Gambit Actor Channing Tatum Has Had Conversations With Marvel Studios About Reviving Project

Channing Tatum still wants to play Gambit in his own movie, and he has apparently taken the opportunity to say as much to Marvel Studios. The star, who worked for years to get a Gambit movie off the ground with various different creative teams, finally got to play the role briefly in Deadpool & Wolverine. The cameo-filled movie also featured Wesley Snipes as Blade, a role to which he has long said he wanted to return. Star Ryan Reynolds has gone on record advocating for both men to get spinoff movies.

Speaking with Variety, the star said that he hopes the success of Deadpool & Wolverine, which has broken numerous box office records and will likely become the highest-grossing X-Men film, can lead to a green light for a new Gambit project.

“Of course I’ve said it. I’ve been saying I want it for the last 10 years,” Tatum said. “It’s in Bob Iger and Kevin Feige’s hands. I pray to God.”

In the movie, Tatum wore the character’s comics-accurate costume, and spoke in a thick Cajun accent in keeping with the character’s comics roots. In the years Fox was developing a Gambit movie, fans would often joke that they didn’t think Tatum could pull off the accent. Audiences have been somewhat split on whether he was going for a genuine (but thick) accent or whether he went over the top for comedy. But most fans agree they loved what Tatum brought to the film.

In Marvel Studios’ Deadpool & Wolverine, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) will change the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Wolverine (Hugh Jackman). The film also stars Matthew Macfadyen as Paradox, and Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova, with the return of Deadpool alums Morena Baccarin as Vanessa Carlysle, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, Karan Soni as Dopinder, Stefan Kapičić as Piotr Rasputin/Colossus, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Rob Delaney as Peter, and Lewis Tan as Shatterstar. Aaron Stanford is returning as Pyro from the X-Men film series, with Jennifer Garner rumored to return as Elektra Natchios. 

Kevin Feige, Ryan Reynolds, Shawn Levy and Lauren Shuler Donner produce with Louis D’Esposito, Wendy Jacobson, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, George Dewey and Simon Kinberg serving as executive producers. Deadpool & Wolverine is written by Ryan Reynolds & Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick & Zeb Wells & Shawn Levy. Deadpool & Wolverine was released exclusively in theaters on July 26th.