Among the plethora of cameos in Deadpool and Wolverine, Channing Tatum’s surprise appearance as Gambit has become the internet’s latest obsession, adding yet another unforgettable line to his “My name’s Jeff” legacy.
In a recent interview, Tatum talked about his role, which he was cast in a decade ago and had been waiting in the wings. Grateful as ever, he gave a shout-out to Kevin Feige and Ryan Reynolds for giving him this incredible opportunity and an iconic line. Now, fans are buzzing, hoping for more of Tatum’s Gambit, because clearly, once just isn’t enough!
Channing Tatum Thanks Kevin Feige and Ryan Reynolds for Gambit’s Big Break!
Channing Tatum is overflowing with gratitude to Marvel masterminds Kevin Feige and Ryan Reynolds for giving him his chance to shine as Gambit in the latest Deadpool & Wolverine. While the film brought back a slew of iconic characters in their classic suits, Gambit’s moment to shine had been on hold until now.
The internet has not only showered the character with love but also has gone wild over his over-the-top Cajun accent. In a recent chat with Cinema Blend, while promoting his latest project, Blink Twice, directed by his fiancée Zoe Kravitz, Tatum took a moment to thank the creative geniuses behind Deadpool & Wolverine for making this Gambit dream come true. He said,
I am so proud and grateful for that. Kevin Feige and Ryan just gave me the biggest gift of my life.
“Woo, I’m about to make a name for myself here” has undoubtedly become one of the most meme-worthy lines from the movie, instantly seizing its spot in pop culture. Tatum himself admitted he had no clue how iconic the line would become until the internet blew it up. He chuckled about being blissfully unaware of the line’s future fame, only to find out through countless memes and social media posts. He said in the same Cinema Blend chat,
I had no idea that was going to be a meme, no. It’s weird what happens in pop culture like that. Same with ‘My Name Is Jeff.’ Like, it’s such a small moment in the movie. It wasn’t even that funny at the table read. It was like, whatever. –It just goes to show you can’t try to be a meme, you’ve just got to be. And if the meme comes, then the meme comes.
This line only fueled the internet’s hunger for a character many thought had missed its chance in the spotlight. Now, more than ever, fans are clamoring for a Gambit movie, eager to see their favorite Cajun card-slinger finally take center stage.
Why the Gambit Movie Never Made It to the Big Screen?
Channing Tatum’s Gambit has had quite a journey behind the scenes over the decade that in fact led him nowhere until 2024 came around. Originally slated to be a big solo film ten years ago, it was however eventually shelved by Fox due to repeated delays.
Despite Tatum’s enthusiasm and multiple efforts to get the project off the ground, the film remained a no-go, in part due to Gambit’s earlier portrayal by Taylor Kitsch in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which didn’t exactly win over fans. It was really hard for the actor to let go of this project, speaking to Vanity Fair he once said,
It got swallowed up into Disney by way of Marvel when they bought Fox, and ultimately I just think that the tone of the movie we wanted to make was very far from what they wanted to do — or, you know, maybe they’re waiting to see how they do it with us or without us,–We call every once in a while, but we’ve got to spiritually, emotionally, kind of mentally let it go
Fast forward to this year, and the scenario surrounding the character has certainly changed dramatically. With Marvel Studios now holding the X-Men rights, Gambit’s prospects are looking up. With, X-Men ’97, hinting at Gambit’s potential as a superhero, and with the new Deadpool movie winning over fans and reigniting excitement, there’s hope that Gambit might finally get his chance to shine.
Deadpool & Wolverine is playing in theaters.
