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If you thought Deadpool & Wolverine had given too much away in its trailers, including the appearance of Lady Deadpool, you’re in for a treat when you see it in the cinemas. Among the easter eggs and obscure references to the comics are testaments to the strange journey comic book movies have been on for the past 25 years. And nothing exemplifies that better than finally seeing Channing Tatum get to play Gambit after so long.

The fact that we’ve had to wait this long to see Tatum play Gambit is one of the biggest missed opportunities in comic book film history. The Magic Mike star was first attached to the role way back in X-Men: The Last Stand, when he was nearly cast, but ultimately the character wasn’t used in the film. After that, he spent the next decade trying desperately to get his stand-alone Gambit movie off the ground.

Channing Tatum’s Gambit film at one point was slated for a 2016 release, but it passed through numerous writers and directors without ever gaining traction. The final nail in the film’s coffin was when Disney bought Fox.

“Ultimately, I think that the tone of the movie we wanted to make was very far from what they wanted to do,” Tatum told Vanity Fair back in 2023. “We call every once in a while, but we’ve got to spiritually, emotionally, kind of mentally let it go.”

What would Tatum’s take on the character have looked like? The actor, who co-wrote the script and was set to co-direct the film as well, described his Gambit as “just the coolest person” with a flare for the dramatic.

“Most superheroes, their outfits are utilitarian. Batman’s got his belt. Gambit’s like, ‘No, this shit’s just fly, bro! This shit walked down the Paris runway last year.’ He’s just wearing the stuff that’s so dope because he loves fashion.”

In a way, it is appropriate that we’re finally getting to see Channing Tatum play Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine. If there is anyone who understands the pain of having to fight tooth and nail to get a superhero movie made, it’s Ryan Reynolds. His journey to get the first Deadpool movie made almost came to a similar end until some test footage for the film leaked online and proved to the studio that fans were rabid for something different in their comic book movie.

Channing Tatum wasn’t so lucky with Gambit. After the difficulty he had getting the movie made only for it to be canceled at the last minute, he said he felt “traumatized” by the experience.

“I shut off my Marvel machine. I haven’t been able to see any of the movies. I loved that character. It was just too sad. It was like losing a friend because I was so ready to play him.”

Now, five years after he thought his chance had passed, Tatum finally got his chance to play Gambit, and we love that for him.

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