There was a time when Channing Tatum was locked in to play X-Men character Gambit in his own solo movie. Originally set for release in 2016, the project was hit by continuous creative issues and delays before the Disney/Fox merger sealed its fate when the spin-off, along with several other projects, was scrapped.
Tatum has since shared his disappointment that he wasn't given the chance to take on the role of the fan-favourite mutant, but is now expected to receive a second chance in Deadpool 3.
According to one reliable online scooper, the plan is for Tatum to be decked out in a comic-accurate suit in the movie, news we're confident will many many of you very happy indeed. This is probably more than we could have hoped for from Fox's Gambit movie too.
It's unclear how significant a role the actor will have in Deadpool 3, though we'd imagine him being a member of the X-Men alongside Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. James Marsden, Famke Janssen, and Halle Berry have been tapped to return as Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Storm respectively and are all expected to don their costumes from the comics.
Taylor Kitsch previously played the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but a splashy cameo from Tatum would be a fun way to give him a long-overdue chance to play the Cajun hero...and take full advantage of the potential Marvel's Multiverse has.
Talking about missing out on starring in Gambit, Tatum previously said he was left "traumatized" by the experience, adding that he, "shut off [his] Marvel machine" and was unable to watch any of the other Marvel movies. Why? Because "I loved that character. It was just too sad. It was like losing a friend because I was so ready to play him."
Deadpool 3 is currently set to be released in theaters on May 3, 2024.