Channing Tatum was first cast as Gambit in 2014. 20th Century Fox quickly started developing a solo movie revolving around the X-Man but, after going through several writers and directors, it became clear that making the project happen wasn't going to be easy.
Just as Gambit started gaining traction, the Disney/Fox merger happened and killed plans for the spin-off. However, Tatum finally got the chance to suit up as the Cajun hero - in a super-comic-accurate costume - in Deadpool & Wolverine.
Now, Ryan Reynolds has shared the first official photos of Tatum as Gambit and shared his hopes to see the actor return to the role.
"Gambit is a guy Chan was born to play," he says in the X post below. "His story is similar to mine in that he spent a decade trying to put the most comic-accurate version of Gambit on the big screen. Remy LeBeau is grafted to his soul and needs to come out and deal. And Gambit found his author in Chan."
"He’s one of the coolest, smartest characters in comics and still largely unexplored. I want more — and from what I saw in theaters, you do too."
"Having the chance to say goodbye to some of these heroes is as important as having new characters to root for," Reynolds continued, "and rooting for Gambit is easy. Rooting for Chan is even easier. He’s one of the greatest, hardest working, kindest people in this entire industry. I couldn’t be more thrilled to see [Channing Tatum] pull Gambit from the dead and bring him to life at the perfect time and perfect way."
It's been strongly hinted (in both the movie itself and post-release interviews) that Gambit, Blade, and Elektra all lived to fight another day so it's possible they'll return elsewhere in the Multiverse Saga. If this was a one-and-done for Tatum, though, he got to play this character in style.
Take a closer look at Marvel Studios and Tatum's take on Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine below.
In our review Deadpool & Wolverine last month - which you can read by clicking here - we concluded by saying, "A contender for the best superhero movie ever, Deadpool & Wolverine is two hours of Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman proving they were born to play these roles and, crucially, be part of the MCU. It’s a f***ing masterpiece."
Shawn Levy directs Deadpool & Wolverine, which stars Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Morena Baccarin, Rob Delaney, Leslie Uggams, Karan Soni, Matthew Macfadyen, and Dafne Keen. The movie is written by Ryan Reynolds & Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick & Zeb Wells & Shawn Levy.
Kevin Feige, Reynolds, Levy and Lauren Shuler Donner produce with Louis D’Esposito, Wendy Jacobson, Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, Rhett Reese, Paul Wernick, George Dewey, Simon Kinberg and Jonathon Komack Martin serving as executive producers.
Deadpool & Wolverine is now playing in theaters.