Deadpool is no stranger to bringing beloved characters into the fold, and according to reports, one fan-favorite Marvel character will finally get their due in Deadpool 3.
Since its announcement, Deadpool has been the center of exciting casting news. After Wolverine's definitive death in 2017’s Logan, Hugh Jackman put away his claws for good. The actor had been playing the role for almost two decades, and his final movie was his swan song. But despite the film being the best X-Men feature, Jackman was enlisted to reprise his role in Deadpool 3.
In addition to a Deadpool 3 cast rumor, the film has already given fans everything they could want. Nonetheless, the rumor mill has kept churning and recently revealed another mutant fans have been clamoring for. According to @mytimetoshine1 on Instagram, Channing Tatum will appear as Gambit in Deadpool 3. A main character in X-Men: The Animated Series, Gambit was most known for his murky past and tortured romance with fellow legacy character, Rogue.
If the rumor is to be believed, this would also be the first time a live-action Gambit has appeared in a feature in over a decade. He previously appeared in the divisive X-Men Origins: Wolverine film, played by Taylor Kitsch. Critics panned the film for many reasons, including Wade Wilson's introduction into the X-Men universe. The failure later encouraged Reynolds to do Wade Wilson right, leading to the current run of Deadpool features.
One of the tragedies of X-Men Origins: Wolverine was its wasted potential. Kitsch's brief portrayal of Gambit was one of the film's highlights. But if Kitsch has aged out of the role, Tatum is not a bad option to replace him. The Magic Mike actor has built a brand on his humorous films, perfect for the tone of Deadpool. In his recent film, The Lost City, he showed talent at comic timing and action sequences needed for the Marvel film. This isn't even the first time Tatum's name has been thrown in the ring to portray the mutant. The actor was slated to be in the tragically canceled Gambit film. But the casting of Tatum is not the issue that may arise with using Gambit for a cameo.
No matter who plays Gambit in the upcoming film, it is not so easy to forget Deadpool's track record with cameos. In Deadpool 2, fans were blessed with seeing an X-Force team onscreen, only for them to be killed off immediately. Even more concerning is that Zazie Beetz will not reprise her character, despite her certainty that Domino would return in another Deadpool film. Fans may be getting the return of Wolverine, but at what cost? To finally bring in Gambit after years of waiting, only for him to be written off would be a travesty. For Gambit's introduction into the MCU, he deserves respect, not some throwaway cameo.
Deadpool 3 is scheduled to be released in theaters on May 3, 2024.
Source: mytimetoshineh1