Home Entertainment STEP UP franchise to become streaming TV series on Youtube Red

STEP UP franchise to become streaming TV series on Youtube Red

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Confession time: I’ve actually enjoyed some of the Step Up movies. Not as actual movies, per se – because really, who gives a flying fudge about the love lives of inner-city high school kids who just want to yadda yadda fit in yadda yadda wrong side of the tracks yadda yadda? But as full feature film length music videos, they were outstanding. I mean, how can you not be impressed by this dude?

It’s also the franchise that gave the world Channing Tatum, and without which we would probably never have had the brilliance of 21 Jump Street. Oh and probably even more those Magic Mike movies that I’m apparently not allowed to admit in public that I actually enjoyed for some reason. Tatum hasn’t starred in any of the franchise’s five entries after the 2006 original – on which he met his now wife Jenna Dewan-Tatum – and it’s 2008 follow-up, but he’s using his current star power to help keep the franchise alive. On the internet.

step_up_020_Jenna_Channing

Ever since the franchise peak of Step Up 3D, which brought in $159 million globally and had the most favourable reviews out of the bunch, the subsequent films has seen their reception increasingly soured, leaving many to assume that 2014’s Step Up: All In would be the last entry. But at the annual VidCon conference in California (via Variety), Youtube announced that the franchise would return as a “TV series” on Youtube Red, the video streaming giant’s ad-free paid-for streaming service. This is the first high profile series announced for the service since it was launched in the US last year.

As for Tatum’s involvement, he will be acting as executive producer alongside his wife (who has since graduated from dancing to fighting supervillains as Lucy Lane on Supergirl), with original executive producers Adam Shankman, Jennifer Gibgot and Meredith Milton all onboard as well. There’s no word yet on whether this new series will introduce new characters or bring back any fan favourites from the movies, but Lionsgate – who produced the film series – had this to say about the development:

“After five exciting and successful movies, we’re proud to partner with YouTube Red, a major new force on the programming landscape, to adapt the films into an adrenaline-filled original drama series driven by its non-stop energy, spectacular dancing and A-list creative talent.”

Youtube Red is currently only available in the United States, Australia and New Zealand, but more international markets have been targeted for launch later this year. Whether South Africa is one of them, we don’t know. And if not, we can always just rewatch this scene again.

Last Updated: June 28, 2016

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