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Summary

• Channing Tatum campaigned for years to make a Gambit movie but only made a thrilling cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine.
• Tatum's Gambit costume closely resembles his comic book counterpart, with minor modern updates.
• Tatum's Gambit costume in Deadpool & Wolverine lacks the character's iconic glowing red eyes, a notable omission.

Channing Tatum’s portrayal of Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine was a long-awaited appearance for the beloved mutant, featuring a thrilling costume that recalls the character’s Marvel Comics history. Much like co-star Ryan Reynolds and his fervent attempts to produce the Deadpool movies, Channing Tatum campaigned for years to make and star in a Gambit movie. Unlike Reynolds, Tatum’s attempts were far less successful, though he did make an exciting cameo in Deadpool & Wolverine, bringing the Ragin’ Cajun and his iconic outfit into the MCU timeline.
Channing Tatum’s Gambit movie first entered development back in 2014, with Tatum not only cast in the lead role but also positioned as a producer. However, the project faced numerous delays and obstacles, including script rewrites, changes in directors, and the disappointing depiction in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. While Gambit’s appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine might not have been the full solo adventure audiences had hoped for, it offered a glimpse of what could have been as he joined the MCU.
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How Channing Tatum's Gambit Costume Compares To Marvel Comics Close Gambit, aka Remy LeBeau, is one of the most visually striking X-Men, who first appeared in Uncanny X-Men #266 in 1990. Known for his signature trench coat, staff, and charged playing cards, his classic costume combines elements of sleekness and mystique, befitting his role as a suave thief. Tatum's costume in Deadpool & Wolverine hews closely to Gambit’s comic book look, blending elements of his classic design with more modern updates.
Tatum’s Gambit sports the iconic long brown trench coat, which has become synonymous with the character. Underneath the coat, Tatum wears a form-fitting, black and pinkish-purple armored bodysuit, faithful to Gambit’s magenta body armor that complemented his sleek physique. Tatum also donned Gambit’s headgear, complete with his trademark swooping hair poking out of the top. The blue chest plate is also highly accurate compared to the comics.
One notable departure from the classic design is the addition of silver leg armor, which has appeared in more recent comic book versions of the character. Gambit’s earlier costumes often featured blue leg armor, while Tatum’s version opts for a more metallic look. This update likely reflects the tendency to adapt comic book costumes with a more tactical, practical approach for live-action films. Regardless, Channing Tatum’s Gambit costume was an absolute triumph in adapting comic-accurate costumes.
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Channing Tatum's Gambit Costume Is Much More Accurate Than Taylor Kitsch's The only other live-action depiction of Gambit comes from X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009), where Taylor Kitsch portrayed the character. The reception to both the film and Kitsch’s portrayal was mixed and is often cited for wasting the hero, along with most other characters depicted. One of the key criticisms of Kitsch’s Gambit was the lack of fidelity to the character’s classic costume from the comics.
Kitsch’s version of Gambit sported a far more subdued and relatively realistic look, opting for a black trench coat rather than the character’s classic brown. Kitsch also wore a purple shirt, with minimal accessories. While the color palette alluded to Gambit’s comic book roots, the costume lacked the distinctive chest plate and armored elements that viewers associate with the character. Instead of his iconic magenta bodysuit, Kitsch's Gambit was dressed in more typical streetwear, making him appear less like a superhero and more like a regular guy with a deck of cards.
This decision was likely made to fit the grittier, more grounded tone of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but it ultimately stripped Gambit of much of his visual identity. In contrast, Channing Tatum’s costume in Deadpool & Wolverine leans into the flamboyance and style of the character, without shying away from his more eccentric comic book design. Where Kitsch’s Gambit felt like a toned-down version of the character, Tatum’s portrayal embraces the larger-than-life quality that many have long associated with Gambit, making it a far more comic-accurate representation.
How Channing Tatum's Gambit Costume Compares To X-Men Animated Series For many, the definitive version of Gambit comes from X-Men: The Animated Series (1992–1997), where the character became a fan favorite due to his charismatic personality and iconic appearance. The show's rendition of Gambit featured many of his signature elements, including the long brown trench coat, black and pink body armor, and his staff. The vibrant colors and exaggerated features of the animated series made Gambit stand out, particularly in the minds of those who grew up watching the show. This appearance was later maintained in Disney's revival, X-Men '97.
In terms of comparison, Tatum’s live-action Gambit closely mirrors this animated version, though with some adjustments to fit the live-action format. While the animated series featured a brighter and more exaggerated color scheme, Tatum’s costume opts for slightly more muted colors, reflecting the darker, grittier tone of the Deadpool and Wolverine franchises. The pink chest armor is still present, but it’s a more subdued shade, complementing the overall aesthetic of the film rather than clashing with the muted colors of the rest of the ensemble.
Additionally, the trench coat in Tatum’s costume is almost identical to the one featured in X-Men: The Animated Series, adding to the character's sense of mystery and drama. However, one significant difference between the animated series and Tatum’s version is the silver leg armor, which does not appear in the cartoon. Tatum’s silver leg armor adds a more tactical, grounded element to the design, bringing it in line with modern superhero movie aesthetics.
Related I'm Now Convinced Channing Tatum’s Gambit Movie Would Be The Perfect Start For The MCU’s Mutant Saga After Deadpool & Wolverine, I think Channing Tatum"s Gambit should see in the speculated Mutant Saga of the MCU with a much-wanted solo movie.
7 There's 1 Thing Channing Tatum's Gambit Look Misses Out On While Tatum’s Gambit costume in Deadpool & Wolverine is largely a faithful adaptation of the comic book character, there’s one significant omission that ardent fans are likely to notice: his glowing red eyes. In early comic book appearances, Gambit’s eyes glow a bright red whenever he uses his powers. Later, this became a staple for his character, even adapted into X-Men ’97. The glowing red eyes are often the most visually striking aspect of Gambit’s character. Unfortunately, Tatum’s Gambit doesn’t feature glowing red eyes, likely due to the additional CGI that would have been required to pull it off.
Given that Deadpool & Wolverine already leans into heavy CGI for other characters and action sequences, the omission of Gambit’s eyes might have been seen as a minor detail that wouldn’t impact the overall appearance. However, for fans of the character, it’s an important part of his identity that adds to his mystique and power set. It’s possible that the omission was also a conscious decision to avoid the kind of CGI eyes that have been met with criticism in the past, such as in Blade: Trinity (2004), where the infamous artificial eyes detracted from the realism of the characters.
While this could have been an especially meta and satisfying addition, the Deadpool & Wolverine filmmakers likely opted for a more grounded look, focusing on his trench coat, armor, and staff, rather than adding glowing effects that could distract from the overall aesthetic. Still, the absence of Gambit’s glowing eyes is a noticeable exclusion from an otherwise faithful costume, and it remains a missed opportunity to fully capture one of the character’s most iconic visual traits. Nevertheless, Deadpool & Wolverine offered the best and most faithful Gambit costume ever seen in live-action.
Deadpool & Wolverine R A follow-up to the highly successful Deadpool and Deadpool 2 films starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The third film will be the first in the franchise to be developed under the Marvel Studios banner following Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox.
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