If Channing Tatum returns for a Gambit movie after Deadpool & Wolverine, then the project could use a key story from his canceled Gambit movie, and a 2024 Marvel Studios release shows how that would work perfectly. Tatum’s Gambit was one of the shocking multiverse characters from Deadpool & Wolverine. The actor finally got the chance to play his favorite superhero after spending many years trying to get a solo movie off the ground. Tatum was cast as Gambit in 2014, with his solo movie being developed for years before getting shelved amid the Disney/Fox merger.
Tatum’s canceled Gambit movie could come back in the MCU. The actor was one of the standouts in Deadpool & Wolverine, stealing the show with his hilarious accent and dialogue. After a decade since he was cast as Remy LeBeau, the overwhelmingly positive response to Tatum’s Gambit could lead to a new solo movie for the character in the MCU, with Tatum possibly staying on as Remy in the X-Men reboot. A Gambit solo film could bring back the core tone of his planned project, which could shape any possible appearances in future Marvel projects from Tatum’s Gambit.
Channing Tatum’s Canceled Movie Would Have Focused On Romance
A Female Lead Had Even Been Cast
While Tatum’s Gambit solo movie at Fox was not meant to be, many details from the movie have emerged over the years. The biggest of them was that, at the core of the film, Tatum’s Gambit was a romantic comedy. That reveal was made by Fox X-Men franchise producer Simon Kinberg. Speaking to IGN in 2018, Kinberg explained how the R-rated Gambit movie would have been different from many other superhero films out there, saying, “Gambit has a romantic or sex comedy vibe to it.” Heist elements from the film’s original script would have also played a role.
Simon Kinberg justified the romantic comedy tone of the Gambit movie by saying, ”
When you look at Gambit, he’s a hustler and a womanizer, and we just felt like there was an attitude, a swagger to him, that lent itself to romantic comedy
.”
Gambit is often linked romantically to Rogue, his fellow X-Men colleague. However, she would not have been the character’s romantic interest in Tatum’s solo film. Instead, the female lead of the Gambit movie was set to be Bella Donna Boudreaux, the leader of the Assassins Guild who grew up with Gambit in New Orleans and was even married to the X-Men member. The canceled Gambit movie had gone as far as to cast an actress for Bella, with James Bond franchise star Léa Seydoux set to co-lead the film alongside Tatum as Gambit. Lizzy Caplan later took over the role.
One Of X-Men ’97’s Strongest Aspects Was The Gambit & Rogue Romance
The Marvel Studios Series Handled Romance Well
X-Men ’97 shows how Tatum’s planned romantic comedy angle would have been a great choice for the Gambit movie. Remy LeBeau had a major role to play in the X-Men series, and so did Rogue, Gambit’s romantic interest in X-Men ’97 and most other adaptations, as well as Marvel Comics. Their relationship, with all its issues and high points, was the emotional throughline of season 1, and given how Marvel Studios was the one behind the project, Gambit and Rogue’s romance could be used in a possible new solo film for Tatum’s Gambit.
Rogue had doubts because of that condition [not being able to touch Gambit], ultimately leaving them behind after Gambit made her see that their connection was beyond just physical touch.
The Gambit and Rogue romance in X-Men ’97 worked because of how impactful and multi-faceted it was. Gambit could not touch Rogue due to her powers, but that never stopped the two of them from loving each other with all their hearts. Still, Rogue had doubts because of that condition, ultimately leaving them behind after Gambit made her see that their connection was beyond just physical touch. The animated series also featured many light-hearted moments between the duo, showing how they made each other happy and understood each other. Gambit and Rogue’s love was the beating heart of the show.
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10 Best X-Men ‘97 Characters Ranked
Between Deadpool & Wolverine and X-Men ’97, Marvel has shown that the mutants are in good hands, and the animated series did right by key characters.
Tatum’s Gambit Needs To Find His Rogue In The MCU
Remy LeBeau’s Full Potential Needs Rogue To Be Unleashed
If Tatum gets his chance to finally star in a Gambit movie, then Marvel Studios has the chance to use the idea to focus on romance from the canceled film and tweak it to be related to Rogue, not Bella. After all, Anna Marie and Remy LeBeau are one of the most popular superhero pairings in Marvel Comics. Since Tatum’s Gambit went completely into the comic book-accurate route for his accent, costume, powers, and more in Deadpool & Wolverine, it would only be fitting if he got the character’s best relationship as well.
The way that could be explored is through Tatum being made the MCU’s Gambit, staying around in the universe after the X-Men are rebooted, something he would love to do. Ryan Reynolds shared a deleted Gambit scene from Deadpool & Wolverine that strongly hints he will return. The character is still in the Void, with Gambit turning around and the glow of a magic portal appearing in his eyes. That portal could be Deadpool or other MCU characters recruiting Gambit to help fight Doctor Doom in one of the next Avengers movies, eventually leading to him joining the franchise full-time.
