"Channing Tatum's Gambit Film: A '30s Romantic Comedy in Superhero Setting Canned"

Channing Tatum's long-awaited portrayal of the beloved X-Men character Gambit was set to take a unique spin, as revealed by actress Lizzy Caplan. In an interview with Business Insider, Caplan, who was slated to star alongside Tatum in the now-canceled Gambit movie, described the film's concept as having "a '30s screwball romantic comedy vibe set in the superhero world." She emphasized that the project had "a really cool idea," highlighting its potential to bring a fresh and engaging twist to the superhero genre.

Tatum's journey to bring Gambit to the big screen has been well-documented, filled with challenges and setbacks. His efforts appeared to be in vain until his unexpected cameo in the MCU blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine. The original Gambit movie project was abandoned following the 2019 Disney-Fox merger, leaving Tatum "traumatized" and doubtful about ever playing the card-wielding mutant.

Deadpool & Wolverine: Easter Eggs, Cameos and References

38 Images

Caplan, who was set to play the female lead as early as 2017, confirmed in her interview that she had signed on for the film and had even met with Tatum to discuss it. "We got down the road, we were gonna shoot it," she recalled. "I think there was a start date."

In 2018, Simon Kinberg, the producer of the Gambit movie, shared with IGN that the film would have a "romantic or sex comedy vibe," attributing this to Gambit's character traits. "When you look at Gambit," Kinberg explained, "he’s a hustler and a womanizer and we just felt like there was an attitude, a swagger to him, that lent itself to romantic comedy."

Seven years later, Caplan confirmed this direction, stating, "They wanted to do, like, a '30s kind of screwball romantic comedy set in that world, which would have been really fun."

As for what lies ahead for Tatum and Gambit, Marvel Studios has yet to provide any concrete plans, though they have confirmed the upcoming integration of the X-Men into the MCU. Last August, Ryan Reynolds, the actor behind Deadpool, fueled speculation among Gambit fans by tweeting a high-quality version of a scene from Deadpool & Wolverine that was difficult to discern in theaters.

Warning! Deadpool & Wolverine spoilers follow.