Gambit: The Screwball Romantic Comedy That Never Was

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Actress Lizzy Caplan, who starred in the now-canceled Marvel project titled “Gambit“, shared fresh insights about the movie that never came to be. It turns out that if produced, “Gambit” was intended to be a 1930s-style romantic comedy with a screwball twist, featuring Channing Tatum in the lead role as Gambit, which we already knew. Unfortunately, the production of “Gambit” never materialized, but Tatum eventually got to portray his character in “Deadpool & Wolverine”, which somewhat resembled a romantic comedy, offering a glimpse of what could have been for “Gambit”.

Caplan mentioned, “They intended to create a 1930s-style screwball romantic comedy within the given context, which sounds delightful. Considering Channing Tatum’s ability to play charismatic romantic comedy leads, adding a superhero role to that mix would have been even more captivating.

The project named “Gambit” began brainstorming in 2014 and remained stuck in development limbo until 2019, when Disney decided to postpone Channing Tatum’s role in the film indefinitely. It is currently unclear what Caplan’s part in the movie will be, but she has disclosed that the film had advanced considerably before Disney acquired 20th Century Fox. Earlier on, it was believed that the movie didn’t move beyond script development, but Caplan clarified that it actually progressed more than that. She recently disclosed some details about its production.

It was an incredibly fascinating concept, yet surprising that it wasn’t carried out. Normally, such movies aren’t abandoned, but this one was. We moved forward with the project, ready to film it. I believe there was even a start date set. I had discussions with Channing and other producers about it, and we had a director initially, but things changed along the way. There were also several different versions of the project in development.

Channing Tatum has openly shared his disappointment about the cancellation of the Gambit film. To be frank, he’s not just sad; he’s deeply affected because of his passion for the character. As a result, he’s stopped watching Marvel movies. Simon Kinberg, one of the producers for the movie, shares similar sentiments, stating that the genre would have had a “romantic or comedic tone,” as he told IGN. Previously, screenwriter Reid Carolin described the project as a “mutant Goodfellas.” So, please, give us (and Channing Tatum) the Gambit movie soon; we’re all eagerly waiting!

Following Tatum’s portrayal of Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine, there are reports indicating that Disney is pleased with his acting. Ryan Reynolds mentioned, “I can’t say for sure what happens when the doors close for budget talks at Marvel, but I do know they’re really fond of him in this role.” Let’s hope it’s a sign of things to come, and we might see a Gambit movie revived soon. Given his successful performance so far, perhaps Disney will be more motivated to produce a Gambit film these days.

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2025-03-01 01:02