Warning: This article contains spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine and will remind you that X-Men: Apocalypse exists.
Deadpool & Wolverine didn’t exactly feature all of the Marvel multiversal cameos we expected to see — no Halle Berry or Tom Hiddleston or even Taylor Swift — but it definitely served up some more we absolutely did not see coming that left a lot of jaws dropped on theater floors like so many popcorn kernels.
OK, spoilers incoming in 3, 2, 1… Three of Deadpool 3‘s most epic appearances came courtesy of Wade Wilson and Logan’s allies in the Void, known as the Others. These rebels fighting Cassandra Nova’s command over the realm full of reject variants included Dafne Keen’s X-23 — as given away by the trailers — but also Wesley Snipes’ Blade. Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, and, wait, is that Channing Tatum as Gambit?
For those not well-versed in the behind-the-scenes intricacies of Fox’s X-Men universe, the guy from Magic Mike showing up as that X-Men ’97 character with the laser playing cards must’ve been the weirdest moment of the movie — which is saying something in a film that opens to an NSYNC-synced grave desecration. So why does Channing Tatum play Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine?
Oh, you are going to be so sorry you asked.
Channing Tatum has been trying to play Gambit for almost 20 years, and finally, the universe has cut him a break
Somehow, Deadpool 3 was only Gambit’s second-ever live-action appearance, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. 2002’s X2 originally featured a Remy LeBeau scene, as played by stunt performer James Bamford, but director Bryan Singer ultimately cut it as he felt the character deserved to be played by a bigger actor in a sequel — Singer’s preferred choice was Keanu Reeves.
As it happened, Singer ultimately exited the franchise and Brett Ratner helmed 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand in his stead. Josh Holloway was briefly Ratner’s top choice for Gambit but his Lost commitments prevented him from signing up. Enter a young Tatum, fresh off She’s the Man, to snap up the role. Tragically for him, however, the part was cut from the finished film before he was officially cast. This pretty much set the template for how the rest of his history with the character was going to go for the next decade.
Come 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Gambit was finally locked into the story, but in a cruel twist of fate, Tatum was busy making G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, which meant Taylor Kitsch had to step into the role. Tatum was not a fan of Kitsch’s attempt at a Cajun accent. “I’m from New Orleans, around that area. My dad’s from New Orleans, and I like to do a Cajun accent. I could do it for real,” Tatum said. Anyone who’s seen Deadpool & Wolverine may beg to differ.
Fast forward to 2014, and with the MCU in full swing, Fox was looking to expand its X-Men universe. Finally, Tatum’s luck seemed to be changing as a Gambit solo movie was commissioned, with his character intended to cameo in 2016’s X-Men: Apocalypse before spinning off into his own feature. Tatum even appeared alongside the cast at San Diego Comic-Con 2015. In an even more embarrassing echo of his Last Stand experience, though, Gambit was removed from the final film.
Even so, the Gambit movie was still going ahead… the only problem was that no one wanted to make it. Tatum personally reached out to Bennett Miller, Darren Aronofsky, Gareth Evans, and J.C. Chandor but they all turned him down. Then, in June 2015, Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) signed on to helm, only to back out again that September when he became “skittish” over Fox interfering too much with the script. Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow) replaced him in November 2015, with his vision described as a marriage of “heist movie” and “sexy thriller.” Lea Seydoux was cast as the female lead.
But, guess what, Liman also jumped ship the next July — ironically, to direct another superhero movie that never happened, DC’s Dark Universe. After an extensive search, Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) stepped in come November 2017, only to vanish again by January 2018 — with creative differences once again cited for the parting. At this point, Tatum essentially went “screw it” and decided to direct the thing himself, partnering up with frequent collaborator Reid Carolin to do so. Meanwhile, Lizzy Caplan had replaced Seydoux and Lil Rey Howery was also on board. Now Gambit was less of a sexy heist-thriller and more of a romcom that apparently “subverted” superhero tropes.
Then, of course, came the real apocalypse — no, not Oscar Isaac’s Ivan Ooze-alike but Disney’s 2019 acquisition of Fox, which officially ended all X-Men projects in the works as Marvel Studios swallowed up the rights. That really seemed to be the end of it, but somehow, someway, Tatum finally got his chance to bring his Gambit to life in Deadpool & Wolverine. Apparently, we all have Ryan Reynolds to thank (or maybe blame) for that.
After all those false starts, crushed hopes, and multiple banishments to development hell, Channing Tatum has finally made his first — and, let’s face it, probably last — stand as Gambit. Congrats, mon ami!