Zoë Kravitz Just Cast Channing Tatum To Star In Her Directorial Debut, "Pussy Island," And The Premise Sounds Powerful

    "The title was kind of a joke at first."

    Zoë Kravitz is about to make her directorial debut, and the film is called Pussy Island.

    Zoe looks toward the camera in a gold shimmering dress at an event

    And yes, the provocative title does pretty much mean what you think it means.

    The film will star Channing Tatum as a billionaire tech mogul who crosses paths with a "young, clever cocktail waitress" who maneuvers her way into his inner circle — including an invite to his private island.

    Channing looks serious in a suit

    Upon her arrival, the island is filled with "beautiful people, ever-flowing champagne, and late-night dance parties," but something sinister is going on beneath the surface, and things take a terrifying turn.

    Channing looks serious in a slightly different suit

    "The title means a lot of things. ... As a woman in general, and a woman in this industry, I’ve experienced some pretty wild behavior from the opposite sex. The title was kind of a joke at first, this place where people would go, bring women, party, and hang out. The story evolved into something else, but the title wound up having multiple meanings," Zoë told Deadline.

    She added that it alludes to a "time and place we claim to not be in anymore" in terms of sexual politics, giving a heavy meaning behind a playful title.

    Zoe wears a strapless blush dress with white gloves to an event

    Zoë says that Channing was her first choice for the lead role and the person she thought of when she was writing the character.

    Meanwhile, Channing says he was "shocked" to be considered for the role, since he's not usually offered parts dealing with gender politics.

    Channing wears a pin-striped jacket and gray turtleneck to an event

    He added that his character, like himself, is "interested to see what humans are capable of, physically, mentally, spiritually, [and] energetically."

    He concluded, "I'm interested in seeing how people receive this and break it down in their own lives. And what they think the movie means and how would they have made decisions."

    Channing wears a navy striped suit to an event

    The thriller, which Zoë says she has been working on since 2017, will begin production early next year on an undisclosed tropical island.