Channing Tatum Will Rock As Gambit, Says ‘X-Men Origins’ Star Taylor Kitsch
Channing Tatum really wants to portray the classic superhero Gambit in an upcoming motion picture. Although Taylor Kitsch played the character in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, apparently the studio isn’t overly interested in bringing him back.
To be fair, 20th Century Fox and director Gavin Hood got a lot of things wrong with that endeavor. Just ask any self-respecting Deadpool fan about the flick and you’ll get more than you bargained for. It’s not altogether surprising that the studio wants to sweep the flick under the cinematic bed and move forward.
While some people might think Channing Tatum is all wrong for the role, that probably won’t matter much in the wrong run. Tatum is a pretty big box office draw, especially with the ladies. Casting Channing could definitely help give the project a very broad audience. X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner is apparently ready to roll whenever Fox is ready to cough up the production budget.
Taylor Kitsch, who apparently wouldn’t mind tackling the role one more time, isn’t holding a grudge against Channing Tatum. In fact, he told the Chicago Tribune that the 21 Jump Street star will “kill” the role if the studio decides to cast him as the lead.
“But if [Tatum] does it, good on him. He’ll kill it. It’s such a cool character. Whoever plays him will be a lucky guy,” the former Friday Night Lights actor said about Channing’s involvement with the Gambit movie.
He added, “It is what is it. I’m not going to be like ‘Oh my God, why don’t I get to play him?’ If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be. And if not, I’ll move on. If they cast [Tatum], I wish him nothing but the best. I hope he kicks the [crap] out of it.”
Channing Tatum let everyone know that he was ready and willing to play the character while promoting White House Down last year. That declaration essentially crushed any hope Taylor had about reprising the role down the road.
“I would like to play Gambit. Gambit’s my favorite. I’m from New Orleans, around that area. My dad’s from New Orleans, and I like to do a Cajun accent. I could do it for real,” Tatum explained.
He continued, “No knock on Taylor Kitsch, though, ’cause I actually like his Gambit, but I’ve always lived around Cajun people. Gambit was always like the woman-loving, cigarette-smoking, drinking guy. He was the punk rock of all the superheroes. He’s a thief. He kind of rode the line.”
Do you think Channing Tatum is the right guy to play Gambit? Should Taylor Kitsch reprise his role as the superhero in a standalone movie?
[Image via CollegeCandy]
