Channing Tatum is teasing big things ahead for his return as Gambit in Avengers: Doomsday.
After finally making his long-awaited Marvel debut in Deadpool & Wolverine last year, the actor says the next Avengers film will take things to another level, and fans aren’t ready for what’s coming.
“I think they put a chip in me so that if I say something stupid, I would just start getting seizures,” Tatum joked during an appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
He went on to reflect on the significance of playing the fan-favorite X-Man, sharing how personal the role feels to him.
“I get to play my favorite character, Gambit… I was the kid in Pascagoula, Mississippi, who was throwing cards at friends in the living room. I always wanted to be an X-Man, so now to be in the Avengers, is beyond my wildest dreams,” he said.
Tatum also praised the scale of Avengers: Doomsday, noting how ambitious the movie is even by Marvel standards.
“This movie, they have to supersede their expectations every single time. I was like, ‘How are they going to do it? How are they going to surpass the last thing they did?’” he shared.
“I read the script, and my first question after reading the script was, ‘How are you guys going to pull this story off?’ And you’re just not ready for what’s about to happen.”
The actor’s portrayal of Gambit marks a full-circle moment after years of delays and missed opportunities.
Tatum was initially slated to bring the character to life in X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), but the mutant card-thrower was ultimately cut from the film. When the role finally appeared in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Taylor Kitsch stepped in due to Tatum’s scheduling conflict.
Over the past decade, Tatum’s name has been tied to various attempts at a Gambit solo film, though the project never made it past development.
His surprise cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine delighted fans, with the film also featuring appearances from Chris Evans’ Human Torch, Wesley Snipes’ Blade, Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, and Dafne Keen’s X-23.
Now, as the Marvel Cinematic Universe gears up for its next massive crossover, Tatum’s Gambit is officially part of the action, and by the sound of it, the actor couldn’t be more excited.
