercorn Street. You can see the signs for David’s Bridal, Habersham Beverage Warehouse and Ashley Furniture as the guys continue to travel southwest toward I-95.
The house where the guys arrive – that is supposed to be in Charleston – is the private home of Craig Barrow at Wormsloe Plantation. The film shows scenes filmed in a living room area, a kitchen and a wine cellar. The iconic image of the tree-lined road that leads to the Wormsloe Historic Site is also featured in the film. Unfortunately, the shot of the gate didn’t make the cut.
The guys finally arrive in Myrtle Beach for their big stripper convention. While filming did take place in Myrtle Beach, many of the shots that were supposed to be the Myrtle Beach Convention Center were actually the Savannah International Trade and Convention Center – the carpet and escalators give it away.
Savannah shows up
About 70 percent of the scenes we see in “Magic Mike XXL” were shot on location in Savannah.
Harley Roush, who was in the audience, said she was an extra for the Mad Mary’s and convention center scenes.
“I saw myself like 40 times,” she said. “I was just surprised that we spent so much time filming those shots and it only made up like five minutes of the film.” She said she spent two days filming the Mad Mary’s scene and five days filming the convention scene.
One thing is for sure, Savannah was ready for its close-up and, with hope, the success of “Magic Mike XXL” will lead other big projects to our picturesque corner of the world.
Source: https://t-tees.com
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