Channing Tatum's long-awaited Gambit movie, which was ultimately canceled, was set to bring a unique twist to the superhero genre with a '30s screwball romantic comedy vibe, according to actress Lizzy Caplan. In an interview with Business Insider, Caplan, known for her role in Cloverfield, shared insights into the film's concept, describing it as having "a really cool idea." She was slated to star alongside Tatum in the film, which had progressed to the point of setting a start date before its cancellation.

Tatum's journey to portray the fan-favorite X-Men character Gambit has been fraught with challenges. His efforts to bring a standalone Gambit movie to life were derailed following the 2019 Disney-Fox merger. The actor has openly discussed the emotional toll of the project's collapse, admitting to feeling "traumatized" by the experience. However, fans were thrilled to see Tatum make a surprise cameo as Gambit in the MCU blockbuster Deadpool & Wolverine.

Deadpool & Wolverine: Easter Eggs, Cameos and References

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Caplan confirmed her involvement in the Gambit project as early as 2017, revealing that she had signed on and even held meetings with Tatum. "We got down the road, we were gonna shoot it," she recalled. "I think there was a start date."

In 2018, Simon Kinberg, the producer of the Gambit movie, elaborated on the film's intended tone to IGN, stating it would have a "romantic or sex comedy vibe" due to Gambit's character traits. "When you look at Gambit," Kinberg explained, "he’s a hustler and a womanizer and we just felt like there was an attitude, a swagger to him, that lent itself to romantic comedy."

Caplan's recent comments to Business Insider corroborate Kinberg's vision. "They wanted to do, like, a '30s kind of screwball romantic comedy set in that world, which would have been really fun," she said.

As for the future of Tatum and Gambit within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Studios has yet to provide any concrete plans, though they have confirmed the eventual integration of the X-Men into the MCU. Last August, Ryan Reynolds, star of Deadpool, fueled speculation among Gambit fans by tweeting a high-quality version of a scene from Deadpool & Wolverine that was difficult to discern in theaters.

Warning! Deadpool & Wolverine spoilers follow.