When ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ hit theaters, it wasn’t just another superhero crossover; it was Marvel’s comeback. It was a celebration of the culmination of years of anticipation and a showcase of unexpected cameos that set the internet ablaze.
Among the surprises was Channing Tatum’s long-awaited debut as Gambit, the charming mutant with kinetic energy powers and a Cajun accent. For fans, it was a payoff nearly a decade in the making. However, as it turns out, Tatum’s brief appearance didn’t just mark his long-delayed Marvel debut; it also broke one of his personal on-set traditions.
Channing Tatum’s Gambit Debut Broke His Costume “Stealing” Tradition
In a recent interview with Sean Evans on Hot Ones, the actor revealed that his Gambit costume was the only one he’s never managed to take home. The revelation came as a surprise, especially considering Tatum’s reputation for sneaking keepsakes from his movie sets. From ‘G.I. Joe’ to ‘Magic Mike’, he’s proudly admitted to taking a few costume pieces as mementos. However, this time, the streak ended.
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During the interview, Sean Evans brought up the well-known fact that Tatum often holds on to props or costumes from his past films. Laughing, Tatum admitted that ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ was the first time he couldn’t follow through. “Yeah… the only one I haven’t taken to date is the one on Deadpool & Wolverine, because I was a cameo, so it was like, just a moment, you know?”
It’s a fair explanation. Tatum’s Gambit only appeared for a short but memorable sequence in the multiversal madness of ‘Deadpool & Wolverine‘. Fans had waited years for Tatum to finally play the mutant he was so passionate about, and even though his screen time was brief, the impact was huge. With ‘Avengers: Doomsday’ already confirming Tatum’s return, it’s likely this wasn’t Gambit’s only MCU outing.
“But I have a plan,” he teased. “This is chess, baby… I’mma get all of them, like by the end of this thing.” After all, ‘Doomsday’ might give Tatum’s Gambit more screen time and another opportunity to take home a souvenir from the set. Fans are also speculating whether Tatum’s costume will evolve in the film or if we’ll see a variant version of Gambit with a new design.
Ryan Reynolds Finally Confesses Leaking Deadpool’s Test Footage
While Tatum’s confession was a lighthearted surprise, another revelation from the Deadpool universe came with even bigger historical weight. Ryan Reynolds has officially confirmed what fans have suspected for over a decade. Yes, he did, in fact, leak the original Deadpool test footage back in 2014. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Reynolds looked back on the risky move that ultimately changed superhero cinema forever.
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“I think I was onto something that people would be interested in,” he said. “The test footage… really was a case study of how this could work. And they just wouldn’t do anything with it.” At the time, 20th Century Fox was hesitant to greenlight an R-rated superhero film, especially one centered around a relatively obscure and vulgar antihero the studio had previously mishandled in ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’. Reynolds and director Tim Miller filmed test footage, hoping to prove the concept’s potential.
However, it remained unseen for years. That is, until it mysteriously “leaked” online. The rest, as they say, is history. The viral clip sparked an outpouring of fan enthusiasm that forced the studio’s hand. Within 24 hours of the leak, Deadpool was officially greenlit. Reynolds humorously recalled his reaction to seeing the footage go public. “When it leaked, I thought, ‘The asshole who leaked it!’ Then I looked in the mirror, brushing my teeth, and thought, ‘Dude, what have you done? This could be punishable by law!“
