Spoilers be damned, Channing Tatum assures us that the dog in Dog doesn’t die at the end

Shaven-headed and presumably Magic Mike sequel buff under his all-black late-night ensemble, Channing Tatum went against the usual talk show non-disclosure agreements and spoiled the ending of Dog. “It’s a good ending, so everyone knows,” Tatum reassured Jimmy Kimmel on Tuesday, “I’m just over it now. I’m just like, ‘Yeah, yeah, don’t just not see the movie because you’re afraid.’” Kimmel, noting the psychic scarring left by movies like Marley And Me (and seemingly every movie centered on a lovable, literal scenery-chewing canine costar), was effusive in thanking Tatum for the happy heads-up. (Honestly, as John Wick proved, you can kill as many humans as you want in your movie, but a dead dog is going to seriously bum everybody out.)

Regardless of his box office-minded reassurances that Dog’s dog (a Belgian Malinois who is undoubtedly a very good girl) will make it to the end of the film’s buddy road trip safe and sound, Tatum also revealed the advice he received from acclaimed directors he’s worked with. “Don’t do it,” is how Tatum recalled his Magic Mike director Steven Soderbergh’s reaction to hearing that Tatum was planning to make his own directorial debut (Dog is co-directed by Tatum and Magic Mike writer Reid Carolin) alongside a canine costar. Remembering how that dog in Hail, Caesar! just wouldn’t bark his one line on cue (for six infuriating hours), Tatum yet persisted, with Dog hitting theaters February 18.

Tatum, who’s also getting back into bachelorette party-wowing shape for the third and final Magic Mike movie (which he promises will be, “The Super Bowl of stripper movies”), also explained how bad his decision-making is by hyping Dog’s Super Bowl ad campaign. In it, Tatum is getting into a bite suit and attempting to flee from his combat-trained costar on a football field, with customers of a certain sports betting corporation wagering on how close Tatum will get to the end zone before his happily ravenous pursuer takes him down. Anything for show business, seems to be the motto, although Tatum told Kimmel that his Magic Mike dancer is going au naturale for the third film, at least when it comes to body hair. (Tatum’s waxer will not be reprising his or her heroic efforts for Magic Mike’s Last Dance.)

As for Dog, though, Tatum once more promised that his hirsute scene partner will not be Old Yeller-ed, Marley And Me-d, or otherwise All Dogs Go To Heaven-ed, even if the tale of the reluctant friendship of a soldier and his dead friend’s dog might call for some tissues before what Tatum pinkie swears will be a happy ending. If you want a really good, dog-related cry, though, you should just check out the real-life inspiration for Dog’s Lulu. (It was Tatum’s own dog, Lulu, and if you’ll excuse us, it’s getting a little dusty in here.) Damn you, Channing Tatum.