Channing Tatum taking a break from acting - gasp! - in 2013

Tatum tells EW he needs the time to focus more intently on pursuing his directing career.

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

Channing and his production partner, Reid Carolin, are reportedly developing an Evel Knievel biopic, as well as a sequel to "Magic Mike." See, ladies? No need to fret. Channing's break from the big screen is bound to yield some fabulous fruits.

The former male stripper says he learned everything he needs to know about directing by watching Steven Soderbergh on the "Magic Mike" set. "It was like a crazy crash course Cliff Notes on directing and how to make movies," he says. "We had a Matrix-style download, like a plug in the back of the head and bloop! I know Kung Fu now."