Actor Channing Tatum closed a deal to star as Gambit in the upcoming "X-Men' movie. Tatum was under speculation by the media that he might not get the role due to 20th Century Fox's "back-and-forth" negotiations with other top stars. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the news on Saturday, Aug. 1.
The public was almost certain that Tatum had landed the Gambit role earlier in July when he made an appearance at Fox's "X-Men' panel at Comic-Con in San Diego, California. He also posted a group photo with actors from the "X-Men' and "Fantastic 4' films on July 15.
"News that Tatum may not play the card-wielding mutant broke after contract negotiations reportedly hit a snag. Tatum's level of involvement in the "X-Men" franchise was one of the major points being discussed," reported Huffington Post.
Gambit is a mutant who has the ability to manipulate pure kinetic energy. He usually uses a deck of playing cards as explosive projectiles to attack his enemies. Gambit's character is seen by producers as a key Marvel figure, that could launch its own film series, such as Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. Tatum's role as Gambit could last for a decade or even longer. Jackman has been portraying Wolverine since 2000.
