Marvel’s Deadpool and Wolverine featured a number of returning performers from the 20th Century Fox era of X-Men movies. However, it also included an actor whose X-Men film never escaped development hell before Disney purchased Fox’s entertainment assets in 2019. Now, the performer is sending his thanks to Ryan Reynolds for giving him the chance to finally play his X-Men dream role.
Warning: The following contains spoilers about one of Deadpool and Wolverine’s surprise cameos. If you haven’t seen the movie or don’t want to know which character appeared or who plays him, stop reading now.
Channing Tatum was previously attached to headline the Gambit movie that never got off the ground. That’s why his appearance as Gambit in Deadpool and Wolverine was so surprising.
“I thought I had lost Gambit forever,” wrote Tatum on X. “But [Reynolds] fought for me and Gambit. 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.”
These pictures are almost 10 years apart to the day. I sat in the audience when Ryan Reynolds showed his first peek of Deadpool 1 to the world and I think 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.… pic.twitter.com/B5viY2f7nl
— Channing Tatum (@channingtatum) July 30, 2024
Tatum also extended his thanks to director Shawn Levy for bringing him into the movie before calling him “a brilliant creator on every single level.”
“All things happen for a reason,” continued Tatum. “I’m so grateful to be in this movie. It’s a masterpiece in my opinion. And just pure bad ass joy. I was literally screaming in the theater. LFG!!”
Deadpool and Wolverine is now playing. And Tatum’s Gambit is far from the only Marvel cameo appearance in the film. The movie is also breaking some box office records and now has one of the highest opening weekends for a superhero film.
