Channing Tatum's Gambit Film: A '30s Screwball Romance in Superhero Setting

Channing Tatum's much-anticipated Gambit movie, which was unfortunately canceled, was set to bring a unique twist to the superhero genre with its '30s screwball romantic comedy vibe. Lizzy Caplan, who was slated to star alongside Tatum, shared with Business Insider that the project had "a really cool idea." The film aimed to blend the charm and wit of classic romantic comedies with the thrilling backdrop of the superhero world, featuring Tatum as the charismatic and fan-favorite X-Men character, Gambit.

Tatum's journey to portray Gambit has been well-documented, marked by numerous challenges and setbacks. The project was ultimately scrapped following the 2019 Disney-Fox merger, leaving Tatum feeling "traumatized" and fearing he would never get the opportunity to bring the card-throwing mutant to life. However, hope was reignited with Tatum's surprise cameo in the MCU blockbuster, Deadpool & Wolverine.

Deadpool & Wolverine: Easter Eggs, Cameos and References

38 Images

Lizzy Caplan, who was set to play the female lead in the Gambit movie since 2017, confirmed in her interview with Business Insider that she had signed on and even had meetings with Tatum about the project. "We got down the road, we were gonna shoot it," Caplan revealed. "I think there was a start date."

In 2018, Simon Kinberg, the producer of the Gambit movie, told IGN that the film would have a "romantic or sex comedy vibe," aligning with Gambit's character traits. "When you look at Gambit," Kinberg stated, "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 reaffirmed this vision, saying, "They wanted to do, like, a '30s kind of screwball romantic comedy set in that world, which would have been really fun."

As for the future of Tatum and Gambit, Marvel Studios has remained silent, though they have confirmed the eventual integration of the X-Men into the MCU. Last August, Ryan Reynolds, who plays Deadpool, stirred excitement among Gambit fans by tweeting a high-quality version of a scene from Deadpool & Wolverine, sparking speculation about what might be in store for the beloved character.

Warning! Deadpool & Wolverine spoilers follow.