Months ago, while promoting ‘White House Down’, Channing Tatum expressed that if he had his way, the one super hero he’d like to play is Gambit from the ‘X-Men’ stating that he’d grown up in Louisiana so he could bring a lot to the role of the Cajun thief turned hero. In recent weeks, it seems that that was becoming a reality.
X-Men producer Lauren Schuler-Donner expressed:
“It is Channing, yes, yes. He’s a rogue, he’s a rascal, just like Remy LeBeau. He can handle the action, as we know, and he’s got a real good heart, I know him personally. He’ll be great for Gambit, and he’s a southerner too, he understands that world, and you know Gambit loves New Orleans.”
But despite Schuler-Donner’s seeming assurance, Tatum more recently seemed to take a step back, stating:
“Creatively, we’re starting to chug forward. Obviously there’s nothing [official]. There are only conversations and dreams right now, really.”
Rumors had swirled that Gambit would appear in the next mutant movie ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ before spinning-off into a solo movie, but that too doesn’t quite seem to be the case, as Tatum has said:
“We’ve talked about it being a standalone, first, and actually trying to change the ‘hero, superhero movie.’ Because Gambit is not your typical hero. He’s a thief. He walks on the gray. I’m hoping we can change it a little bit, and then ultimately feather into the other ones.”
Either way, Tatum is a big star and a proven box office draw… and he is especially popular with the all-important female audience. His inclusion in the X-Universe certainly wouldn’t hurt. And he’s clearly quite enthusiastic about the possibility:
“I’ve been pretty vocal about wanting to be the part of Gambit for a very long time. It’s a weird, pinching-myself moment that we’re even having the conversation.”
But he does caution:
“The machine of the Marvel world is so ginormous that it’s literally like climbing a mountain, getting one of these movies made, and all of the pieces that go along with it.”
The role of Gambit was already included in ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’, played in that movie by Taylor Kitsch, with the intention of him being spun off into a solo movie (and one as well for Ryan Reynolds’ Deadpool), but ‘Origins’ proved a disappointment and those films never materialized. Now with ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past’ having negated both the third movie ‘X-Men: The Last Stand’ and ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’, the producers are free to start with a clean slate and it sounds like, although no contracts have been signed, Tatum is a shoe-in for the part.
But director Bryan Singer had previously stated that he essentially planned to get directly to work on ‘X-Men: Apocalypse’ with a 2016 release date. Is there time to get a solo Gambit movie out before that? Doubtful, especially since nothing’s been finalized.
At any rate, how would you like to see Gambit handled in the movies? Solo then team player? Or would you like at least a glimpse of him in ‘Apocalypse’ first?
Source: MTV
