Gambit Star Reveals New Plot Details About the Canceled Marvel Movie

In a surprising revelation that sheds new light on one of Marvel’s most notorious unmade films, Lizzy Caplan has disclosed that the canceled Gambit movie was conceived as a 1930s-style screwball romantic comedy featuring the popular X-Men character. Speaking in a recent interview with Business Insider, the actress pulled back the curtain on the ambitious vision for the long-abandoned project that would have starred Channing Tatum as the charismatic card-throwing mutant from New Orleans. According to Caplan, who had been cast in an undisclosed role, production had advanced significantly with a start date established and casting completed before the project was ultimately shelved in the aftermath of Disney’s industry-changing acquisition of 20th Century Fox. Gambit’s fascinating creative direction becomes even more intriguing now that Tatum has finally brought his passion project character to life with his scene-stealing appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine last year.

During the interview, Caplan expressed surprise that the film never materialized despite its advanced development. “It was a really cool idea. It’s kind of odd that it got scrapped. Those movies don’t seem to ever get scrapped, but it did,” she said. The actress also confirmed just how close the project came to reality, stating, “We got down the road, we were gonna shoot it. I think there was a start date.” She further elaborated on her involvement, revealing, “I had had meetings with Channing, and there were a couple different… we had a director, then we didn’t, but I had multiple meetings with Channing and the other producers.”

[RELATED: Deadpool & Wolverine Director Almost Made Channing Tatum’s Gambit Movie]

The most intriguing revelation from Caplan’s interview was the film’s unexpected genre approach. “They wanted to do, like, a ’30s kind of screwball romantic comedy set in that world, which would have been really fun,” she explained. This unique vision aligns with previous comments from screenwriter Reid Carolin, who once described the project as a “mutant Goodfellas” set in New Orleans. The film would have reportedly depicted a city of mutants who “didn’t care about saving the world” but instead used their powers to “party and hook up.” This unconventional approach might explain why Caplan feels nostalgic about that era of superhero filmmaking, as she noted, “Let’s just say that was, like, so many years ago. The Gambit thing, that’s when those movies were, I guess, probably the best they were. That’s when they were dominating in every possible way.”

Gambit Is Hot After Its MCU Appearance

Tatum finally realized his dream of playing Remy LeBeau, better known as Gambit, in 2024’s blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine. After nearly a decade of trying to bring the Cajun mutant to the big screen, Tatum’s performance as the card-throwing X-Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has reignited interest in the character and possibilities for future appearances. In the film, Tatum donned Gambit’s comic-accurate costume and spoke with a thick Cajun accent, fulfilling the actor’s long-held vision for the character. His portrayal, though brief, became one of the most talked-about cameos in a film filled with surprising appearances from Marvel legacy characters.

Ryan Reynolds, who championed Tatum’s inclusion in Deadpool & Wolverine, has become a vocal advocate for more Gambit in the MCU. In a November 2024 interview, Reynolds revealed that Marvel Studios executives were thoroughly impressed with Tatum’s performance. “I honestly don’t know what goes on behind closed doors in the bookkeeping sessions at Marvel, but I do know that they’re obsessed with him in that role,” Reynolds stated. He drew parallels between Tatum’s situation and his own journey to bring Deadpool to the screen, adding, “It’s kind of like the same situation I went through. Once you show that it works well, that’s really what they need. Sometimes, they just need to see it in action.”

The success of Deadpool & Wolverine, which became the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time and one of the MCU’s biggest hits, has given Tatum renewed hope for a standalone Gambit project. In August 2024, he confirmed that he has had conversations with Marvel Studios about reviving the Gambit movie. “I’ve been saying I want it for the last 10 years,” Tatum explained. “It’s in Bob Iger and Kevin Feige’s hands. I pray to God.” This persistence speaks to Tatum’s deep connection to the character, which Reynolds highlighted in an Instagram post following the film’s release, writing, “Remy LeBeau is grafted to his soul and needs to come out and deal. And Gambit found his author in Chan.”

While Caplan’s revelation about the screwball comedy approach shows what could have been, the current landscape at Marvel Studios suggests a different path forward for Gambit. With the MCU now officially incorporating X-Men characters and Reynolds advocating for more legacy characters to return, the Ragin’ Cajun’s future seems brighter than it has in years. Whether a future Gambit project would maintain the original plot elements Caplan described or chart a new course remains to be seen, but the momentum is undeniably in Tatum’s favor.

Would you like Marvel Studios to make Gambit as a romantic comedy? Join the discussion in the comments!