Back in September, Magic Mike and 21 Jump Street star Channing Tatum stated that he’d like to join Fox’s X-Men universe in the role of the Cajun card-throwing mutant Gambit, with longtime X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner subsequently stating that she is “dying” to do a Gambit movie with Tatum in the role. Well, it seems that both may get their wish, with Tatum revealing that he’s met with the producer about taking on the role previously played by Taylor Kitsch in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
“I met with Lauren Shuler Donner,” Tatum tells MTV. “And I would love it. Gambit is really the only X-Man I’ve ever loved. I mean I’ve loved them all, they’re all great, but I guess from being down south – my dad’s from Louisiana, I’m from Mississippi, Alabama, Florida – I don’t know. I just related to him. He’s just kind of suave… He’s the most un-X-Men X-Man that’s ever been in X-Men. Other than maybe Wolverine, who’s like the anti-hero. He’s a thief. He’s not even a hero. He’s kind of walking the line of grey…He loves women and drinking and smoking and stuff so he’s just a cool guy who happens to have a moral center… I hope it [comes together]. You never know it’s a weird industry. If the stars align, I would die to play it. I’m already working on the accent. It’s crappy at the moment.”
With Bryan Singer teasing the inclusion of Gambit in the line-up of 2016’s X-Men: Apocalypse on two occasions lately [see here and here], could we see Tatum lining up alongside James McAvoy (Professor X), Michael Fassbender (Magento), Jennifer Lawrence (Mystique) and Nicholas Hoult (Beast) in the next X-Men sequel, or does Kitsch deserve a second throw of the cards? Let us know your thoughts…
Originally published April 15, 2014. Updated November 29, 2022.
