Gambit set to return in MCU’s X-Men movie, but there’s a catch

Deadpool & Wolverine’s biggest surprise, Gambit, may finally be joining the X-Men for a movie, but it could be missing one crucial component: Channing Tatum.

Even before the Deadpool & Wolverine cameo, Gambit was one of the X-Men‘s most popular characters, and it looks like he’ll finally join the X-Men in the MCU. However, it also seems likely the MCU will recast the role, as it will reportedly be a reboot.

Scooper DanielRPK has reported that Gambit and Kitty Pryde are slated to be the focus of the MCU’s upcoming X-Men reboot. Given this will be the MCU’s own take on the X-Men, all signs point to the inevitable recasting of the role.

The Gambit cameo has quickly become one of the most popular aspects of Deadpool & Wolverine. Fans are praising Tatum’s earnest performance, from his comics-accurate costume to his spot-on Cajun accent.

While Gambit, along with the rest of The Others, are implied to have survived the events of Deadpool & Wolverine, the role will likely still be recast after Secret Wars. Marvel has already set a standard that its fan-pleasing casting is for one-off cameos, such as John Krasinski’s Reed Richards paving the way for Pedro Pascal.

If the role is recast, it would mark the third live-action Gambit. Tatum was originally slated to play the role for 2009’s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but scheduling conflicts led to Friday Night Lights star Taylor Kitsch taking on the role.

Years later, Tatum resurfaced, attached to the role again for both a solo film and multiple X-Men film appearances. However, the project remained in development hell as the X-Men franchise declined critically and commercially and was canceled after Disney purchased 20th Century Fox.

A recasting of Kitty Pryde would also mark her fourth live-action iteration. The character was played by Sumela Kay and Katie Stuart in X-Men and X2, respectively, before Elliot Page took over the role for 2006’s X-Men: The Last Stand and 2014’s X-Men: Days of Future Past.

If you were born ready for Gambit, you can still catch him throwing cards in Deadpool & Wolverine in theaters now, and you can read our full rundown of Deadpool & Wolverine’s box office haul so far.

You can also check out the most valuable Deadpool comic book art ever, Henry Cavill’s Cavillrine reveal, the best MCU movies according to science and our ranking of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s movies.