Ryan Reynolds Wants More of Channing Tatum’s Gambit After Deadpool & Wolverine: “Remy LeBeau Is Grafted to His Soul”

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As a gamer who’s been around the block more times than I care to count, let me tell you that the wait for Channing Tatum as Gambit was akin to playing the longest, most frustrating video game ever created. I’ve seen him teased, promised, and then banished to development hell so many times, I started to think he was cursed. But then, just when I was about to give up hope and move on to a new obsession (cough, Spider-Man: No Way Home, cough), he made his long-awaited debut in Deadpool & Wolverine.

For Channing Tatum, the chance to play Gambit seemed unlikely; however, it came to fruition with Deadpool and Wolverine. In 2015, during San Diego Comic-Con, 20th Century Fox showcased their Marvel-based lineup on Hall H’s stage: Fantastic Four, X-Men: Apocalypse, a third Wolverine film (later known as Logan), the R-rated Deadpool, and Gambit, an X-Men spinoff featuring Tatum as the mutant with a knack for cards. In a star-studded gathering, Tatum posed alongside Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Michael B. Jordan, Oscar Isaac, and Marvel legend Stan Lee, giving fans a glimpse of what was to unfold in the Fox-produced Marvel universe.

Later on, Remy LeBeau, portrayed by Tatum, found himself trapped in a limbo of sorts. In the movie Deadpool & Wolverine, he expresses to Wade Wilson (Reynolds) and Logan (Jackman), “Perhaps I was meant for this place,” as he finally appears on screen after much anticipation, playing his role as the thief-turned-X-Man in a realm known as The Void – a place where franchises that have been left untouched or forgotten end up.

For the actor from “Magic Mike,” the opportunity was a fruit of a ten-year journey as he attended the screening of Reynold’s initial footage for his personal endeavor, the first “Deadpool,” during Comic-Con.

In a post on Instagram, Reynolds shared pictures of Tatum dressed as Gambit, expressing that he believes Tatum was born to play this character. Similar to Reynolds, Tatum has been attempting for over a decade to bring the most faithful comic book adaptation of Gambit to the movies. The character, Remy LeBeau, is deeply connected to Tatum’s spirit and needs to be brought to life. Chan appears to have captured Gambit’s essence perfectly, as he is one of the most charismatic and intelligent characters in comics, yet remains largely underexplored.

Reynolds expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming Marvel Studios film, which is poised to surpass $1 billion in earnings and already holds the record for highest-grossing R-rated movies. He emphasized the significance of bidding farewell to some iconic heroes while welcoming fresh characters. In particular, he’s excited about Gambit, and even more so for Channing Tatum, whom Reynolds considers one of the best, most dedicated, and kindest individuals in Hollywood. Reynolds is eagerly anticipating Tatum bringing Gambit back to life at the ideal moment and in an ideal manner.

Reynolds responded to Tatum, who had earlier shown gratitude for their shared role in the film “Free Guy,” directed by Shawn Levy, by posting two pictures dated 2015 and 2024.

In a crowd, I watched as Ryan unveiled the initial glimpse of Deadpool 1 to the public. Almost immediately after, I believe I rushed backstage and managed to find him. I think I even gave him a heartfelt hug, exclaiming something like “Wow, you pulled it off man! It’s amazing!” as I was overwhelmed. At that time, I wasn’t particularly close with Ryan, but since then, I can honestly say that there are very few people in this industry who have been more supportive of me than Ryan.

“Initially, I believed Gambit was gone for good. However, he battled for me and Gambit, leaving an indebtedness that may last a lifetime. I’m unsure how I could ever repay such a profound impact on me. I adore you, friend. Shawn Levy, too, is remarkable, a fantastic creator in every aspect. All events unfold as they should. I feel incredibly fortunate to be part of this film. In my eyes, it’s a masterpiece, and pure exhilaration. I was yelling with delight in the cinema. Let’s go!”

2014 saw the star of “Jump Street” being chosen to portray the lead character in Fox’s film adaptation of “Gambit”. Over time, various directors like Rupert Wyatt, Doug Liman, and Gore Verbinski were attached to the project, but by 2019, X-Men producer Simon Kinberg mentioned that it was one of several projects being reassessed after Disney bought 20th Century Fox. Despite reports that Tatum approached directors such as Bennett Miller, Darren Aronofsky, Gareth Evans, and J.C. Chandor for the role, the film eventually got cancelled.

Since then, Levy has posted a backstage cast photo featuring the secret cameos of Tatum’s co-stars in the movie Deadpool & Wolverine: Blade (Wesley Snipes), Elektra (Jennifer Garner), and X-23 (Dafne Keen).

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2024-08-06 00:10