The next X-Men movie has officially cast a “rogue…a rascal,” a certain Channing Tatum to star as Gambit. A manipulator of kinetic energy and a talented card-thrower, Gambit seems to be a good fit for Tatum, although it’s unclear right now what future movie might feature him.
Tatum has voiced his interest in playing the part of Gambit in previous interviews. In September, while doing press for White House Down, Tatum said, “My dad’s from New Orleans, and I’d like to do the Cajun accent.” His dreams of playing Gambit seem to be coming true.
Producer Lauren Shuler Donner confirmed the casting in an interview (below) with Total Film at the X-Men: Days of Future Past premiere in London. She sees Tatum’s personality as an authentic method of translating Gambit. Donner explained, “And he’s a southerner too …he understands that world, and you know Gambit loves New Orleans.”
Tatum has been known for acting in a mixture of movies driven by both action and romance, breaking into Hollywood with roles in She’s the Man (2006), Step Up (2006), and Dear John (2010), while more recently starring in films such as 21 Jump Street (2012), G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013), and the aforementioned White House Down. Tatum will be seen next in Lord and Miller’s sequel 22 Jump Street, coming June 13, and Bennet Miller’s wrestling story, Foxcatcher, (premiering at Cannes) with the release date of November 14.
It is still unclear as to whether Tatum-as-Gambit will appear alongside other members of the X-Men cannon or in a standalone picture (in a similar fashion to Hugh Jackman in X Men Origins: Wolverine). Gambit previously appeared in that same Wolverine solo outing, played by Taylor Kitsch (John Carter, Lone Survivor), but in a fairly minor supporting role.
Current X-Men fare, X-Men: Days of Future Past is due out May 23.
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