Outraged Over The Seemingly-Censored “Magic Mike XXL” Posters? Here's The Explanation

We know you’ve been wondering what this is all about.

If you’ve passed a bus stop recently, you’ve probably spotted Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer, Adam Rodriguez and Kevin Nash in various degrees of thrust, promoting their stripper-flick Magic Mike XXL.

However, those who stop to closely examine that poster (and we suspect that is true of most passers-by) have noticed something slightly askew.

It’s the question on everyone’s lips: “Where the abs at?”

Rather than showing off the gents’ impossible six-packs, the public bus shelter posters appear to cover up their physique with photo-shopped white tees.

As you’ll see below, the official one-sheet for the feature shows them in a state of unapologetic shirtlessness, as all shirtlessness should be.

Glorious.

Given the ‘free the nipple’ campaign sweeping social media – calling out Facebook and Instagram for allowing male upper-body nudity but classifying similar pics of women as explicit – we couldn’t help but wonder if the posters for MMXXL were the first casualties of the crusade.

If so… my God, what have we all done?

We reached out to a Roadshow representative to ask why, exactly, the dudes’ bods had been sheathed on these particular posters.

Was it because of public advertising standards? After all, the shirtless posters adorn the insides of cinemas around the country.

Had certain shires requested censored imagery of Chan and company?

Or was it all part of a much larger conspiracy that, if uncovered, could expose some of the world’s most powerful industry leaders and put anyone doing the digging at real risk?

Well, it was none of those things.

Turns out the ‘Adshel’ bus shelter posters were printed on special day/night stock. That means, during the day, the fellas look like they’re clothed. At night, when the panels light up, their shirts magically disappear. We just hadn't seen the posters at night, is all.

We encourage you to turn up Ginuwine’s “Pony” to 11 in celebration. #FreetheNipple indeed.

Here's our review of Magic Mike XXL, now in cinemas.