There were a lot of sad faces when it hit the circuit that Channing Tatum might not be playing Gambit in the X-Men series after all. We all got our hopes up for a long stretch, got that key first look at Comic-Con (seen above in all of it’s first look glory), and even heard whispers that the Cajun mutant would be making an appearance in X-Men: Apocalypse. Then the world stopped because Tatum couldn’t reach a solid deal.
Luckily that’s all the past now and we can keep moving forward because Channing Tatum is back in as Gambit. The Hollywood Reporter brings us the exclusive details that reveal just what the sticking point for Tatum was in the negotiations and if the rumors of his departure were all just smoke, mirrors, and bullsh*t:
Sources say that Tatum and the studio did hit a sensitive spot in negotiations, but such back-and-forth is a normal part of top-level talent dealmaking. The Magic Mike star’s participation hardly was in any real danger because the actor already had invested quite a bit in the superhero part. Tatum has been attached to the movie (loosely then officially) as both actor and producer for a few years and even made a surprise appearance at Fox’s X-Men panel at Comic-Con in July.
One thing that needed figuring out was the extent of Tatum’s involvement in the X-Men universe. Fox sees Tatum’s Gambit, a mutant who harnesses kinetic energy, as one of the anchor characters of the X-universe, akin to Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine, someone who would anchor his own movies and appear in numerous others. It’s a commitment that could theoretically last more than a decade. (Jackman has been portraying Wolverine since 2000, for instance.)
Sources say that backend compensation was also a sticking point.
The stench in here is heavy, but at least we know C-Tates is back in as the only Gambit we’ll ever need. In fact, I threw together this poorly thought out and hastily slapped together Photoshop image of what I imagine Channing Tatum’s Remy Lebeau will look like:
The Yankee logo and pointy cat ears are key. It’s going to be so good to never have to remember that other guy and his contract full of signatures to play Gambit in that other movie.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter / Variety)