Channing Tatum Will Play a Merman in ‘Splash’ Remake

The twist here is that the mermaid will be played by a guy – buff “Magic Mike” actor Channing Tatum. Exploring life under the sea.

The 1984 original starred Hanks as a man who as a young boy was saved from drowning by a mermaid (Hannah).

Imagine’s Ron Howard and Brian Grazer are set to produce the project alongside Tatum, Reid Carolin and Peter Kieran.

Channing Tatum and Jillian Bell have previously worked together on “22 Jump Street”… but Bell has also appeared in the likes of “Bridesmaids”, “Goosebumps” and even an episode of “Curb Your Enthusiasm”. Only in this version, we can expect a glorious gender reversal: Jillian Bell will reprise Hanks’ role, and none other than Channing Tatum will be our mer-man. She’ll be tasked with telling the classic “Splash story” – mermaid rescues human and they fall in love years later – from a female perspective. It also led to Howard and Grazer forming Imagine Entertainment production company. Tatum certainly doesn’t need a similar boost, but this would stand to be another platform for him to showcase his comedic abilities while giving Bell a bigger spotlight in a well-deserved starring spot.

The original “Splash” was one of the hit comedies of the mid 1980s and elevated the status of Hanks and Hannah.

Bell’s additional credits include Fist Fight, Office Christmas Party, Workaholics, The Night Before, Goosebumps, Eastbound & Down, and Partners.