Channing Tatum’s Gambit will return to the MCU in Avengers: Doomsday, but there is still an unanswered question from his last appearance in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine. Tatum finally got to make a name for himself as Gambit in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool 3. Seeing the 21 Jump Street actor debut as the Cajun mutant was exciting, especially after his solo Gambit movie was scrapped after years in development purgatory. What made the moment even better was that it wasn’t just a cheap cameo. Gambit got a good amount of screen time and showed off his card tricks and energy abilities.
After his team-up with ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool, Wolverine, Elektra, Laura, and Blade, many wondered if Tatum’s Gambit would return or if this was a one-time thing. The MCU will enter its Mutant Saga in a few years, but it’s doubtful that Tatum will be the MCU’s main version of Gambit. However, a ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine deleted scene teased his return, and Marvel just confirmed when his next appearance will be. Still, there is an essential question regarding his return that Marvel needs to answer during Avengers: Doomsday.
A Deleted Scene From ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine Teased Gambit’s Return
A Cut Scene Suggested Tatum’s time As Gambit Isn’t Over
Shortly after ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine premiered, star/writer/producer Ryan Reynolds released a deleted scene, teasing Gambit’s return. In the scene, Gambit wanders solo through the fallout of the fight at Cᴀssandra Nova’s lair. The ground is filled with fire, rubble, and the bodies of ᴅᴇᴀᴅ X-Men villains, like Toad. The camera then closes in on Gambit’s face as he turns around and looks toward the sky. The reflection of a portal is seen in Gambit’s eyes as he smiles, hinting that someone is saving Tatum from the Void.
Gambit is alone in this scene, meaning Marvel isn’t teasing a return for Jennifer Garner’s Elektra, Wesley Snipes’ Blade, or Dafne Keen’s Laura. However, there is a possibility they could return with him since they were part of this fight and didn’t escape with Wade Wilson and Logan. They weren’t confirmed for the Avengers: Doomsday cast, but that doesn’t mean they can’t return. Secret Wars is a mᴀssive collision between all Marvel universes, so anything is possible.
Marvel Needs To Answer Who Opened The Portal For Gambit
Nobody In The Void Had A Sling Ring
In the trailer for ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, the тιтular duo were shown jumping through a sling ring portal, suggesting someone was calling them into a different universe. This led to theories and speculation about who opened the portal for the two mutants. Unfortunately, this was misdirection, as the portal was opened by Cᴀssandra Nova, who made a deal with Wolverine and ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool to send them back to the Fox universe if they let her live. She also travels to the Fox universe and is killed after Wade and Logan destroy the Time Ripper.
Since Cᴀssandra left the Void, nobody else has access to a sling ring to escape, meaning someone from another universe opened a portal for Gambit to escape. The source of this portal is still unknown, but there are plenty of options regarding who it could be. Marvel needs to answer who it is, as this will be essential for explaining how Gambit plays a role in Avengers: Doomsday. It also could be linked to his origin story, since Tatum’s Gambit has almost no recollection of how he ended up in the Void.
Channing Tatum’s Gambit Isn’t In The Fox Universe
Tatum’s Gambit Isn’t Traveling With The Other X-Men
Another reason the portal’s source needs to be revealed is that Tatum’s Gambit isn’t coming with the rest of the Fox X-Men characters. While continuity has never been terribly important in the Fox universe, Gambit was played by Taylor Kitsch in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Kitsch only appeared once, but Tatum never played Gambit in this world. Therefore, Tatum’s Gambit isn’t traveling to the MCU with the other X-Men, but it also means that no one knows about him since he was supposedly born in the Void.
As Tatum explains in ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool & Wolverine, he isn’t sure what universe he comes from. It’s a funny joke since Tatum’s Gambit film never happened, but it also means whoever opens the portal for Gambit may be someone from his past. Nobody else knows he’s here except for ᴅᴇᴀᴅpool and Wolverine, so it has to be someone who knows who and where Gambit is. It’ll be interesting to see how Marvel gets Tatum’s Gambit into the MCU, but it’ll be worth it to see him interact with other X-Men characters in Avengers: Doomsday.
Upcoming MCU Movies
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Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
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Spider-Man: Brand New Day
- Release Date
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July 31, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
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May 7, 2027