Channing Tatum's Gambit Film: A '30s Screwball Romance in Superhero Setting

Channing Tatum's long-awaited Gambit movie, which was ultimately canceled, was set to bring a unique twist to the superhero genre with a '30s screwball romantic comedy vibe, according to actress Lizzy Caplan. In an interview with Business Insider, Caplan, who was slated to star alongside Tatum, highlighted the innovative approach the film was set to take, describing it as "a really cool idea."

Tatum's journey to portray the beloved X-Men character Gambit faced numerous hurdles, culminating in the cancellation of his solo movie following the 2019 Disney-Fox merger. The actor has openly discussed the emotional toll the project's demise took on him, expressing fears that he might never get to play the charismatic, card-throwing mutant. However, fans were thrilled to see Tatum make a surprise cameo as Gambit in the MCU blockbuster "Deadpool & Wolverine."

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Caplan, who was set to play the female lead in the Gambit movie since as early as 2017, confirmed in the Business Insider interview that she had signed on and had even held meetings with Tatum. "We got down the road, we were gonna shoot it," Caplan said. "I think there was a start date."

In 2018, Simon Kinberg, the producer of the Gambit movie, told IGN that the film would adopt a "romantic or sex comedy vibe" due to Gambit's character traits. "When you look at Gambit," Kinberg explained, "he’s a hustler and a womanizer and we just felt like there was an attitude, a swagger to him, that lent itself to romantic comedy."

Seven years later, Caplan corroborated this vision, adding, "They wanted to do, like, a '30s kind of screwball romantic comedy set in that world, which would have been really fun."

As for what the future holds for Tatum and Gambit, Marvel Studios has yet to make any announcements, though they have confirmed the eventual integration of the X-Men into the MCU. Last August, Ryan Reynolds, who plays Deadpool, sparked excitement among Gambit fans by tweeting a high-quality version of a scene from "Deadpool & Wolverine" that had been difficult to see in cinemas, fueling speculation about future appearances.

Warning! Deadpool & Wolverine spoilers follow.