“Beyond my wildest dreams”: the role Channing Tatum had been waiting for his entire career
Channing Tatum is developing a bit of a reputation as a cameo king. He turns up in the 2013 comedy This is the End, as a ‘sex slave’ of fellow actor Danny McBride. It’s not the easiest scene to explain, but it is definitely worth watching. He’s picked up a few more unexpected cameos in the meantime, too.
When it comes to surprise Tatum appearances, though, there can be only one winner. In 2024’s Deadpool & Wolverine, the hunky star shocked everyone when he appeared as cult favourite ‘X-Men’ character Remy ‘Gambit’ LeBeau. He is the third in a line of mind-blowing cameos, preceded by Jennifer Garner and Wesley Snipes reprising their long-abandoned roles as Elektra and Blade, respectively. This shocking scene is a comic book movie fan’s dream come true, and easily the highlight of an otherwise terrible film.
Unlike his fellow ‘Legends of the Void’, this was the first time Tatum had played Gambit. His inclusion is a reference to the long-rumoured solo movie that would have seen him bring the card-throwing mutant to life. It’s a genius move and one for the long-term fans, but it also marked a proper ‘pinch me’ moment for the star of Magic Mike.
In an interview with The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Tatum spoke about how Deadpool & Wolverine came together, as well as his upcoming appearance in Avengers Doomsday. He spoke with a real sincerity about his brief role in the film, which also seemed to excite his nearest and dearest.
“People weren’t going nuts for me. I was freaking out, man,” he said (via the Indian Express). “Like standing there on the set and looking around you and thinking, ‘That’s Wolverine, that’s Blade.’ I get to play my favourite character, which is Gambit. I mean, I was the kid who was throwing cards at friends in the living room. I always wanted to be an X-Man, so now to be in the Avengers, it is beyond my wildest dreams.”
It wasn’t just the X-Men, Tatum also auditioned to be Thor but then lost out to Chris Hemsworth. Gambit offered the perfect entry point for him. Prior to 2024, he was one of the biggest Marvel characters not to have a fixed position within the MCU. His only major appearance prior to this was when Taylor Kitsch played him in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. That film was a disaster, leaving the door wide open for Tatum and his questionable Cajun accent.
A new Marvel movie is out next year, and it’ll be a pleasure for him to be a part of. He’ll just be happy to play his dream role again. To paraphrase his own dialogue – do you know how long he’d been waiting for this?
