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Channing Tatum was set to be Gambit in X-Men: The Last Stand?

May 22nd, 2014 by Irwin Fletcher Comments

The whole Channing Tatum wanting the Gambit role and X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner wanting him for the role, has been fascinating to keep track of. When was the last time plans for a part in a franchise played out during interviews?

It all started in September, while promoting White House Down Tatum first brings up Gambit. Then in January while speaking with Empire, Shuler Donner said:

“I’m dying to do a Gambit movie with Channing Tatum. That doesn’t have to be a great big movie. It’s a thief in New Orleans, it’s a whole different story. He’s on board, and I have to get the studio on board. How can anyone resist Channing? He’s such a sweetheart.”

Tatum then said in April:

“I met with Lauren Shuler Donner. And I would love it.”

In May Shuler Donner confirmed to Total Film, that Channing Tatum was indeed cast as Gambit.

“I met with Lauren Shuler Donner. And I would love it.

Now it’s revealed that this whole dance may have been going on longer than that.

In the June issue of GQ, Tatum reveals he was nearly cast as Gambit early in his acting career, for 2006′s X-Men: The Last Stand, but then the role was written out of the film. When it came time for the character to make his big-screen debut in 2009′s X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Tatum was busy with G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, so the part went to Taylor Kitsch.

Tatum told the magazine in an interview conducted before last week’s announcement:

“We’re talking about it. I’m proactively sort of going after it. And I feel bad, because I really love Taylor Kitsch as an actor and what he did with the part, but you know, you’ve got the things that you would really love to do and see.”

Tatum reiterated his love of Gambit to GQ, calling the rogue:

“The only superhero I really followed. … He was the most real to me: smoking, drinking, women-loving, thief. He just looked cool to me. I’ve always loved him. And obviously he’s Cajun.”

Gambit will reportedly be introduced in 2016′s X-men: Apocalypse, before getting a solo film

The June issue of GQ, with Tatum on the cover, goes on sale May 27th.

Source: SpinoffOnline

I'm an LA journalist who really lives for his profession. I have also published work as Jane Doe in various mags and newspapers across the globe. I normally write articles that can cause trouble but now I write for FTN because Nerds are never angry, so I feel safe.