X-Men Origins: Wolverinestar Taylor Kitsch addresses being replaced by Channing Tatum in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Kitsch played Gambit, a prisoner of William Stryker on Three Mile Island, who helped Wolverine locate it and later saved him from a falling cooling tower. Tatum was considered for the role in the movie, but due to scheduling conflicts, the star had to drop out.
InDeadpool & Wolverine, Tatum made a cameo appearance as Gambit. He’s also scheduled to play apart inAvengers: Doomsday, in which he is expected to reprise the Cajun superhero.
In an interview withScreenRantabout Prime Video’sTheTerminal List: Dark Wolf, set to premiere on August 27, Kitsch, who reprises his role as Ben Edward, talked briefly about being replaced by Tatum as Gambit in the MCU. The star admitted thathe hasn’t seen Tatum’s version and clarified that “Gambit wasn’t in the cards” for him. Read his comment below:
ScreenRant: My introduction to your work came in 2009 when a film called X-Men Origins: Wolverine came out. You were a killer Gambit back in the day. Has anyone asked you about Channing’s version? Did you see it?
Taylor Kitsch: I have not.
ScreenRant: Is that a soft subject? Should I not be bringing this up?
Taylor Kitsch: No, no, not at all, man. That’s the business, man. It’s all good. It’s like I love the path I’m on and the actor I’ve become and the stories I’m engaging in. No pun intended, here’s a quote for you, but Gambit wasn’t in the cards for me, man.
When asked whether Marvel is in the rearview, Kitsch left the window open while teasing his upcoming project,11 Days in Hell, based on a true story. He admitted that he loves where he is and has “no regrets,” and sometimes, it’s not up to him who gets the part. Read his comment below:
Never say never, but I don’t know, man. I’ve got this book right here, 11 Days in Hell. That’s my next project. It’s something I can’t wait to service. It’s a true story about an 11-day negotiation in 1974 in Huntsville Prison. And that scares the shit out of me. I’m playing the director of corrections. Peter Landesman is directing and it’s a true story and I pride myself on playing very different people and characters and stories.
And I think this is my eighth guy that I’m playing that has lived literally. So that’s always incredibly flattering when you get those calls. So I don’t know. I love where I’m at, man, so I have no regrets with it. It just wasn’t, sometimes it’s not in my power to say who’s who or who gets to play what. So I can only focus on the people that want to work with me and collaborate with me.
What This Means For Taylor Kitsch And Gambit
It’s the first time that Kitsch has commented on the Gambit recasting since the surprise reveal inDeadpool & Wolverine. His comment suggestshe won’t have much involvement with the MCU, though he doesn’t shut down the idea of reprising the role in the future.
Meanwhile, the actor already has a project lined up afterThe Terminal List: Dark Wolf, in which he stars alongside Chris Pratt, Luke Hemsworth, Tom Hopper, and Rona-Lee Shimon. AfterX-Men Origins: Wolverine, the star has been involved in many projects, including Disney’sJohn Carter,Battleship, andSavages.
He also appeared inLone Survivor,American Assassin, and21 Bridges. On the television side and aside fromThe Terminal List, he starred inTrue Detectiveseason 2 and the miniseriesWaco.
Our Take On Taylor Kitsch Vs. Channing Tatum As Gambit
Even though Tatum didn’t end up playing the role inX-Men Origins: Wolverine,he advocated for a Gambit solo movie and expressed his passion for the role.Deadpool & Wolverinewas the second chance that rarely came for Tatum to play the character.
Kitsch, on the other hand, has had a full career since the 2009 movie. His role has diverged far from his time intheX-Menmovie. While some audiences believe thatKitsch’s portrayal is more faithful to the character in the comics, others also thought Gambit’s role was a bit strange in the movie. Tatum’s version is also considered a strong interpretation, especially with the star’s commitment and embodiment of the character’s personality.
