Jessica Chastain lobbies Channing Tatum to let Michael Shannon strip in Magic Mike sequel

Jessica Chastain: Oscar-winning actress, celebrated Broadway performer, and visionary agent who sees Michael Shannon's potential as a stripper.

"He needs to do a Magic Mike movie," the Eyes of Tammy Faye star said in a recent social media video, which saw her speculating on the career prospects of her George & Tammy series costar while also celebrating his 49th birthday. "Mike Shannon told me that if I got him an offer for Magic Mike, one of the movies, he'd do it."

Chastain captioned the video with a public plea to Magic Mike franchise minds Channing Tatum and Steven Soderbergh, who first shepherded the sensual stripper franchise to Hollywood in 2012.

"Come on Channing Tatum, Steven Soderbergh... let's make his birthday wish come true," Chastain wrote.

In the clip, Shannon himself posits that he'd like to star in a project titled "Magic Mike vs. the Avengers" while "Pony" by Ginuwine plays in the background.

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; Everett Collection Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain; Channing Tatum in 'Magic Mike'

To date, the Magic Mike series has garnered critical acclaim and healthy grosses at the box office, pulling in just under $347 million across three low-budget titles. The most recent film, Magic Mike's Last Dance, dropped in February, and saw Tatum acting opposite series newcomer Salma Hayek.

Shannon, however, recently told Empire that he wants to avoid Hollywood franchises, and even declined a role in a Star Wars movie.

"I'm always a bit wary about those giant movies. Because they take a lot of time and I don't find them very stimulating to work on," he told the publication. "I don't ever want to get stuck in a franchise. I don't find them interesting and I don't want to perpetuate them. If I'm making something, I want there to be some kind of purpose to it — I don't want to make mindless entertainment. The world doesn't need more mindless entertainment. We're inundated with it."

Want more movie news? Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free newsletter to get the latest trailers, celebrity interviews, film reviews, and more.

Related content:

• Jessica Chastain threw up in her mouth and kissed costar during A Doll's House

• Jessica Chastain says friendship with Oscar Isaac hasn't 'been the same' since Scenes From a Marriage

• Michael Shannon says his return to General Zod 'wasn't quite satisfying' in The Flash