Deadpool & Wolverine Director Almost Made Channing Tatum's Gambit Movie

As a fan who’s been waiting for this moment for what feels like an eternity, I can’t help but feel like Channing Tatum’s journey to play Gambit is nothing short of a modern-day epic. The man had the passion, the talent, and the determination to bring Remy LeBeau to life on the big screen, and it’s been a rollercoaster ride seeing him come so close… only to have the rug pulled out time and time again.

In the movie “Deadpool & Wolverine,” Gambit says something like, “You know how patient I’ve been for this?” This line is a wink to Channing Tatum’s decade-long pursuit of portraying the character Gambit on the big screen. Tatum, who had a brief appearance in the 2021 movie “Free Guy,” alongside Ryan Reynolds and director Shawn Levy, has been working diligently on a “Gambit” film with his producing partner Reid Carolin and “X-Men” franchise producer Simon Kinberg. The project had reached such a stage that Fox officially unveiled it at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con panel, with a title treatment.

The studio initially unveiled the first rated-R footage of Deadpool, along with other projects like Fantastic Four (2016), X-Men: Apocalypse (2016), and Logan (2017). However, following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox’s media properties, Gambit seemed unlikely. As the screenwriter for the film, Simon Kinberg, expressed at the time, “All the movies at Fox are being evaluated. I adore the idea of Channing playing Gambit. I believe we have a fantastic script and I think it’s a role he was destined for. It’s a character I’ve always cherished, and I know the fans do too. So I anticipate, I hope it will materialize.”

Deadpool & Wolverine Director Almost Made Channing Tatum's Gambit Movie

Approximately a decade had passed when Reynolds, Levy, Tatum, and Kinberg collaborated to introduce the Ragin’ Cajun in Marvel Studios’ movie titled “Deadpool & Wolverine“. Directed by Levy, this third installment not only highlighted the character who was slated to make his debut in a planned but ultimately abandoned “X-Men “spinoff, but it also resurrected retired Marvel characters such as the Human Torch (portrayed by Chris Evans), Elektra (Jennifer Garner), and Blade (Wesley Snipes).

“Channing’s portrayal of Gambit in this film has me captivated! What made this happen was a ten-year desire on Channing’s part to play this role and nearly a decade where he came close to playing it at Fox, as Levy shared with Variety. Personally, I remember because I was among the 25 directors who met with Channing about directing the Fox Gambit movie back then, but it didn’t work out. So when we decided to include Gambit in our film, we knew it would be a fulfilling moment for Channing.”

Levy has directed several movies for Fox, including “Cheaper by the Dozen” (2003), “Date Night” (2010), “The Internship” (2013), “Free Guy” (2021), and the entire “Night at the Museum” series (2006-2014). Given his experience, Levy appears to be a suitable choice for Tatum’s long-delayed project that has previously been associated with Gore Verbinski (“Pirates of the Caribbean” trilogy), Rupert Wyatt (“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”), and Doug Liman (“The Bourne Identity”).

Actor Channing Tatum, known for his role in “Magic Mike”, brought a blend of Cajun and French essence to Remy LeBeau, a character from New Orleans who identifies as “le diable blanc“, or the white devil, in recognition of his comic book nickname. This portrayal was praised by director Simon Kinberg, who stated that they found Tatum’s Cajun-inflected X-Man performance absolutely captivating.

Since then, Tatum has expressed gratitude towards Levy via social media, acknowledging him for including him in the movie “Deadpool & Wolverine“. He went on to commend Levy as an exceptional creator, who excels in all aspects.

Originally, Tatum expressed that he believed Gambit was gone for good. However, Reynolds stepped up and advocated for both him and Gambit. This act has left Tatum indebted to Reynolds, as he’s unsure if there’s anything he could do in return that would match the significance of this experience for him. In response, Reynolds publicly praised Tatum, referring to him as a top-tier talent and an exceptional individual within the film industry.

Chan was destined to portray the character Gambit, as it seems to resonate with his own story. For over a decade, he’s been working diligently to create a cinematic adaptation of this comic book character that stays true to his essence. Ryan Reynolds shared this sentiment on Instagram, stating that Remy LeBeau is deeply connected to Chan and needs to be brought to life. Gambit found an ideal interpreter in Chan because he’s one of the most intriguing and intelligent characters in comics who hasn’t yet been fully explored. Reynolds couldn’t be more excited about seeing @channingtatum breathe life into this character at the right time and in the perfect manner.

2024-08-07 00:13

Deadpool & Wolverine Director Almost Made Channing Tatum’s Gambit Movie

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