Marvel Wants More Channing Tatum as Gambit, Ryan Reynolds Confirms

Following his appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine, Channing Tatum’s portrayal of Gambit has gotten a lot of attention from Marvel Studios. The film’s star and producer, Ryan Reynolds, revealed Marvel’s enthusiasm for Tatum’s performance.

When speaking on the EW’s podcast, Reynolds said, “I honestly don’t know what goes on behind closed doors in the bookkeeping sessions at Marvel, but I do know that they’re obsessed with him in that role. It’s kind of like the same situation I went through. Once you show that it works well, that’s really what they need. Sometimes they just need to see it in action.”

Related: Captain Marvel Villain Has Regrets About Role

Reynolds was speaking on the leaked test footage of Deadpool in 2014, which ultimately convinced Fox to greenlight the film. He believes that the positive reception of Deadpool & Wolverine could similarly persuade Marvel to move forward with a Gambit solo project. With Marvel liking Tatum’s portrayal and the clear fan love, it may happen.

Tatum’s journey to playing Gambit has been long, and those who were around before the MCU will remember how much Tatum wanted to play Gambit. Initially, he was set to lead a standalone Gambit film before Disney acquired 20th Century Fox, which held the rights to the character, halted the project. It was crushing for Tatum not to be able to. The character ultimately only ever appeared in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, played by Taylor Kitsch, who did a good job.

Related: Smallville Animated Series Resurrecting Character

Deadpool & Wolverine finally offered Tatum the opportunity to bring the character to life. Just like the other characters who ended up gracing the screen, this was a huge service to fans who were around before the MCU because it’s hard to forget how big of a deal that situation with Tatum and 20th-century Fox was. The film, which is an ode to the Fox era of Marvel movies, shows off Tatum’s portrayal of the Cajun mutant with the power to manipulate kinetic energy.

While there has been no official announcement from Marvel Studios regarding a Gambit solo movie or his inclusion in upcoming ensemble films, we may see some kind of confirmation soon.