Pregnant Jenna Dewan Seeking Millions From Ex Channing Tatum’s Magic Mike Income

2024-12-24 09:40:44 source: category:Finance

Jenna Dewan and Channing Tatum's divorce continues to unfold. 

Nearly six years after the Step Up alums—who share 10-year-old daughter Everly—confirmed their breakup, they are still working through their divorce proceedings, as Jenna seeks a share of Channing's earnings from the Magic Mike franchise. 

In documents obtained by NBC News, Jenna's lawyers argue that "intellectual property" from Channing's Magic Mike appearances has grown into a "multi-million cultural phenomenon," and, because the original film and its first sequel came out during their marriage, it should be considered "community in character."

"During the parties' marriage, Channing, an actor and producer got his big break with the motion picture Magic Mike," the documents, filed April 10, read. "which along with the underlying intellectual property, was developed and co-financed by Channing during marriage with community effort and marital funds."

The Magic Mike franchise, which released its first film in 2012, second in 2015, and third in 2023, was created by Steven Soderbergh—who directed the first and last installments—and is loosely based on Channing's experiences as a male stripper in Tampa in his late teens.

The initial film earned about $167.2 million globally, and its most recent and final installment garnered $57.1 million, per The Hollywood Reporter. It has also inspired a 2021 spin-off reality series. 

Jenna's legal team alleges in the docs that Channing and his financial team "created a complex web of LLCs, holding companies and partnerships" to "dilute" the earnings and offspring profit Magic Mike has accumulated. 

The 43-year-old—who was declared legally single in 2019—also contends that her ex-husband "failed to disclose" business opportunities provided by Magic Mike following their 2018 split. In addition to the couple's hearing that took place April 12, Jenna's team requested a subsequent trial to determine how the couple will split assets going forward. 

Meanwhile, Channing's lawyers responded to Jenna's filings, stating in another April 10 filing obtained by NBC News that The Rookie star has "been involved in all aspects of community investments, opportunities and transactions" concerning the Magic Mike franchise. The 21 Jump Street actor's team adds that Jenna's claims are a "last ditch effort" to further delay the duo's divorce, which has been ongoing since they announced their breakup in 2018. 

Amid the new filings, the former couple also submitted a list of preliminary witnesses which includes Magic Mike director Steven as well as Greg Jacobs, the franchise's producers Nick Wechsler and Peter Kiernan and screenwriter Reid Carolin—all of whom are Channing's business partners, according to the actor's filing, obtained by E! News.

Channing—who is currently linked to Zoe Kravitz—also included his ex-wife's current fiancé Steven Kazee, who shares son Callum, 4, as well as another baby on the way, to testify regarding Jenna and his "cohabitation, joint expenses and all related matters."

E! News has reached out to lawyers for Channing and Jenna but has not heard back. 

Read on to fully untangle Channing and Jenna's years-long divorce drama.  

 

While the two were declared legally separated in 2019 after eight years of marriage, the Step Up costars remain in dispute over financial matters.

In April 2024, Jenna filed documents, obtained by E! News, requesting that she and Tatum "testify regarding all issues related to the parties’ marriage including business and financial activities."

She also submitted a preliminary exhibit list that requests personal and corporate tax returns and other financial documents, including those regarding profits from the Magic Mike franchise.

The Rookie actress alleges in the case that they acquired the Magic Mike intellectual property together. She accuses Tatum of putting its earnings into "an irrevocable trust" and transferred licensing rights to a third party without telling her, People reported, citing court documents.

Tatum disputed her claim in his own filing, obtained by E! News.

"The Magic Mike intellectual property was created during marriage and various entities that relate to the intellectual property were created during marriage and after separation," the documents state. "[Tatum] has expended extensive efforts since separation towards the enhancement of the Magic Mike intellectual property and related entities, which [he] contends give rise to his separate property interest therein."

The court, his attorney notes in the filing, "will need to allocate the community interest and [Tatum's] separate property interest in the intellectual property and related entities in consideration of [his] post-separation efforts."

Dewan included in her preliminary witness list several people who worked on the Magic Mike trilogy with Tatum, including director Steven Soderbergh and producers Nick Wechsler and Peter Kiernan.

In his own preliminary witness list, filed in court one day after Dewan submitted her documents and also obtained by E! News, Tatum included his ex-wife's fiancé Steve Kazee, with whom she is expecting her third child.

(NBC News and E! News are both part of the NBCUniversal family)

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