Word is buzzing today that ‘X-Men’ producer Lauren Shuler Donner would love to get Channing Tatum to play Gambit in a Wolverine-esque origin story. If you think this sounds like the best course of action, click away now. We’ll wait.
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This is a terrible idea. “Mon Dieu,” as Gambit would say.
Yes, Tatum has been angling for the role since at least last year. But Shuler and Tatum are really confused over the point of Gambit in Marvel lore. The crux of problem? Channing Tatum is good at playing a man’s man. Or a meathead. Or a jock with a heart of gold. Or a stripper with glutes you could bounce quarters off of. Everything about him screams All-American dudebro. Which is literally the opposite of what Gambit’s character is.
Remy LeBeu is less Magic Mike and more Han Solo. A borderline anti-hero equipped with questionable morals and sly smile. A thief who loves women, liquor, and danger. A man who has to use his wits because the mutant powers-that-be were stingy with the steroid muscles. In a sea of spandex women and male power fantasies, Gambit is one of the few superheroes aimed almost directly at the female gaze.
So if you’re going to give us our eye-candy you damn well better get the flavor right!