Channing Tatum’s Canceled Gambit Movie Had a '30s Screwball Romantic Comedy Vibe Set in the Superhero World

Lizzy Caplan reveals Channing Tatum's scrapped Gambit film was envisioned as a 1930s screwball romantic comedy within the superhero genre.

In a recent interview with Business Insider, Caplan, who was slated to star opposite Tatum, described the project as possessing "a really cool idea." Tatum's long-fought attempt to bring the popular X-Men character to the screen ultimately faltered following the 2019 Disney-Fox merger, leaving him reportedly "traumatized" by the experience. His eventual, albeit brief, appearance as Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine came as a surprise.

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Caplan confirmed her commitment to the project as far back as 2017, stating that she'd signed on and even held meetings with Tatum. "We got down the road, we were gonna shoot it," she shared. "I think there was a start date.”

Producer Simon Kinberg previously hinted at the film's comedic direction, telling IGN in 2018 that it would have a "romantic or sex comedy vibe," aligning with Gambit's character traits. "When you look at Gambit," Kinberg explained, "he’s a hustler and a womanizer and we just felt like there was an attitude, a swagger to him, that lent itself to romantic comedy."

Caplan corroborated this vision, stating, "They wanted to do, like, a '30s kind of screwball romantic comedy set in that world, which would have been really fun."

The future of Tatum's Gambit remains uncertain, though Marvel Studios has confirmed the X-Men's imminent arrival in the MCU. Last August, Ryan Reynolds' tweet of a high-quality Deadpool & Wolverine scene reignited fan speculation.

Warning! Deadpool & Wolverine spoilers follow.