Channing Tatum spent nearly a decade trying to play Gambit, and now that he’s finally wearing the trench coat, he isn’t ready to give it up. The actor has confirmed that he’s still trying to make his long-awaited Gambit solo movie happen, even as Marvel Studios prepares to introduce a new generation of X-Men. His return in Avengers: Doomsday confirms that Marvel still has plans for the character, but there’s a complication that could prevent Tatum from getting the standalone adventure he’s wanted for years.
Channing Tatum still wants his Gambit movie
During a recent interview with ScreenRant, Tatum discussed the possibility of finally getting his Gambit movie made under Marvel Studios. When asked whether he still wanted the project to happen, the actor confirmed that he hadn’t given up on the idea. He said he was still fighting for the opportunity, although he now believes the film would need an experienced director to succeed.
That’s a change from his original plans for the character. During the movie’s troubled development at 20th Century Fox, Tatum and his longtime creative partner Reid Carolin considered directing the film themselves after repeatedly struggling to get it moving. Looking back, Tatum admitted that attempting such an ambitious superhero production without sufficient directing experience could have ended disastrously.
The actor now understands how difficult these productions can be, especially when they involve complex action sequences, visual effects and the expectations surrounding a popular comic book character. His latest comments suggest he hasn’t abandoned the idea of starring in a Gambit movie, but he’s more cautious about how it should be made. Considering what happened during the original project’s development, we can understand why his approach has changed.
Why the original Gambit movie never happened
Tatum’s involvement with Gambit began long before the character appeared in Deadpool & Wolverine. Fox was developing a standalone movie around the mutant as far back as 2014, with Tatum attached to star as Remy LeBeau. The project was intended to expand the studio’s X-Men franchise, but it encountered repeated development problems and never reached production.
According to Tatum, the movie went through three different directors without ever reaching production. The first arrangement collapsed following a disagreement between Fox and the filmmaker, while the second became trapped in prolonged development. Eventually, director Gore Verbinski came close to getting the movie moving, but creative differences between the studio, Verbinski and Tatum prevented that version from becoming a reality.
Tatum also revealed that Deadpool & Wolverine director Shawn Levy had expressed interest in directing an earlier version of the Gambit script. However, Tatum and Carolin weren’t prepared to move forward with that arrangement at the time. It’s an interesting connection considering Levy would eventually help bring Tatum’s Gambit to the screen anyway.
Disney’s acquisition of Fox in 2019 effectively ended the original film’s prospects, leaving Tatum without the character he had spent years preparing to portray. For a while, Gambit appeared likely to remain an abandoned superhero project that audiences would never get to see. Then Ryan Reynolds and Marvel Studios gave Tatum another opportunity to play the character.
Deadpool & Wolverine finally brought Tatum’s Gambit to the screen
When Tatum finally appeared as Gambit in 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, audiences got to see the casting that had been discussed for years. His exaggerated Cajun accent, playing-card attacks and theatrical delivery made the character one of the movie’s comedic surprises. After years of unsuccessful development, Tatum finally got to portray the superhero he’d been trying to bring to theaters.
Gambit joined a collection of characters stranded in the Void, including Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, Wesley Snipes’ Blade and Dafne Keen’s Laura. Their appearance brought back characters from older superhero franchises, including some who hadn’t received much attention in recent years. For Tatum, the appearance also created the possibility of continuing Gambit’s story in another Marvel production.
Marvel subsequently confirmed that Tatum would reprise Gambit in Avengers: Doomsday, scheduled for December 18, 2026. That gives the character another theatrical appearance, this time alongside a much larger collection of Marvel heroes and returning X-Men actors. However, with so many characters involved, Gambit may not receive the individual development that a standalone movie could provide.
Marvel’s X-Men reboot complicates Gambit’s future
Marvel Studios is developing a new X-Men movie, with Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier attached to direct. The project is expected to establish a new direction for Marvel’s mutants, which could affect the future of familiar Fox-era performers. One question is whether Marvel intends to retain existing actors or introduce new versions of their characters as part of its X-Men plans.
Tatum’s Gambit is in a different position because he never received the extended movie history that actors such as Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart or Ian McKellen enjoyed. His version debuted during Marvel’s multiverse era rather than within the original X-Men film series itself. That gives Marvel some options for using the character, but it doesn’t guarantee Tatum will remain the franchise’s primary Gambit.
A future X-Men movie could introduce a younger Remy LeBeau alongside a new generation of mutants, particularly if Marvel wants to explore the character’s complicated relationship with Rogue over several films. Alternatively, Marvel could keep Tatum’s Gambit around as a multiverse character while introducing a different interpretation in its main continuity. Both approaches are possible, but neither has been officially announced.
There’s also the question of whether Marvel would commit to a standalone Gambit production while simultaneously establishing its new X-Men lineup. The studio has numerous characters and storylines competing for attention, and a movie centered on an alternate-universe mutant would need to fit within its wider plans. Tatum may still want the film, but Marvel would have to make its own creative and commercial decisions before the project could proceed.
Gambit has enough comic book history for a solo movie
We think Gambit has enough material for a standalone story without relying on the Avengers or another large crossover. In Marvel Comics, Remy LeBeau’s history involves the Thieves Guild, his complicated past in New Orleans, his morally questionable decisions and his enduring connection with Rogue. A film could explore those elements more closely, particularly the character’s criminal background and the decisions that shaped his personality.
A Gambit movie could explore supernatural mystery, romantic tension and elaborate heists while including the action audiences expect from a Marvel production. Tatum has already shown that he can play the character’s theatrical side, even if Deadpool & Wolverine deliberately exaggerated it for comedy. A standalone film would require a different approach, giving Gambit enough emotional development to carry a story rather than relying primarily on his supporting role.
For now, Marvel hasn’t announced a Gambit solo movie, and Tatum’s comments shouldn’t be mistaken for confirmation that one is secretly moving forward. His next confirmed appearance remains Avengers: Doomsday, where audiences will get another opportunity to see whether this version of Remy LeBeau can become more than a memorable cameo. After spending more than a decade pursuing the role, Tatum has finally played Gambit on screen, but Marvel has yet to decide whether he’ll get the standalone movie he originally wanted.
Source: ScreenRant
