Deadpool & Wolverine has featured several exciting cameos, including the unexpected appearance of Channing Tatum as Remy Labeau / Gambit. The Magic Mike actor was seen as an X-Man member for the first time on the big screen after exerting his best efforts to play the character in a Gambit standalone movie that was ultimately canceled. So, to talk about the experience, Tatum speaks on his surprising Gambit cameo in an Instagram post.
Tatum took a trip down memory lane and shared a couple of photos from his San Diego Comic-Con appearance in 2015 for the initial announcement of his Gambit solo movie and from the recent cast panel of Deadpool & Wolverine at SDCC 2024. The photos were taken almost 10 years apart, and he was wearing a Gambit shirt at both appearances.
“I sat in the audience when Ryan showed his first peek of Deadpool 1 to the world and I think I ran back stage right after and found him and I think I just hugged him and was like holy shit you did it man,” he recalled.
Though the actor didn’t know Reynolds back then, he was thankful that no one had his back in the industry since then more than the Deadpool star. After Disney canceled the Gambit movie in 2019 following the acquisition of Fox, Tatum thought he had lost the role forever. However, he had Reynolds to thank for fighting for him to play the character in the threequel finally.
“But he fought for me and Gambit,” he continued. “I will owe him probably forever. Cause I’m not sure how I could ever do something that would be equal to what this has meant to me.”
As he expressed his love for Reynolds, he thanked director Shawn Levy. Tatum has nothing but good words for Levy, calling him a “brilliant creator on every single level.” So, after the cancellation of Gambit and his finally having the chance to play the character, he now knows “all things happen for a reason,” and he’s all grateful for Deadpool & Wolverine.
“It’s a masterpiece in my opinion. And just pure bad ass joy,” he added. “I was literally screaming in the theater. LFG!!”
Why was Channing Tatum’s Gambit movie canceled?
Tatum and his producing partner, Reid Carolin, spent four years developing a standalone Gambit movie under 20th Century Fox. It was in development in some capacity when Fox greenlit the project in 2014 and went through several script and director changes. Sadly, the project fell through when Disney got the rights to the X-Men and other Marvel characters from Fox after their merger in 2019.
In an interview with Vanity Fair in 2023, Tatum revealed that the film “got swallowed up” by Disney when it purchased Fox. He claimed that the tone of the movie they wanted to create didn’t sit well with what the new owner wanted to do. And though they asked for updates occasionally, he eventually accepted that it wouldn’t happen and let it go.
“You know, maybe they’re waiting to see how they do it with us or without us,” he said. “We call every once in a while, but we’ve got to spiritually, emotionally, kind of mentally let it go.”
Tatum’s Gambit has a long cinematic history, starting with his supposed appearance in Brett Ratner’s 2006 X-Men: The Last Stand. Finally, after almost 20 years, he not only has the opportunity to play the role but also gives viewers a chance to see what he brings to the table in Deadpool & Wolverine.
