How Taylor Kitsch Feels About Channing Tatum Replacing Him As X-Men's Gambit

Gambit is one of the most popular characters in the "X-Men" franchise. Created in 1990 by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee, he was by no means anywhere close to an original member of the titular superhero team. Be that as it may, he soon took off like a rocket, with the card-throwing Cajun having since become a fan-favorite. So, when he made his live-action debut in 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," it was a big deal. Played by Taylor Kitsch, however, this proved to be a one-and-done turn for the actor. Fortunately, he doesn't seem to be too upset about it all these years later.

Indeed, Kitsch was promoting his Amazon Prime Video series "The Terminal List: Dark Wolf" when ScreenRant asked him about his time as Gambit and whether or not he'd seen Channing Tatum's scene-stealing version of the character in "Deadpool & Wolverine." Kitsch hasn't seen the movie, but he also made it clear that he's not harboring any negative feelings about it either. Here's what he had to say on the matter:

"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."

Directed by Gavin Hood, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" was nothing shy of a critical disaster. It was also a box office disappointment and was swiftly lampooned for its treatment of the Deadpool character, among many other things. After that, Fox had little choice but to take the larger franchise in a different direction, resulting in "X-Men: First Class" releasing in 2011. Of course, as a side effect of the studio's desire to distance itself from Hood's prequel, Kitsch never got a chance to return as the Ragin' Cajun.

For an actor like Kitsch, Gambit could have been a game changer for his career. He was coming off of a very successful run on the hit show "Friday Night Lights." Superhero movies were booming at this time, and Gambit, like Hugh Jackman as Wolverine, could have been a lead in "X-Men" movies for years. But, of course, that's not how things panned out. Unfortunately, in the years that followed, Kitsch also found himself starring in several other bombs, most notably "John Carter," one of the biggest flops of the last 25 years.

In any event, he seems to be happy with where his career is headed right now, and he has good reason to feel that way. In addition to headlining the hit Netflix Western series "American Primeval," Kitsch has worked on shows like "Painkiller" and "Waco: The Aftermath." In fact, the small screen has become something of a haven for the actor.

As for Tatum, he also had a wild journey with Gambit, trying to get a solo movie made based on the character for years at Fox before Disney ended up buying the studio in 2019. So, when he finally got to play the character, it was a big deal. "Deadpool & Wolverine" ended up making more than $1.3 billion at the box office in 2024, becoming one of Marvel's biggest hits in recent memory. Heck, Tatum's Gambit was so well received that he'll be coming back for more in 2026's "Avengers: Doomsday."

Might there have been an opportunity to see Kitsch's Gambit once more, given the multiverse of it all? Perhaps, but it seems like that's either something that never came up or he wasn't interested in. Taken as a whole, though, things appear to have worked out well for everyone. Kitsch seems to be doing work that satisfies him, while Tatum has finally gotten the chance to bring Remy LaBeau to life, to the great satisfaction of fans.

"The Terminal List: Dark Wolf" arrives on Prime Video on August 27, 2025, with "Avengers: Doomsday" opening in theaters on December 18, 2026.