Before Disney's universe-shattering purchase of Fox in 2019, the studio had a number of X-Men projects in development that ended up getting canned. Among those films is the standalone Gambit movie which would have seen Channing Tatum take on the role of the explosive mutant.
According to Tatum, Disney's acquisition of the Fox property derailed his chances of ever getting the ball rolling for his supposed X-Men project. Speaking with Vanity Fair (via ComicBook), the 42-year-old star reveals that while he still talks to Marvel about potentially joining the MCU, he admits that he's given up on his hopes of playing Gambit on the big screen.
The Magic Mike star says: "It got swallowed up into Disney by way of Marvel when they bought Fox and ultimately, I just think that the tone of the movie we wanted to make was very far from what they wanted to do — or, you know, maybe they're wanting to see how they do it with us or without us. We call every once in a while, but we've got to spiritually, emotionally, kind of mentally let it go."
Also Read: Deadpool 3's Bizarre DC-Inspired Genre Potentially Spoiled by Ryan Reynolds
While it would have been interesting to see Channing's interpretation of the beloved mutant, I wouldn't exactly call his canned Gambit film a missed opportunity. Personally, it's not something I would lose sleep over simply because I've always thought he wasn't the right fit for the character.
That said, I'm hoping he eventually lands a part on the MCU and judging by his hot streak as of late, there's a good chance Kevin Feige is taking notice.
Speaking of the mutants, Deadpool 3 is slated to hit cinemas on November 8, 2024.
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