Those who have followed the whole X-Men series would know that before Channing Tatum, it was Taylor Kitsch who first brought Gambit, a beloved character from the X-Men universe, from comics to the big screen. In the 2009 movie, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the mutant was seen for the first time, impressing the audience with his adeptness in close hand-to-hand combat using kinetic energy to manipulate cards to act as weapons. 

However, when mutants were finally integrated into the MCU, he was replaced with Channing Tatum, who will now be seen in Avengers: Doomsday, playing the role of Gambit.

Since the X-Men universe was totally revamped post-MCU inclusion, several key changes were made in the universe and the actors who played some of the popular characters. Taylor Kitsch was among those who bore the brunt of this change. He was not invited back to play Gambit in the MCU's version of the mutant story. 

Instead, Channing Tatum was chosen to play the Cajun superhero in Deadpool & Wolverine after Marvel Studios opted to take a different approach to the character when they took over the property after Disney acquired Fox. Notably, he was the original choice for the role of Gambit, but a scheduling conflict forced him to drop out of the project, clearing the path for Kitsch.

Tatum, however, seized this opportunity and made sure he gave fans the best version of the character. Tatum’s Gambit, compared to Kitsch’s version, was more comic-accurate. Wearing the recognizable purple-and-black costume, the enormous trench coat, and headpiece, Channing Tatum's Gambit perfectly encapsulated the extravagant aspects of the character in the comics. His exaggerated, almost unintelligible Louisiana Cajun accent was flawless, and he reproduced the character's flamboyant, swaggering, and captivating showman attitude straight out of Marvel Comics.  

Talking about how Kitsch feels about him being replaced by Channing Tatum, he has already given his take on this entire scenario.

While promoting The Terminal List: Dark Wolf last year, he talked about his thoughts on not being invited back to play Gambit in the new MCU. In an interview with ScreenRant dated August 15, 2025, Kitsch was asked about Channing Tatum’s replacing him as the superhero in Deadpool & Wolverine, and his reaction was rather surprising.

“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,” said Kitsch.

However, later in the interview, Kitsch does acknowledge that he is open to the idea of going back, but he does not have his sights set on it given his other professional options. While Tatum seems to be now the staple for playing Gambit in the MCU with a major role in the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, a crossover between two Gambits from different universes does not sound like a fun idea.

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Whose version of Gambit do you like the most? Do let us know.