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.
The rumour suggesting he'd finally suit up as Gambit on screen first started doing the rounds this past summer, with it later said we'd see Tatum in a comic-accurate costume. Now, though, we may have further evidence suggesting this cameo will happen.
Deadpool 3's IMDb page was recently updated, with Joel Adrien added as Tatum's stunt double. We'd be remiss not to point out that anyone can make changes to the site, of course, but this is such a minor edit that it almost seems pointless for someone to do so as a way of trolling fans (especially as Tatum's return has been rumoured for months).
We'll see, but even though we're taking this update with a pinch of salt, something tells us Wolverine and Wade Wilson will cross paths with the card-carrying Cajun next year.
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 rumoured returnees James Marsden, Famke Janssen, and Halle Berry. They're expected to play Cyclops, Jean Grey, and Storm again and are all likely to don costumes inspired by 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.