Ryan Reynolds Says Marvel Execs Are “Obsessed” With Channing Tatum’s Gambit

deadline.com:

After nearly 20 years, Channing Tatum might finally get his solo Marvel outing, thanks to a little help from pal Ryan Reynolds.

Following Tatum’s appearance as Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine, Reynolds teased that Marvel executives are “obsessed” with the performance and he has “hope” for Gambit’s onscreen future. “I honestly don’t know what goes on behind closed doors in the bookkeeping sessions at Marvel, but I do know that they’re obsessed with him in that role,” he said on Entertainment Weekly‘s Awardist podcast. “It’s kind of like the same situation I went through.

Once you show that it works well, that’s really what they need. Sometimes they just need to see it in action.” In 2014, test footage leaked of Reynolds’ performance as Deadpool (aka Wade Wilson), the fan reaction pushing 20th Century Fox to greenlight the 2016 first installment in his own Marvel franchise.

Tatum debuted as Gambit (aka Remy LeBeau), the Cajun card-slinger who can bend kinetic energy, in this year’s Deadpool & Wolverine.