‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ Deleted Scene Offers Hope for Gambit

Channing Tatum’s superhero character finally got his shot at an on-screen appearance –– and the newly released footage hints at a potential future.

Channing Tatum as Gambit in 'Deadpool & Wolverine'. Photo: Marvel Studios.

Preview:

Ryan Reynolds released a deleted scene from ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’
The moment hints at Channing Tatum’s Gambit escaping the Void.
Tatum has been vocal about his desire to keep playing the character.

Once upon a time, Channing Tatum was going to be Gambit.

That time was 2014, and the actor was signed on to star in and produce a movie about the card-slinging, Cajun-accented X-Men character who had previously been brought to screen in animated form and by Taylor Kitsch in live-action for 20th Century Fox’s ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine.’

Of course, we all know what happened next… or rather, what didn’t happen. The ‘Gambit’ stand-alone lingered in development limbo as filmmakers came and went (Tatum, who later turned to directing, even offered to handle it himself if it would help), and by the time Disney bought Fox, the project was pretty much dead.

Until Deadpool. Yes, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ one of the smash hits of the summer, the movie that has burned through multiple box office records (worldwide total at time of writing? $1.2 billion and counting) finally gave Tatum the chance to play Gambit on screen.

And now the movies’ star/producer/writer Ryan Reynolds has released some deleted footage to social media that offers a hopeful hint for Gambit’s future.

Deadpool & Wolverine

"Come together."

R2 hr 8 minJul 26th, 2024

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What did Ryan Reynolds post about Gambit?

Ryan Reynolds attends the UK Fan Event of Marvel Studios' 'Deadpool & Wolverine' at Eventim Apollo, London on July 11th, 2024. Photo by StillMoving.Net for The Walt Disney Company Limited.

Quick spoiler alert for the four people who have yet to see ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’… near the end of the movie, it’s implied that Gambit, along with some other veteran characters, might have been swallowed by giant cloud creature Alioth.

But it appears that’s not the case for Gambit.

Taking to Instagram, Reynolds put up a snipped scene from the movie, which you can find below:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ryan Reynolds (@vancityreynolds)

In the small moment, we see Gambit walking through the wreckage of Cassandra Nova’s (Emma Corrin) forces, and there is a distinct color behind him, which indicates the presence of a portal (or, as Reynolds puts it both on film and in his caption, a “Marvel Sparkle Circle.”)

What does that mean for Gambit? A potential escape from the Void where he was born.

What has Channing Tatum said about returning as Gambit?

Channing Tatum as Gambit in 'Deadpool & Wolverine'. Photo: Marvel Studios.

In an interview with Variety, Tatum said this about his hopes for returning as the character:

“I would do lots of terrible things to make that happen. I wanted it for the last 10 years. It’s in Bob Iger and Kevin Feige’s hands. I pray to God. Write it into existence, friend.”

He also wrote more directly on social media himself, thanking Ryan Reynolds for the chance to actually play the role, however briefly:

“I thought I had lost Gambit forever. But Ryan fought for me and Gambit. I will owe him probably forever. Cause I’m not sure how I could ever do something that would be equal to what this has meant to me. I love ya buddy…I’m so grateful to be in this movie. It’s a masterpiece in my opinion. And just pure bad ass joy. I was literally screaming in the theater.”

Does this mean we’re getting a Gambit movie?

At the moment, our sad guess would hew closer to negative territory. Even given the popularity of the character and the reception for ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ overall, Marvel’s plans for the mutant characters have yet to be confirmed. So while we’d never say never, we’re also not holding our breath.