Deadpool and Wolverine tried its best to give fans exactly what they wanted, and that ended up being a bit of a double-edged sword. While this fan-first approach led to Deadpool and Wolverine‘s plot feeling a bit half-baked and its character arcs feeling a bit unoriginal, it also delivered some of the most enjoyable cameos the Marvel Cinematic Universe has seen thus far.
Before its release, speculation ran rampant about who could show up in Deadpool and Wolverine. The multiverse allows for almost limitless possibilities when it comes to Marvel character cameos, and when a fourth-wall-breaking character like Deadpool is at the center of the adventure, those possibilities become even more limitless. In the final product, Deadpool and Wolverine delivered more than its fair share of cameos, most of which felt earned and fit the movie’s tone well. One of these cameos worked so well that it’s finally given the hero the mainstream attention he’s always deserved, and a video game spinoff should now be on the cards.
Deadpool and Wolverine Proves a Gambit Game Has Potential
Gambit Has Always Been a Cult Favorite
Created by comic industry veterans Chris Claremont and Jim Lee, Remy LeBeau – better known as Gambit – made his debut in 1990’s The Uncanny X-Men Annual #14. A Mutant whose abilities allow him to charge objects with explosive kinetic energy, Gambit is often seen wielding an extendable staff and a deck of cards that he can quickly imbue with energy and throw at opponents.
Though Gambit became a staple member of the X-Men following his 1990 debut, he didn’t become a Marvel mainstay until his appearance in X-Men: The Animated Series, which began in October 1992 and featured Gambit in a co-starring role on the titular Mutant team. Gambit’s charming quips, smooth Cajun accent, peak 1990s visual design, and striking combat style and power set made him a fan-favorite character of X-Men: The Animated Series and those who grew up with the show have fond memories of the hero.
But Gambit began fading into the background of the Marvel universe following the show’s finale in 1997. With the debut of Fox’s live-action X-Men movie in 2000, a different set of Mutants took center stage, and that line-up didn’t include Gambit. When Gambit was finally included in Fox’s X-Men universe, it was in the critically panned X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which did the hero no favors. While die-hard Gambit fans have continued to covet the character over the last few decades, he hasn’t been able to break into the mainstream. That is, until now.
Deadpool and Wolverine And X-Men ’97 Have Taken Gambit to New Heights
Gambit has just been at the center of a very powerful one-two punch that’s finally propelled the hero into the mainstream. A few months ago, X-Men ’97 continued the legacy of the original X-Men: The Animated Series and brought that beloved version of Gambit back to the forefront of the Marvel universe. Without spoiling too much, Gambit takes the spotlight in some of the show’s most memorable moments.
Then, just a few weeks ago, Gambit appeared as one of the most memorable cameos in Deadpool and Wolverine. A meta cameo that references the Gambit solo movie that was stuck in development hell for about five years, Channing Tatum finally got to suit up as the Ragin’ Cajun and his performance struck the perfect balance of self-aware absurdity and heartfelt authenticity.
In the weeks following Deadpool and Wolverine‘s release, Channing Tatum’s Gambit has been a prominent part of social media discourse, appearing in a variety of widespread memes. It seems that Gambit has finally become a mainstream Marvel hero, which should pave the way for a Gambit video game adaptation.
