Spoilers for Deadpool & Wolverine
In 2014, Channing Tatum was cast to play the beloved X-Men character Gambit in what was supposed to be a Gambit standalone movie. After five years in limbo, the project was scrapped when Disney either merged with or diverged from whatever timeline we shifted to in 2016 (the jury’s still out), and bought out 21st Century Fox. Channing, who is a Gambit fan, was devastated. Enter Ryan Reynolds. Deadpool & Wolverine, starring Ryan and Hugh Jackman, is heavy on the multiverse and timeline. As such, it has been dedicated to righting some of the wrongs done to actors on this timeline. (See: Henry Cavill, whose f-ck you cameo to DC is perfection.) In the movie, Channing got his own sliver of redemption, finally getting the chance to play the character that got away. He’s so grateful for the opportunity, and gives Ryan all the credit.
Channing Tatum’s love for Ryan Reynolds goes deep. On Monday, the “21 Jump Street” star posted a pair of Instagram photos that showed him and the “Deadpool” actor attending San Diego Comic-Con back in 2015 and almost a whole decade later at this weekend’s event.
The now-and-then snapshots were teamed with a heartfelt caption in which Tatum thanked his friend for supporting him through thick and thin. Writing about how he witnessed the first preview of the first “Deadpool” movie at Comic-Con nearly 10 years ago, the “Magic Mike” star remembered, “I ran back stage right after and found him and I think I just hugged him and was like holy shit you did it man.”
“It’s perfect,” he said of the full-circle moment. “I didn’t know him really at all back then. But since then I can say that there is almost no one that has had my back in this industry more than Ryan.”
Tatum, who appears in the new “Deadpool & Wolverine” as the X-Men character Gambit, then thanked Reynolds for helping him make his superhero dreams a reality.
“I thought I had lost Gambit forever,” he said, referring to how he was first cast as the Cajun mutant in a standalone Gambit film only for the project to be shelved by Disney in 2019.
“But he fought for me and Gambit,” Tatum said. “I will owe him probably forever. Cause I’m not sure how I could ever do something that would be equal to what this has meant to me.”
“I love ya buddy. Shawn Levy as well,” he wrote, giving a shoutout to “Deadpool & Wolverine” director Levy. “Truly such a brilliant creator on every single level.”
“All things happen for a reason. I’m so grateful to be in this movie,” the “Fly Me to the Moon” actor added. “It’s a masterpiece in my opinion. And just pure bad ass joy. I was literally screaming in the theater. LFG!!”
Reynolds’ help finally getting Gambit onto the screen clearly meant the world to Tatum, who previously told Variety that when his initial X-Men project was canceled, he was so heartbroken he couldn’t bear to watch anything from the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
“Once Gambit went away, I was so traumatized… I shut off my Marvel machine,” he said in 2022. “I haven’t been able to see any of the movies. I loved that character. It was just too sad. It was like losing a friend because I was so ready to play him.”
You can tell just how grateful Channing is for finally getting the chance to play Gambit. We hear stories about how disappointed actors are when projects they have their hopes on don’t work out, so I’m happy for Channing. I know that Ryan isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but he really does have a reputation for being there for his coworkers and friends. Everyone needs a friend like that. He and Tatum have also appeared together in Free Guy, Bullet Train, and Calamity Hustle, so when Channing says Ryan has his back, it’s based on an actual friendship and working relationship. The way they were cleverly able and allowed to fit in all of the appearances and cameos into Deadpool & Wolverine was really fun. Since Marvel is in the process of retooling, I wonder how many of these actors we’ll see in upcoming MCU films. Maybe Channing will get his chance at a Gambit movie after all.
Photos credit: IMAGO/Eventfoto54 / Avalon and Getty
I was glad for him. And they actually made the character pretty cool in the time he had. I’m not sure about as a lead but the character has potential. He’s a great foil for Wolverine in the cartoon…or maybe Wolverine is just a great foil for everyone! 😁
It used to be projects in development were not given splashy convention announcements until they were actually certain. It’s a pretty cringe situation now when they fall apart, as opposed to just quietly going away. At this rate poor Mahershala Ali will only show up as Blade in Deadpool and Wolverine 2! 😬
I really really enjoyed this movie. It was so much fun. And the fan girl in me did little squeals for each cameo. Laura/X23? Yes! Let’s bring her into the mainverse! Cavillrine? Needed that more than I thought I did. (I’m being careful with the spoilers here).
Gambit was a treat. I do hope we see more of the character.
This. I am positive I have not enjoyed a theater experience this much since Rocky Horror Picture Show in the 80s. I screeched “Electra!”, like I was a giddy teenager when she showed up, then just audibly gasped when Blade strolled in.
The way this movie scoffs and says, “What fourth wall?!”, is a total joy!
Comic accurate short king cameo was great too
In one of his books, Stanley Tucci talks about how Ryan visited him in the hospital when he was fighting cancer. Ryan is a real one and he shows up for his people, even when there are no headlines or photos ops involved. That’s very refreshing for Hollywood.
That would be Stanley Tucci’s book “Taste”.
I really enjoyed it. He talked about his battle with cancer. His first wife had died from breast cancer. So he was very familiar with the disease. His tumour was in the back of his tongue. Couldn’t be operated on. So, a brutal treatment plan of chemo, radiation, the works. He lost his sense of taste – a big deal since he loved good food. He couldn’t eat and was on a feeding tube. He & second wife Felicity Blunt were living in England during this time. On his trips to NYC for treatment, they stayed at RR’s apartment which was close to the hospital.
ST’s family home was in Westchester. They had met when RR & BL moved into the neighbourhood and they became close friends.
By the time of ST’s last round of treatment, he was at a his lowest point, convinced he was terminal, and refused to have anyone go with him to the final hospital appointment. He didn’t want wife FB to be told that he was terminal and to witness his devastation. He was surprised that FB didn’t object more, then when he was getting ready to go, RR showed up. RR wouldn’t take no for an answer “the pushiest Canadian I know”. When the doctors announced that he was cancer-free, RR burst into tears. ST claimed he was able to manfully hold his tears in. 🙂
He found out afterwards that FB had gone straight to RR “Please don’t let him go alone.” and RR had said, “He’s not going alone.”
ST said he’ll forever be grateful that RR didn’t let him go to that last appointment alone.
Good news, ST’s sense of taste gradually returned. For me, that added poignancy when I watched his food/travel series “Searching for Italy”.
I had never heard this story before, but I’m crying just reading it. Thanks for sharing.
I loved this movie. It spoke to my inner comic nerd and my inner gossip. Plus, Hugh Jackman isn’t exactly hard to look at.
RR, actor, gentleman and best friend to have around. Wrexham FC players and fans can attest to that too.
I never really paid attention to Ryan Reynolds but the Canada Loves You Back song when he got recognized for all the money and support he’s given Canadian charities had me both crying and becoming a fan.
I am so so glad that I saw this on a random afternoon after getting out of work early – because I laughed uncontrollably in that empty theater, every single time Gambit opened his mouth.
Channing Tatum owned it, and it was absolute Cajun perfection lol
Channing looked SO good in the movie too – everyone’s else’s makeup was a bit weird