10 Movie Characters Cut From Sequels (In The Worst Way)

3. The Kid - Magic Mike XXL

Alex Pettyfer's Adam (otherwise known as The Kid) was the audience surrogate in Magic Mike as we were led into the glamorous, intoxicating world of male stripping. As he fell to pieces, we were pushed towards Channing Tatum's Mike as the real hero, though, so it wasn't TOO much of a surprise when The Kid didn't return for the sequel. He was still written out pretty badly though.

Why He Was Written Out

Initially, there was no confirmation of why Pettyfer wasn't invited back aside for rumours that he was "difficult" to work with. He's denied those since then, but he did eventually tell Bret Easton Ellis’ B.E.E. Podcast why he didn't come back:

Channing Tatum does not like me, and for many reasons — many being my own fault.

He said that Tatum never wanted him cast in the role to begin with, as Pettyfer apparently had a reputation. He over-compensated by keeping to himself on set, which backfired by making him seem aloof. He then stayed in a friend of Tatum's apartment but moved out early and refused to pay the full month's rent at a difficult personal time for him, which Tatum tried to resolve through email, but ended up inciting Pettyfer and leading him to respond negatively. They just weren't destined to be friends.

How He Was Written Out

The idea of McConaughey's character taking off and abandoning all of his strippers made a lot of sense: he was using them to advance his own interests after all and his treatment of Mike proved he would cast anyone off. But the script also covered Pettyfer's absence by saying Dallas had taken him along for his new venture.

It's so cynically written in despite the lack of character logic that it's obvious that it was no more than a convenient excuse.