Channing Tatum’s Unmade Gambit Movie Explained: Why Fox’s Plan Fell Apart
A long-awaited Gambit role
Fox cast Tatum as Gambit in 2014, the same year X-Men: Days of Future Past arrived. Rather than appearing in that film, he was expected to headline a solo movie.
Gambit had previously been played by Taylor Kitsch in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a widely criticized film. Kitsch did not return to the role, and the character’s live-action prospects remained uncertain until Tatum’s casting.
The Disney acquisition changed plans
Fox had several X-Men projects at different stages of development when Disney acquired the studio. After the deal, Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige became responsible for developing stories involving characters whose rights came from Fox.
Tatum said the Gambit project was absorbed into Disney through Marvel’s purchase of Fox. He thought the film may have been too different from Marvel’s plans for the character and the X-Men, and said his team periodically contacted Marvel about making it.
A project with several directors
Tatum and production partner Reid Carolin considered taking the film on themselves, and Tatum said they became attached to their unmade script. He also described three directors who signed on at different points.
Tatum said the first director’s plans fell apart after a disagreement with Fox, while work with the second director continued in development for a long time. Gore Verbinski was involved with the third attempt, but Tatum said the three parties’ creative views changed as the project developed.
Tatum still wants to return
Tatum has said he would like to make a new Gambit solo movie and is fighting for the possibility, provided he can find a very good director. He has described the character as the only X-Man he has ever loved.
Tatum’s appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine brought him back as Gambit after years away from the role. The article raises the possibility of another turn for the character, while noting uncertainty about what might follow.
Key points
- Fox cast Channing Tatum as Gambit in 2014, but his planned solo movie was never made.
- Disney’s acquisition of Fox left the Gambit project among the studio’s projects that fell through the cracks.
- Tatum and Reid Carolin considered producing the film themselves, and three directors were attached at different stages.
- Tatum says he still wants a solo Gambit movie if the right director can be found.