"Channing Tatum's Gambit Film: A '30s Screwball Rom-Com in Superhero Setting Cancelled"

Channing Tatum's much-anticipated Gambit movie, which was ultimately canceled, was set to bring a unique twist to the superhero genre by embracing a '30s screwball romantic comedy vibe, according to actress Lizzy Caplan. In a recent interview with Business Insider, Caplan, who was slated to star alongside Tatum, described the film's concept as "a really cool idea."

Tatum's journey to portray the beloved X-Men character Gambit has been fraught with challenges. After the 2019 Disney-Fox merger, the project was scrapped, leaving Tatum feeling "traumatized" and uncertain about ever getting the chance to play the card-wielding mutant. However, his surprise cameo in the MCU blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine has reignited hopes among fans.

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Caplan, who was cast as the female lead in the Gambit movie back in 2017, shared that she had signed on for the film and had discussions with Tatum about it. "We got down the road, we were gonna shoot it," she revealed. "I think there was a start date."

In 2018, Simon Kinberg, the producer behind the Gambit project, told IGN that the film would have a "romantic or sex comedy vibe," a direction that aligned well with Gambit's character as a charismatic hustler and womanizer. "When you look at Gambit," Kinberg explained, "he’s a hustler and a womanizer and we just felt like there was an attitude, a swagger to him, that lent itself to romantic comedy."

Confirming this vision, Caplan recently elaborated, "They wanted to do, like, a '30s kind of screwball romantic comedy set in that world, which would have been really fun."

As for what lies ahead for Tatum and Gambit, Marvel Studios has yet to provide any concrete updates, though they have confirmed the eventual integration of the X-Men into the MCU. Last August, Ryan Reynolds, the star of Deadpool, fueled speculation among Gambit fans by tweeting a high-quality version of a scene from Deadpool & Wolverine that had been difficult to see in theaters.

Warning! Deadpool & Wolverine spoilers follow.