Fans finally got to see Channing Tatum step into the boots of the Ragin’ Cajun as Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine, but the show-stealing cameo has seemingly justified 20th Century Fox’s decision to shelve plans for a standalone Gambit movie led by Tatum.
Tatum has long championed bringing Remy LeBeau to the big screen, even offering to write and direct when development stalled. But this meta moment in the highly anticipated mashup suggests that while Gambit remains a fan-favorite X-Man, his cinematic future may lie more in supporting roles than solo headlines.
Stealing the scene in a flashy purple costume speaking with a thick Southern drawl, Tatum delivers a quintessentially Gambit performance. But director Shawn Levy appears to have leveraged Gambit’s flamboyant comic-book accuracy against more grounded appearances from Jennifer Garner’s Elektra and Wesley Snipes’ Blade – with Deadpool cracking jokes about the Cajun’s incomprehensible accent.
The film even acknowledges the character’s long development limbo, having Gambit lament his lack of starring vehicle. This subverts expectations and positions the character as more of an amusing cameo than leading man material, seemingly closing the door on past solo film aspirations.
While fans reveled in Tatum finally bringing Gambit to life, his scene stealing turn may end up reinforcing Fox’s decision. As one line hints this could be Gambit’s “one sole chance to shine,” Deadpool & Wolverine uses the character to not just please fans but justify the shelved movie plans through cunning self-awareness.
Only time will tell if Gambit might receive a reimagining that allows him another shot, but for now, Tatum has delivered the perfect nod to the Rogue lover’s devoted following with his memorable cameo in the team-up blockbuster.
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