Marvel Honors the X-Men Legend Removed From Fox Films
In addition to being a tribute to the Fox Marvel universe, Deadpool & Wolverine serves as a deserved reward for a devoted X-Men member that Fox repeatedly ignored. An legendary X-Men member who Fox removed from three of their films is eventually redeemed by Marvel. The superhero movie industry has always included the X-Men, but the studios sometimes switch up which members receive the most attention. For an extended period, Hugh Jackman's portrayal of Wolverine was the main attraction, and this still holds true as Deadpool & Wolverine smashes box office records. Other characters that have been highlighted include Cyclops, Beast, Nightcrawler, Mystique, Jean Grey, and Professor X and Magneto. A few characters who made an impression in X-Men: The Animated Series never got the same attention in a live-action movie. Although he has only made one movie appearance and never with the main squad, Gambit is a fan favorite from the animated series.
In the Fox X-Men films, Gambit has always been the underappreciated team member, despite attempts to give him his own film. Marvel has already made up for it, though, with two 2024 projects that honor the Cajun mutant. Deadpool & Wolverine brings together the multiple realities with an abundance of cameos from the entire Marvel film catalog.
The Gambit of Channing Tatum Eventually Appearing in Deadpool & Wolverine
Channing Tatum agreed to play Gambit in a solo film in 2014. For five years, the film was mired in development hell, with several directors, including Doug Liman and Gore Verbinski, committing to it and then abandoning it. The studio abandoned the Gambit movie after Disney acquired 21st Century Fox in 2019, bringing an end to the arduous and difficult development process. An R-rated romantic comedic superhero movie, the project had already cast, according to a 2022 interview with prospective director Reid Carolin for Variety. Tatum's dream to see Gambit on screen was eventually fulfilled in Deadpool & Wolverine, after ten years of trying. The Magic Mike star plays Remy LeBeau, a pivotal part who has been hiding from Cassandra Nova in the Void.
He is a member of the resistance organization that also includes Dafne Keen's X-23, Wesley Snipes' Blade, and Jennifer Garner's Elektra. Tatum included some humorous language in addition to an amazing fight scene in his Easter egg-like Gambit. It's interesting to hear and see what Tatum's Gambit Movie may have been, even though Wade Wilson finds it difficult to comprehend him.
It was intended for Gambit to feature in THREE X-Men films.
Gambit made his sole appearance prior to Deadpool & Wolverine in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, where Taylor Kitsch played the character. Nevertheless, the character was slated to feature in three additional Fox X-Men films, but it was discarded. The original plan was for him to make his screen debut in X2, portrayed by Wolverine's stunt double James Bamford. He would have blown up a table in his scene, which would have taken place during the Dark Cerebro scenario. His scene was deleted from the movie and was not included on the DVD. The most heinous wasted chance came from his second appearance; Keanu Reeves was supposed to play him in X-Men: The Last Stand. Gregory Helms and James Franco also had auditions for the movie The Last Stand, which starred Channing Tatum. He made his third cut appearance in Days of Future Past for X-Men. Director Bryan Singer claims that in order to reduce the running time, a number of mutants, including Deadpool, Rachel Summers, Psylocke, Jubilee, and Gambit, were eliminated.
Who would have portrayed him in this movie is unknown. It's obvious that Fox intended Gambit to play a significant role in the X-Men canon, but for whatever reason, he was never given the opportunity. The fact that he was left out of so many films is evidence of both his appeal and the disappointment felt by many of his followers.
Gambit Made a Symbolic Offering in X-Men '97
Even though Gambit played a significant role in the 1990s X-Men: The Animated Series, his plot was rarely the primary emphasis. But X-Men '97 offered him a heroic, yet tragic, moment in the spotlight during the most exciting event of the show. Gambit battles the feral sentinel by himself during the Genosha bloodbath. He utilizes his last bit of kinetic energy to blow up the sentinel when the robot fatally wounds him, sparing the surviving Mutants but also sacrificing himself. It's a poignant scene, and Rogue's response demonstrates the effect Gambit has on other people.
Although Gambit was able to return during the team's time travel adventures in X-Men '97 season 2, Gambit's untimely demise left fans of the show wondering why the character was so fantastic. It was also a fantastic method to introduce the hero to others who were unfamiliar with him. Marvel granted Gambit the opportunity to become well-known in Deadpool & Wolverine through two incredible 2024 projects. Though it's unclear if he'll play an X-Men role in the MCU, Kevin Feige ought to think about including him in the roster.
