Gambit's Cameo in Deadpool 3 Needs Taylor Kitsch, Not Channing Tatum

Deadpool and Wolverine marks Wade Wilson's first official appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as at least one version of Hugh Jackman's Logan. However, even before the film was released, rumors circulated of several cameos in previous Marvel films. Among them was Gambit, a mutant who first appeared on screen in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and made a good impression on fans despite the film's flaws.



Gambit's inclusion in Deadpool and Wolverine It’s courtesy of Channing Tatum as the card-throwing hero. The actor had long sought an opportunity to play the character, but the project failed to materialize before 20th Century Fox was sold to Disney in 2019. All seemed lost until the new film, in which Tatum steps forward as part of a wildly successful inside joke. None of this changes Taylor Kitsch's status as a worthy predecessor, and indeed, given Deadpool and Wolverine plot, it's almost a plea to bring him back to Tatum's side. It remains to be seen whether he will be allowed to fill this role.

Updated August 20, 2024 by Robert Vaux: The release of Deadpool and Wolverine confirmed several details about Gambit's arrival in the MCU. Thanks to the Multiverse, however, Kitsch's underrated role as the mutant card-slinger could yet see a return to the big screen. The article has been expanded to discuss that potential, as well as update the details revealed in Deadpool and WolverineAdditionally, the formatting has been changed to meet current CBR guidelines.



Channing Tatum has a history with Gambit

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Channing Tatum's love for Gambit shouldn't be understated. The actor has spent years of his career trying to get a project off the ground that would star him in the role. X-Man is certainly a compelling vigilante and a solo film, perhaps focusing on his relationship with Rogue, could have worked. But fans' hopes were dashed after Tatum made a disappointing update, suggesting that the comic book adaptation had been shelved following Disney's acquisition of Fox. The film had been in development for some time, so it's no surprise that it never saw the light of day.


This has changed with Deadpool and Wolverinewho uses Disney's purchase of Fox as one of his most recurring jokes. After clashing with the Time Variance Authority, Wade Wilson and the Logan variant he discovered are delivered to the Void at the end of all creation, to be devoured by the matter-eating Alioth. There, they find a tyrannical Cassandra Nova controlling an army of evil Fox mutants. The X-Men film franchise. A small resistance to his reign has sprung up, including Jennifer Garner's Elektra, Wesley Snipes' Blade, and Dafne Keen's X-23. The pièce de résistance is Tatum's Gambit, complete with trench coat and purple armor. While the others have all been banished to the Void by the TVA from their respective universes, he suggests that he's been living in the Void all along, a sly jab at the character's seemingly fatal phase in development hell.


It helps enhance an already strong gag, as well as giving Tatum a chance to show off his fighting skills in the team's epic assault on Nova's fortress. It certainly seems like a tall order, and the actor is openly happy to finally have the opportunity to play Remy LeBeau. It’s worth the wait, not just for the actor himself or Gambit’s signature fighting moves (including his staff and deck of cards), but also for the way Tatum handles the meta references surrounding it all. His LeBeau is a more artificial construction than a fully realized character, which he conveys with his trademark deadpan, but he also conveys the pain of a hero who never really got his chance. It’s a fitting delivery, and while it could be credibly accused of fan service, Tatum’s performance tends to put all doubts to rest.


Taylor Kitsch should be given a second chance

Gambit lights up one of his cards in X-Men Origins: Wolverine

None of this invalidates Kitsch's previous performance in the role. The actor joined Ryan Reynolds in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, who were playing their respective superhero roles for the first time. The film was a poorly handled mess that failed to live up to expectations or take advantage of its talented performers. Reynolds was obviously perfect for the role of Wade Wilson, but he was never allowed to make the proper transition into Deadpool in that film. Kitsch suffered a similar fate. The actor was torn to pieces for his portrayal of the character, but he simply wasn't given much to work with. Gambit's action sequences were a visually interesting part of the film, and on a superficial level, Kitsch understood who the character was. But without the material to back him up, Kitsch was essentially left to float, like so many of the other stronger performers in the film.


In hindsight, his performance was much stronger than it seemed. The film is set in the late 1970s and deliberately takes a stripped-down approach to superheroes. Kitsch's Gambit was toned down accordingly, while having to fight for attention amidst another usually crowded cast. Despite this, he captures the essence of the character seemingly effortlessly, starting with his pitch-perfect response when Logan asks him if he's Remy LeBeau:


The rest of the film isn't up to par, but the same can be said of several memorable characters, including Deadpool himself, who was famously rendered mute after some very promising early scenes. In the years that followed, Kitsch demonstrated an incredible range of projects such as True Detective. Even in films like John Carter, who has suffered from similar problems to The Origins of the X-Men, Kitsch continued to be a viable bright spot. He was charismatic and easy to empathize with. He may have been unlucky in the parts he chose, but he genuinely demonstrated his talent under difficult circumstances. Had things gone differently, he could have been a huge star, and his Remy LeBeau is a severely underutilized asset that deserves a bigger platform. His claim to the part should be honored as much as Tatum’s.

Deadpool 3 Cameos Offer Hope to Kitsch and Others

Channing Tatum is Gambit and Hugh Jackman is Wolverine in Deadpool & Wolverine.


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Deadpool and Wolverine comes packed with cameos, even if they're in service of a specific message. The underlying joke is that they're all fighting in the ruins of Fox's Marvel projects, which were cast into the Void following the Disney sale. Most of the characters there are from the Fox stable, even though Snipes' Blade was a New Line release, and a few other anomalous characters pop up as well. (2004's Russian Punisher (The adaptation can be seen among Cassandra Nova's henchmen.) They contribute a lot to the film, well beyond the self-referential humor that makes them such a flashy addition.


Deadpool and Wolverine he uses them to make a heartfelt appeal for that era in cinema, which has been eclipsed not only by the MCU but also by some of the most well-received superhero films of the 2000s, such as Sam Raimi's Spiderman film or Christopher Nolan Dark Knight trilogy. Yet even the worst of them often had good elements amidst the bad. Garner's Elektra has always been well regarded by fans, for example, though none of the films she starred in can say the same. Likewise, The X-Men The films had more than their share of fluff between the blockbusters, which nevertheless featured solid performances and decent subplots worthy of praise. The early 2000s saw a sudden influx of Marvel films to the big screen after decades of rival DC dominance, and while they made their share of mistakes, they helped pave the way for the eventual triumph of the MCU. Deadpool and Wolverine concludes with a surprisingly genuine invitation to keep their contributions in mind as Marvel moves forward.


Kitsch’s version of Gambit has the same pretensions as anyone else’s: a good chunk of an imperfect film that brought a beloved character to life on the big screen for the first time. If all those old actors were to return to the same roles, then Kitsch should be given the same privilege. Whether or not that happens is a big question mark, especially with Tatum making such a strong impression in the part. The MCU is fully committed to the Multiverse, to the point of making Doctor Doom a seeming variant of Tony Stark, so the possibility of Kitsch returning is definitely there. The actor has certainly earned the chance.

Deadpool and Wolverine is now in theaters.

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