Channing Tatum Eyes An Acting Break

The Sexiest Man Alive is looking to take an acting break. 21 Jump Street and Magic Mike star Channing Tatum is planning to put the acting gigs on hold next year in favor of working on his directing chops with production partner, Reid Carolin.

"[Reid and I] have about three to four ideas that we love that are all in the hopper. By the end of next year, we’re going to shut things down and write the first thing that we’re going to direct," Tatum told EW. “We’re going to be like, alright, no more acting parts for a minute, let’s take a few and really get caring about that section of our career."

Tatum and Carolin are in the midst of developing a Magic Mike sequel - and with a nearly $166 million worldwide gross from the first installment and a production budget only a fraction of that - then why not? They're also developing a pic on 1970s daredevil, Evel Knievel.

Still, Tatum won't be absent from the big screen in 2013. He's set for Steven Soderbergh's Side Effects in addition to action pic White House Down along with Jamie Foxx and Maggie Gyllenhaal as well as drama Foxcatcher from Bennett Miller.

“I love the steps that I’ve taken acting-wise. That has been a wild sort of exploration," Tatum said. "But I don't want to just keep putting [directing] off for these fun and incredible opportunities."

Tatum gave a shout-out to Soderbergh for showing him and Carolin the filmmaking craft.

"I don’t think Reid and I would have the balls to try to make a movie without learning what we did from Soderbergh and [assistant director] Greg Jacobs," Tatum said about the Magic Mike director. "It was like a crazy crash course Cliff Notes on directing and how to make movies, literally get them done. We had a Matrix-style download, like a plug in the back of the head and bloop! I know Kung Fu now."

People magazine named Tatum its 2012 Sexiest Man Alive last month.

[Source: EW Inside Movies]