Having originally kicked off nearly two decades ago, the X-Men film series is getting ready to say goodbye. Next month, Dark Phoenix (which stars Sophie Turner, of Game of Thrones fame) is set to hit theaters, and next year, The New Mutants will reach the big screen, which is rumored to be the final entry in the X-Men universe before Disney and Marvel push the reset button.
While this might not come as a great shock to many, the franchise is a bit of a sore spot for MCU veteran Chris Hemsworth. Before he landed roles as a member of the Avengers, the Ghostbusters, and the Men in Black, the man behind Thor struggled to snag a handful of high-profile parts, and it seems he was dead set on playing one X-Men in particular.
As reported by ComicBook.com, Chris recently sat down with Variety for an interview, and he spilled the beans on some of the heartbreaks and near-misses of his Hollywood career. And it seems he was always keen on playing the role of Gambit, the card-throwing, kinetic energy-wielding thief.
“I got very close to GI Joe,” Hemsworth recounted. “I got very close to Gambit in the Wolverine X-Men movies. At the time I was upset. was running out of money. But if I played either of those characters, I wouldn’t have been able to play Thor.”
As some of you might remember, the Ragin’ Cajun had very little screen time throughout the series. Aside from a single appearance in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Gambit wasn’t featured in any other films. While a standalone movie was in the works, the project was ultimately canceled. Interestingly enough, it looked like Channing Tatum – who beat out Hemsworth for a spot in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra – would’ve landed the role.
For the time being, it doesn’t look like either actor will get the chance to play Remy LeBeau, but that got us thinking. If the X-Men series were to be rebooted, who would you like to see take on the role of Gambit? Do you think either Tatum or Hemsworth could be a good fit? Be sure to let us know in the comments section below!