The best gifts tend to be unexpected gifts. Channing Tatum, for instance, probably never assumed that he’d get the opportunity to play the card-throwing mutant Gambit in live action before Ryan Reynolds, director Shawn Levy, and Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige knocked on his door with a script for Deadpool and Wolverine. He considers the opportunity to be a gift. Thanks to their efforts, Tatum made a name for himself – and became a new meme – as he brought Gambit to life. When we spoke with Channing on behalf of his starring role in Blink Twice, he had a sweet message for the Deadpool and Wolverine team, which we are happy to share below.
While promoting his role as Tech Bro billionaire in Zoe Kravitz’s directorial debut Blink Twice, the actor finally was able to open up about the secret cameo he’d sat on for an eternity. As it turns out, Channing Tatum was nothing but appreciative for the “gift” that he says Ryan Reynolds gave to him – the realization of a dream he started having years ago. Tatum said to CinemaBlend:
I’m so proud of that. I’m so proud and so grateful for that thing, man. Kevin Feige and Ryan, they just gave me the biggest gift of my life.
What’s even better is that Tatum couldn’t predict that his particular line, “Whoo, I’m about to make a name for myself here,” would become the shareable meme from the movie. A big chunk of that had to be due to his overstated Cajun accent. But as we continued to talk with Tatum, he just had the best reaction to people making that moment a meme – as well as the success he had on that front with a moment from 22 Jump Street.
Now, will Marvel Studios continue to work with Channing Tatum in the role of Gambit in the MCU? This is a dangling plot thread, particularly after Ryan Reynolds leaked a deleted scene that proved that Gambit survived the battle in Deadpool and Wolverine, and appeared to be looking up at a “Marvel Sparkle Circle” that might transport him to a new location outside of The Void… possibly in time for Tatum to join basically every existing Marvel hero in a team-up movie like Avengers: Secret Wars.
Personally, I’d like it if Marvel started over with all new actors when they rebooted the X-Men. However, the success of Deadpool and Wolverine, and particularly the love shown to Hugh Jackman, likely means we are going to get at least one more nod to the existing X-Men cast before an upcoming Marvel movie shifts the MCU totally toward a new Mutant saga. Not The New Mutants. No one liked that movie.
Look for Channing Tatum on screen in both Deadpool and Wolverine and Blink Twice, both in theaters as we speak.
