Marvel has hit a definitive slump, but one MCU favorite that continues to impress is Ryan Reynolds. The voice — though not the dancing shoes — of Deadpool has given attention to one character in dire need of it.

The third entry into the series, Deadpool & Wolverine, brought many Marvel favorites to the stage in miraculous cameos, including one that never had a chance to begin with. Channing Tatum donned the purple suit of beloved mutant, Gambit, a role that he had been promised long ago. Fan appreciation for the film has made many wonder what the future is, including Reynolds himself. The actor spoke to Entertainment Weekly‘s “Awardist” podcast about what he hopes for the MCU.

“I honestly don’t know what goes on behind closed doors in the bookkeeping sessions at Marvel, but I do know that they’re obsessed with him in that role. It’s kind of like the same situation I went through. Once you show that it works well, that’s really what they need. Sometimes they just need to see it in action.”

Reynolds is of course referring to the famous stunt that allowed him to continue playing Deadpool in the first place. After the monumental disaster that was X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Reynolds was determined to do the character right. So much so that it is generally agreed upon that he is the one who leaked test footage in 2014 of him in the iconic red suit. This was the traction Deadpool needed to get his own movie.

Deadpool was so famously low-budget that writers wrote reasons why the character wasn’t using firearms as much. A decade later, fans all gathered to see the third movie in the franchise. While Reynolds may not be in charge if Gambit sees that light of day again, there is no denying that he has the Midas touch in the Marvel sphere.

Gambit deserves a film of his own

X-Men fans may Gambit’s only live-action appearance portrayed by Taylor Kitsch and the aforementioned Wolverine film. This is generally regarded as a point in pop culture history that is better off forgotten. Marvel had another crack at the character down the line when plans were in the works for a Gambit filmed with Channing Tatum in the driver’s seat. The movie was in active production in 2014 before all plans fell through. There had been a tentative release date in 2020 but Disne7’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox effectively destroyed any chance at the production. This was a blow for Tatum who was ionate about the project.

Tatum’s appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine is a meta acknowledgment of the film, but it could also be some insight into what is to come. The third film in the franchise did what was initially thought impossible. It revived Hugh Jackman in the role of Wolverine, even bringing Dafne Keen as Laura Kinney back to the fold. Reynolds appears to be a miracle worker of sorts, and this could be the first step for a movie. Anyone who has seen Disney+’s X-Men ’97 can attest that Gambit is a character in most need of his own feature. The heart of the series, his sacrifice touched anyone who watched it. In this new era of spiritually faithful comic book heroes, Gambit is a slam dunk.

Broadway actor Steve Kazee created controversy when he shared a cryptic Instagram post shortly after news broke that Zoë Kravitz and Channing Tatum‘s engagement was over. Kazee’s fiancé is actress and dancer Jenna Dewan, Tatum’s ex-wife, but Kazee now says his post referred to something else.

Dewan and Tatum, 44, married in 2009 but filed for divorce and were declared legally single in 2018. The exes were locked up in court for a long time, but details of their divorce were only finalized this year. In the meantime, Kazee got engaged to Dewan in 2020, and since then, Kazee and Dewan have had two children. Tatum and Dewan had one child of their own.

As for Tatum, he met Kravitz, 35, while filming Blink Twice, which Kravitz directed, and they got engaged last year. The couple were seen together in New York just weeks before sources told People they split, but Kravitz invited speculation about their status when she was spotted without her engagement ring, particularly at a recent engagement with her Big Little Lies costar Shailene Woodley.

Kazee Ha Ha’d but not for the reason we all thought (allegedly)

Back to Kazee. The same day People broke the story that Kravitz and Tatum (Kra-tum?) were over, Kazee shared an Instagram story with “Ha Ha,” written repeatedly, which many assumed referred to the Tatum and Kravitz news. Kazee has some reason to hold a grudge against Dewan’s ex after Tatum accused her of dragging out the divorce proceedings.

But Kazee told Page Six he lol’d about something else, and if people had just scrolled to the next slide, they would have understood: A TikTok post poking fun at people forgetting to water their plants, which the Shameless star says he’s guilty of. (Could caring for houseplants be a metaphor for maintaining a relationship? You decide.)

Why did Channing and Zoë break up?

With Kazee’s post settled, the question remains — what happened to Channing and Zoë? Though neither one has commented, Tatum shared a David Bautista post to his Instagram stories the same day the public learned the couple broke up about Alpha Gang, a movie Tatum, Bautista, and Tatum’s now ex-Kravitz are expected to star in, filming spring next year — read those tea leaves as you will.

Otherwise, Kravitz and Tatum have remained mum about what’s going on, but a source told People the pair broke up a few days before the outlet reported it was over and that “They haven’t been on the same page and grew apart.” A little more insight came from an Us Magazine insider, who said the relationship “fizzled” after the Blink Twice press tour. “Wedding plans were looming, but neither of them were rushing to the altar,” the source added.

“Zoë is a very independent person,” the source continued. “After her divorce, she expressed that she didn’t necessarily need to get married again. She and Channing are opposites, but they always bonded over their love for art and film, and that is what held them together. They realized long-term that it wasn’t going to work out.” Otherwise, E! News reported that Kravitz, freshly single, was seen out and about in New York the day after People reported the story without her engagement ring.

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Channing Tatum and Zoë Kravitz had been slowly becoming Hollywood’s latest IT couple. Everything seemed to align: a private couple unafraid to flaunt their palpable chemistry, both thriving in their respective careers, and just starting to collaborate artistically. However, according to a recent People report, the two are no longer in a relationship.

The couple first gained public attention during the pandemic when a photo of them riding a bike together went viral. It’s hard to explain exactly what made the image so appealing — it’s one of those instances where the picture simply says a thousand words. Beyond that, little was publicly known about their relationship until they worked together on the film Blink Twice, Kravitz’s directorial debut, with Tatum as her lead.

Blink Twice follows Slater King, played by Tatum, a disgraced tech billionaire recently fired from his own company for unspecified misconduct. In the story, he invites a cocktail waitress named Frida (Naomi Ackie) to his private island along with his entourage of degenerate friends, and she quickly realizes she’s made a big mistake. Although the film saw moderate box office returns and lukewarm critical reception, the press run for the film highlighted the chemistry between Kravitz and Tatum.

They went everywhere, from Complex Magazine’s GOAT Talk — a fan favorite — to talk shows where they spoke about each other individually. In an interview with GQ, Kravitz revealed she first met Tatum when she cast him for the role in Blink Twice, and from that moment, he became her “protector.” He even ed her on set while filming The Batman, helping her with whatever she needed, whether as a workout partner or simply a companion. Their shared love for film and art seemed evident. They made it clear they valued each other as individuals and artists; over Met Gala appearances and even Halloween walks, they simply seemed to enjoy each other’s company, with fans always fawning over them.

However, all things come to an end, whether tragically or peacefully. For Kravitz and Tatum, it’s unclear, as they were never ones to share details about their romance. In the same GQ profile, Kravitz mentioned that she kept their relationship private for as long as possible to avoid public interference. All we knew was that sometime last year, the two had gotten engaged and referred to each other as “fiancé” in interviews. 

People reports that Kravitz has recently been seen without her engagement ring while strolling with her Big Little Lies co-star, Shailene Woodley. Interestingly, Kravitz and Tatum still have another collaborative project in the works on a comedy starring Oscar Award-winning actor Cate Blanchett, so perhaps this story is still developing.

Over on social media, the reactions to the split have ranged from distraught to pretend shock.

Hopefully, the pair can each lead peaceful and fulfilling lives separately, as Kravitz’s father, legendary rock star Lenny Kravitz, once said of his daughter: “She so knows who she is and who she isn’t and is not willing to sacrifice who she is.” At the very least, Kravitz and Tatum will always have that bike ride.

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With its complete and utter molly-whop of the box office more or less concluded, the time has finally come for Deadpool & Wolverine to wreak havoc in the middle of your home, deleted scenes and all.

Indeed, Deadpool & Wolverine‘s physical media incarnation has officially hit shelves today, and given its utterly insane commitment to Marvel’s legacy films and other adjacent nuances, there’s no way Marvel won’t pick up another hefty chunk of revenue for this particular release.

But even then, that was just an assumption up until now. Now that one Channing Tatum has spoken, however, it’s a full-on inevitability thanks to the special, crispy carrot the actor has dangled in front of our faces.

Indeed, we should all be ashamed that we didn’t think of this luxury sooner, but with the accessibility features offered by Deadpool & Wolverine‘s physical release, we’ll all actually be able to get a line on Gambit’s dialogue this time around. Previously, we just laughed along with Deadpool’s dialect coach jokes; now, we can do that while appreciating exactly what Gambit was trying to communicate.

We should not, of course, expect much in the way of major revelations from this closed-captions-enabled take on Remy LeBeau. Even if there was, very few things would exceed the mileage of that tease where Gambit found his way back to his home dimension courtesy of the Marvel sparkly circle.

What Gambit’s lines do offer, however, is a glimpse into what his universe could have possibly been like; we audiences never got to see the Gambit film that Tatum was attached to for so long, and so there’s no guarantee that it even belonged to the Fox continuity. That canon, of course, had the role of Gambit populated by one Taylor Kitsch.

It’s true that Tatum’s Gambit has no memory of his home dimension in Deadpool & Wolverine, and so we’ll probably only be able to infer so much with this new grasp on his dialogue. That said, a lack of information has hardly ever prevented the Marvel fandom from falling in love with reignited possibility, and the (slim) possibility of some new pocket of the Marvel cinematic multiverse is very easy to fall in love with indeed (for the love of God, Feige, you need to compartmentalize just like all the franchises that are better than yours!).

All this to say, we might as well get a head-start on fan-casting Rogue and Mister Sinister. Ellie Kemper and Orlando Bloom, you’re up.

As for those of you who somehow still haven’t acted upon your desire to see Deadpool & Wolverine on the big screen, you still have a chance to fulfill such a thing as the film hasn’t quite left theaters yet, but time is ticking.

Channing Tatum has had a great career. After fans first saw his adorable face in She’s The Man and his enviable dance moves in Step Up, he went stratospheric with Magic Mike. He’s moved seamlessly between action and comedy since then but his film has a truly strange and ridiculous plot. And no, it’s not another Magic Mike movie, although more than a few people would be happy to hear about that!

Deadline reported that Tatum and Kirsten Dunst are starring in Roofman, which is about a man who robbed several McDonald’s… and put employees in the fast food chain’s freezers while doing so.

In a world of remakes, I’m all about a movie plot that makes you stop and think, but this… is a bit much. As X @breezybetter07 pointed out, does anyone want to watch this? That seems like a rhetorical question. Many s had the same reaction and were stunned by this, um, unique story.

A few people posted on X that they would watch Roofman because of Dunst’s talent, which, okay, I totally get. Bring It On will always be a fun cheerleading movie and it’s been cool seeing Dunst’s career evolve. But she has given such awesome performances in strong movies like The Virgin Suicides and Civil War, so why sign onto this truly bizarre film?!

But wait! This is a true story! Yes, really. As Deadline pointed out, Jeffrey Manchester hid in a North Carolina-based Toys R Us and Circuit City after ecaping jail in 2004. He forced employees to go into the freezers (I’m still fixated on this point…) and stole from 60 McDonald’s locations. According to SF Gate, he used power tools and drills to cut a hole in the roof of these fast food spots so he could enter. He has been in a North Carolina prison since 2004 and his release date is set for 2036.

The strangest part of this whole thing? People keep describing Manchester as a nice, non-violent thief. A manager at one McDonald’s location told SF Gate “He was polite, he was apologizing.” How did that conversation go? “I’m sorry I’m robbing you… but I’m still going to do that and, oh yeah, also force you into the freezer"> function myFunc(currentPage, tableId) { let loading = true; let data = { action: 'azp_product_table__pagination_ajax', route: 'get_formated_products', currentPage: currentPage, tableID: tableId, } let loader = '

Channing Tatum and Zoë Kravitz are reported to have been dating since 2021 and are now engaged. During their time together, they tried to keep their coupling as private as possible, so when Tatum shared a glimpse into his relationship (he also happened to be shirtless when he did it), it was met with great excitement from fans and their celebrity friends.

The Magic Mike actor posted a sweet photo on Instagram showing Kravitz asleep in his arms while he looks into the camera, sans shirt. He shared his thoughts in the caption with an emotional message about his iration and love for his fiancée.

“This little sweet. She So tired bro. Every time I wondered if she’d break…. She just kept going and going and going,” he wrote. “Always on the dig for truth. She pour’d every single ounce of her into this film. I’m so proud to stand ten toes down for her, this film and everyone in it. forever. Knowing what it took to make it. No one will ever know. Thank you for finding me and seeing me. I got you forever. Me and you back to back against it all. I’ll never blink. Let’s go.”

In his caption, he references the 2024 thriller Blink Twice! Channing is the film’s star, playing the role of Slater King, and Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum are credited with writing the script. It was also her directorial debut.

Fans react to Channing Tatum’s message of

The post’s comment section has been flooded with messages of for the couple. “Damn! This makes me want to run through a wall in the name of love!” Adam Devine wrote. Hailey Bieber also shared her thoughts, writing, “my faves.”

Other comments include “My heart… it’s giving safe safe space and contentment,” “Catwoman & Gambit is the love story we all needed,” and “It’s this vibe or nothing ladies!!”

Although the reactions have been about Channing Tatum and Zoë Kravitz, this is Kravitz’s moment, and she put her heart and soul into bringing the film to life — and it didn’t happen overnight!

“I worked on the script for such a long time — I started writing in 2017, and we shot the movie in 2021,” Kravitz told Entertainment Weekly. In her chat with the publication, she also revealed how her directorial debut came about.

“I feel like that journey of just being so engrossed in the creation process, by the time we were really talking about actually making the film, I could see this world and these characters so clearly in my mind, and I didn’t feel like I would be able to handle trusting somebody else to bring this to life,” the actress shared. “So it felt directing was something I always knew I wanted to do, and this just felt like the most natural progression in of just the situation I found myself in.”

Kravitz’s hard work paid off because the film has received rave reviews online.

Celebrities are not like us, as much as we’d like to lie to ourselves. They live a lifestyle that’s completely unattainable for most of us, unless we were born into wealth or won the lottery. However, they sometimes try so hard to prove they’re relatable and their attempts fail miserably, and now Channing Tatum has just made a very weird ission.

In the aftermath of Lily Allen’s intense backlash after revealing that she returned her rescue dog after eating their ports, Channing Tatum has a different story. While it won’t pull our animal-loving heartstrings, it is quite cringe and it makes you realize that we hold celebrities to a completely different standard.

After the success he had with his cameo as Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine, Channing Tatum now leads Zoë Kravitz’s Blink Twice, a psychological thriller, and Kravitz’s directorial debut. To promote the film, Tatum also had an interview with GQ, explaining the 10 essentials he can’t live without, and revealing the household chores he goes above and beyond to avoid.

Channing Tatum hates doing laundry more than you do

Let’s it it, there are many household chores that we dread. Whether it’s doing the dishes, cleaning the toilet, or taking out the trash, there is something that makes us procrastinate until the very last moment so we could avoid doing this task. However, eventually, you have to do it, especially if you live alone and can’t guilt-trip anyone else into doing it (please, don’t do this, either).

However, we all assume things are different for celebrities. With a generous, above-average income, and opportunities most of us don’t have, the rich and famous have people around to help them with anything — personal security, drivers, chefs, and people who help them clean their homes. Tatum’s absolute no-no? Laundry.

At the 7:55 mark, Tatum explains, “I hate doing laundry. Like, I hate it more than I can possibly say.” After naming a white T-shirt as one of his ultimate essentials, he also revealed his aversion to this essential chore. However, Tatum noted that he went to extreme measures to avoid doing laundry.

“I had one year that I called ‘the year of fresh white tee,’ and I don’t think I did laundry all year that year, and I just wore white T-shirts that I just bought.” He recalled that happened in 19999 or 2000, and explained, “Like I’d be like, I can get like two wears out of this a week, this is gonna be good.” Should we even ask about how he handled underwear or should we assume he purchased new ones every after every single wear?

Fans online couldn’t help but note how absurd his ission is, especially with the conversation surrounding fast fashion and sustainability. People noted, “Would it have been smarter to just hire somebody to do his laundry">

As we all the conversation about how often some celebrities shower, Tatum’s new revelation only leads to more questions, with no answer in sight. Hopefully, he’s learned to operate a washing machine since the 2000s.

Not only is Deadpool & Wolverine the highest-grossing live-action movie of 2024 so far, it’s also speeding its way up the list of the highest-grossing MCU movies of all time (watch out, Iron Man 3 — it’s coming for your #7 slot). In other words, Marvel would be foolish not to capitalize on the craze by immediately fast-tracking a spin-off or fifteen. And, if they want to know where to start, Ryan Reynolds has got them covered.

Wade Wilson himself blew the faithful fandom’s collective mind by sharing a deleted scene from Deadpool 3 on social media — which goes and confirms something that was many an X-Men lover’s greatest wish after leaving the theater. Namely, that Channing Tatum’s irresistible, unintelligible incarnation of Gambit survived the film’s events.

In the 20-second clip, Tatum’s Remy LeBeau is shown wandering through the wreckage of the battle against Cassandra Nova’s forces in the Void, with many a dead mutant littered on the ground (what happens when a Toad is killed by Gambit? The same thing that happens to everything else). He then turns and as a smile creeps onto his face, we see the familiar reflection of a Sling Ring in his eyes. Or, as Reynolds dubbed it, a “Marvel Sparkle Circle.”

In other words, Gambit hopped into a multiversal portal and returned to his own world — probably the same universe that Deadpool and Wolverine hail from — which suddenly skyrockets Tatum’s likelihood of returning to the role. In effect, Reynolds himself posting this deleted scene feels like something of a promise to fans that we haven’t seen the last of Gambit.

The fans are so happy, Kevin Feige had better deliver on what they’re asking for.

And that’s, of course, a Gambit solo movie. I mean, Tatum’s only been waiting over a decade for one.

Don’t forget that Reynolds also wants Wesley Snipes to get another Blade movie. Is he single-handedly starting his own nostalgic cinematic universe, aka the NCU?

Let’s also spare a thought for fans of Taylor Kitsch’s Gambit in this difficult time… Yes, they do exist.

You want more proof that this is canon? This same scene can be glimpsed via a TVA monitor in Deadpool 3‘s post-credits scene.

Sure, Ryan Reynolds is just one man, and one man can’t move the mountain that is the MCU. And yet this is the man who successfully got himself recast as Deadpool after the character was (figuratively and literally) mutilated in X-Men Origins: Wolverine and then turned that into a mega-earning franchise that has now restarted Marvel’s box office dominance all on its lonesome. If anyone can get Channing Tatum his own Gambit movie, it’s him.

We certainly haven’t seen the last of Wade or Logan in the MCU, and the chances are looking good they might bring their main man with a Minions dialect coach with them, too. Or else a lot of fans are going to be very, very angry. And Marvel won’t like them when they’re angry…

Previously known as Pussy Island, Blink Twice shows Zoë Kravitz‘s exceptional filmmaking skills in her directorial debut. The movie also makes a compelling argument for giving Channing Tatum more antagonist roles.

In Blink Twice, Naomi Ackie is Frida, a waitress who daydreams about living a life of luxury like the one everyone seems to be living on social media. Her chance comes after she devises a daring plan to infiltrate the gala of Slater King (Tatum), a handsome, reclusive billionaire who lives on a private island away from public scrutiny. The naive party crasher gets more than she ever hoped for when Slater invites her and her colleague Jess (Alia Shawkat) to return with him to his island. Of course, they are both eager to jump at the opportunity of a lifetime.

Blink Twice’s premise already lets audiences know what to expect. Frida and Jess are nobodies taken to an island without internet reception, where they are asked to give away their phones. Lured by fancy clothes, haute cuisine, and designer drugs, the duo enjoys every day as a repeating dream. Yet strange things happen on the island, teasing the dark purpose of the tropical paradise. The movie follows Frida as she unravels the mystery, building up the tension until all hell breaks loose.

Unless you’ve been skipping every buzzy release of the past decade, Kravitz’s directorial debut will most likely feel familiar. After all, this is not the first time innocent people are dragged into a puzzling conspiracy that doubles down as an analysis of a social issue. As such, for better or worse, there will be direct comparisons between Blink Twice and Don’t Worry Darling, and The Menu, to name a few. That doesn’t mean Kravitz’s movie has nothing fresh to say.

From the opening scene, where Slater apologizes for his reckless behavior, Blink Twice makes it clear this is a movie about Western sexism and how men in power think they are entitled to objectify women. It’s also about how the immorally wealthy commoditize human lives for their pleasure. More interesting, though, is how Blink Twice discusses ability in the post #MeToo world. 

Oppressive systems tend to evolve, finding new crevices into which they can slither their tentacular reach. That’s also true for the patriarchy, with people appropriating social media as a means of building their apologetic and rehabilitated image after their scornful behavior is exposed. This tension is at the core of Blink Twice, allowing it to offer a contemporary tale of gender struggles.

Nevertheless, the most intriguing aspect of Blink Twice’s script is how it shows the impact of social media on abusive cycles. For instance, some could argue that peer pressure is less relevant in an era where everyone has recording devices in their pockets, and cancel culture is a thing – no one wants to go viral for forcing another person to do something against their will. Yet, Blink Twice shows how peer pressure is fed by the high expectations set by social media. 

Every day, we are bombarded by videos, pictures, and posts that reflect a life standard everyone should supposedly strive for by any means necessary. So, when someone in power tells Frida she’s free to do whatever she wants, the waitress feels she must put herself in danger if she ever wants to fit in. In short, Frida makes questionable choices, pressured by people who can keep pretending to be kind and comforting when everyone knows what’s truly at stake, and what refusing another pill means.

With such a rich tapestry, Blink Twice‘s story could have invited the audience to weigh in on its themes. Instead, the movie underestimates the viewer, and adds many dialogue lines that explain the subtext without pushing the story forward. These “on the nose” moments represent the worst aspect of Blink Twice, which is otherwise an engaging psychological thriller. This is the first feature script signed by co-writers Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum, which explains the movie’s visible anxiety about ensuring everyone gets the message. Still, more confidence would make Blink Twice hit harder as a viewing experience.

Even if Blink Twice’s script is far from revolutionary, Kravitz is an overachiever in direction. Although this is her first movie, Kravitz imprints her voice in dynamic camera work and meticulous framing, creating beautiful images overflowing with intention. Everything has a purpose, and Blink Twice is the rare movie that fits perfectly in its runtime, unraveling everything it teases without unnecessary bloat. That’s quite a feat for a directorial debut, and points to a promising career for Kravitz behind the camera.

Furthermore, as a thriller, Blink Twice has a long build-up, during which Kravitz sows mistrust long before the audience reaps the horrors hiding beneath the surface. The payoff reveals the unnerving truths of Slater’s island, forcing you to rethink the seemingly unremarkable visual clues Kravitz planted since the beginning. When Frida’s vacation spirals out of control, Kravitz masterfully reframes the ordinary to make it look scary, conjuring a sense of foreboding that renders the theater atmosphere thick with unease.

Beyond its script’s shortcomings, Blink Twice is fun to watch because Kravitz runs a tight ship. The sound work is marvelous, and the editing quickly jumps between scenes without ever harming the pacing, giving the movie energy it sustains until the credits roll. Nocturnal scenes could use additional lighting, but that issue has plagued Hollywood for quite some time, especially in genre cinema.

It’s also interesting to approach Kravitz’s directorial debut, knowing she has much experience as an actress. That’s probably why she squeezes brilliant performances from the whole cast. Ackie’s Frida is, as expected, at the front and center, embodying the delusions of a blue-collar worker who feels in her bones she deserves a lavish lifestyle. Adria Arjona also deserves special praise for her role as Sarah, a jealous woman competing for Slate’s affection. Especially in the final stretch of Blink Twice, Arjona becomes quite the show-stealer.

The movie’s biggest surprise, though, is Tatum. Due to his dreamy complexion and friendly personality, Tatum is almost exclusively cast as a heroic figure with a great sense of humor. He has proved himself to be a fabulous action man several times, and it’s always a delight to see him cracking jokes in comedy productions. However, he was never asked to play a dubious character like Slater. 

In Blink Twice, Tatum plays a billionaire with sweet words and a shiny smile, who the whole world sees as a reformed playboy. He’s self-conscious, empathic, and ive. Yet, in each scene, Tatum must show hints of a dark persona beneath the façade of a nice guy, since Blink Twice’s plot revolves around the question of whether – and how – Slate is a villain. That’s a tough act to balance, but Tatum knocks it out of the park.

Tatum’s performance is nothing short of extraordinary, and a particular monologue in the third act is just chilling. Hopefully, after Blink Twice, Hollywood will allow Tatum to stretch different acting muscles, because he’s proven he can take much more than he’s been given so far. So, while there is a lot to love in Blink Twice, Tatum’s presence alone is more than enough to justify the ticket price.

What is the best cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, and why is it Channing Tatum as Gambit? Although, on paper, having Henry Cavill as Wolverine Cavillerine and Chris Evans back as Johnny Storm should rank higher on the fan-service scale, somehow seeing the Magic Mike man dressed up as Remy LeBeau after literal decades of dying to play this character meant the most to hardcore Marvel-loving audiences.

With the Gambit gambit proving to be one of the most talked-about elements of the blockbuster threequel, is there a chance that Tatum’s long-held dream of starring in his very own movie as the card-carrying Cajun could finally come true? Who knows, but you’d better believe that he’s going to do his utmost to make it happen. Just nobody tell him that Kevin Feige might’ve already made up his mind…

Channing Tatum has talked to Kevin Feige about a Gambit movie, but Marvel’s X-Men reboot plans may kill it off (uh, again)

Variety caught up with Tatum on the red carpet of the premiere of his new movie, Blink Twice, at West Hollywood’s DGA, and naturally the topic of Gambit came up. When asked if his Deadpool & Wolverine walk-on part could possibly lead to the manifestation of a solo film as the much-loved mutant, after a decade since it was first pitched over at Fox, Tatum revealed that he’s hopeful for his chances.

“I sure hope so. From your mouth to God’s ears. Write it into existence, my friend. Please,” Tatum stated, before itting that he’s definitely spoken with Marvel Studios about the idea. “I’ve course I’ve said it. I’ve been saying I want it for the last 10 years. It’s in Bob Iger and Kevin Feige’s hands. I pray to God.”

This is exciting to hear, but it should be noted that Marvel is also in the midst of developing an X-Men reboot, with screenwriter Michael Lesslie already working on the script. The key word there is “reboot,” with this expected to be a full relaunch of the superhero team set on Earth-616, so not a continuation of the Foxverse visited in Deadpool 3. What’s more, rumors indicate that the film could even introduce a new version of Gambit — Remy and Kitty Pryde are two characters currently linked to the reboot’s X-Men roster.

It’s possible that the MCU could be big enough for two Gambits — or three, including the X-Men ’97 version — but Tatum should maybe prepare himself for his D&W cameo to stand as his reward for trying to get a Gambit movie off the ground for years rather than a hint that it’s finally happening. But still, you have his number, Kevin Feige. it.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine and will remind you that X-Men: Apocalypse exists.

Deadpool & Wolverine didn’t exactly feature all of the Marvel multiversal cameos we expected to see — no Halle Berry or Tom Hiddleston or even Taylor Swift — but it definitely served up some more we absolutely did not see coming that left a lot of jaws dropped on theater floors like so many popcorn kernels.

OK, spoilers incoming in 3, 2, 1… Three of Deadpool 3‘s most epic appearances came courtesy of Wade Wilson and Logan’s allies in the Void, known as the Others. These rebels fighting Cassandra Nova’s command over the realm full of reject variants included Dafne Keen’s X-23 — as given away by the trailers — but also Wesley Snipes’ Blade. Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, and, wait, is that Channing Tatum as Gambit?

For those not well-versed in the behind-the-scenes intricacies of Fox’s X-Men universe, the guy from Magic Mike showing up as that X-Men ’97 character with the laser playing cards must’ve been the weirdest moment of the movie — which is saying something in a film that opens to an NSYNC-synced grave desecration. So why does Channing Tatum play Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine?

Oh, you are going to be so sorry you asked.

Channing Tatum has been trying to play Gambit for almost 20 years, and finally, the universe has cut him a break

Somehow, Deadpool 3 was only Gambit’s second-ever live-action appearance, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. 2002’s X2 originally featured a Remy LeBeau scene, as played by stunt performer James Bamford, but director Bryan Singer ultimately cut it as he felt the character deserved to be played by a bigger actor in a sequel — Singer’s preferred choice was Keanu Reeves.

As it happened, Singer ultimately exited the franchise and Brett Ratner helmed 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand in his stead. Josh Holloway was briefly Ratner’s top choice for Gambit but his Lost commitments prevented him from g up. Enter a young Tatum, fresh off She’s the Man, to snap up the role. Tragically for him, however, the part was cut from the finished film before he was officially cast. This pretty much set the template for how the rest of his history with the character was going to go for the next decade.

Come 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Gambit was finally locked into the story, but in a cruel twist of fate, Tatum was busy making G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, which meant Taylor Kitsch had to step into the role. Tatum was not a fan of Kitsch’s attempt at a Cajun accent. “I’m from New Orleans, around that area. My dad’s from New Orleans, and I like to do a Cajun accent. I could do it for real,” Tatum said. Anyone who’s seen Deadpool & Wolverine may beg to differ.

Fast forward to 2014, and with the MCU in full swing, Fox was looking to expand its X-Men universe. Finally, Tatum’s luck seemed to be changing as a Gambit solo movie was commissioned, with his character intended to cameo in 2016’s X-Men: Apocalypse before spinning off into his own feature. Tatum even appeared alongside the cast at San Diego Comic-Con 2015. In an even more embarrassing echo of his Last Stand experience, though, Gambit was removed from the final film.

Even so, the Gambit movie was still going ahead… the only problem was that no one wanted to make it. Tatum personally reached out to Bennett Miller, Darren Aronofsky, Gareth Evans, and J.C. Chandor but they all turned him down. Then, in June 2015, Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) signed on to helm, only to back out again that September when he became “skittish” over Fox interfering too much with the script. Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow) replaced him in November 2015, with his vision described as a marriage of “heist movie” and “sexy thriller.” Lea Seydoux was cast as the female lead.

But, guess what, Liman also jumped ship the next July — ironically, to direct another superhero movie that never happened, DC’s Dark Universe. After an extensive search, Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) stepped in come November 2017, only to vanish again by January 2018 — with creative differences once again cited for the parting. At this point, Tatum essentially went “screw it” and decided to direct the thing himself, partnering up with frequent collaborator Reid Carolin to do so. Meanwhile, Lizzy Caplan had replaced Seydoux and Lil Rey Howery was also on board. Now Gambit was less of a sexy heist-thriller and more of a romcom that apparently “subverted” superhero tropes.

Then, of course, came the real apocalypse — no, not Oscar Isaac’s Ivan Ooze-alike but Disney’s 2019 acquisition of Fox, which officially ended all X-Men projects in the works as Marvel Studios swallowed up the rights. That really seemed to be the end of it, but somehow, someway, Tatum finally got his chance to bring his Gambit to life in Deadpool & Wolverine. Apparently, we all have Ryan Reynolds to thank (or maybe blame) for that.

After all those false starts, crushed hopes, and multiple banishments to development hell, Channing Tatum has finally made his first — and, let’s face it, probably last — stand as Gambit. Congrats, mon ami!

Warning: The following article contains spoilers for a major cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine.

Deadpool & Wolverine is a lot of fun. It is action-packed, funny, and expands the Marvel Cinematic Universe significantly. Perhaps most excitingly, the movie is full to the brim with cameos and Easter eggs from the wider live-action Marvel multiverse.

Some of the major cameos from previous non-MCU Marvel movies include Wesley Snipes’ Blade, Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, Dafne Keen’s X-23, Chris Evans’ Johnny Storm, Aaron Stanford’s Pyro, Tyler Mane’s Sabretooth, and Jason Flemyng’s Azazel.

However, arguably the most exciting (and best) cameo came from an actor/character combination that didn’t previously exist — although it has been rumored for many years.

Channing Tatum appeared as Gambit as part of the “Others” to fight alongside Deadpool, Wolverine, Elektra, Blade, and X-23 against Cassandra Nova’s forces in the Void. The Time Variance Authority had pruned them all to the ominously named metaphysical purgatory.

But what made Tatum’s cameo as the Cajun mutant with the ability to generate and manipulate kinetic energy so great?

Why was Channing Tatum’s Gambit so good?

One of the main reasons Tatum’s Gambit is so good is because of the faux nostalgia the audience feels with him on screen. The Magic Mike star may not have played Gambit before, but he was meant to play the character in 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine before leaving the project due to budget cuts and was replaced by Taylor Kitsch.

He was then in line to get his own Gambit film as the character, but it never happened due to scheduling conflicts and other complications leading to development hell. That it finally has happened is brilliant fan service and made the cameo all the more satisfying.

However, more to the point, Tatum’s Gambit is a damn good portrayal of the iconic X-Men character. His look is entirely on point — far more so than Kitsch’s version of the character — with the iconic Gambit headband getting its first live-action outing.

His Cajun accent is tremendous and funny, capturing the essence of comic book Gambit’s often inaudible speech. Throwing in the occasional French word amidst the garbled English is also brilliant attention to detail. The whole thing made for some hilarious reactions from Deadpool, who suggested the Minions were his dialect coaches.

Finally, the depiction of Gambit’s powers is executed superbly — his playing card finishing move was outrageous. It’s awesome to see him dance around Cassandra Nova’s forces amidst a sea of violet-colored energy.

There’ll never be a better depiction of Gambit on screen. Demands for Tatum to finally star in an eponymous movie as the character will undoubtedly reemerge. If you’re still looking for a reason to go and watch Deadpool & Wolverine (as if you need any more), Tatum’s appearance as Gambit should undoubtedly be enough.