X-Men: Chris Hemsworth nearly played Gambit

Known for his time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Chris Hemsworth nearly played a major figure in the X-Men film series.

The X-Men will fold into the Marvel Cinematic Universe once Dark Phoenix arrives in June. How so remains unknown, but it will mark the end of an era that began in 2000, originating with Hugh Jackman’s iconic take on Wolverine.

There were characters beyond this figure, though. One of them, Gambit seemed poised for a movie years after his X-Men Universe debut, but that will not happen after Disney updated its film release schedule.

Taylor Kitsch played that role in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, a panned film amid the 19-year run. He followed up on success in Friday Night Lights, but this was his only run in a comic book movie. How different would it have been without Kitsch? Chris Hemsworth told Variety he was up to play Gambit:

"“I got very close to Gambit in the Wolverine ‘X-Men’ movies.” Instead, Taylor Kitsch was cast. “At the time I was upset,” Hemsworth says. “I was running out of money. But if I played either of those characters, I wouldn’t have been able to play Thor.”"

Yes, the same Hemsworth who just starred in the MCU for the past eight years.

Wolverine released two years before the first Thor film. Of course, Hemsworth played this role in three solo films and four Avengers blockbusters, including Endgame in April.

With Gambit’s short-lived run in the movie world, Hemsworth’s start to comic book roles could have hit strike one. Thor and Thor: Dark World were not critical successes, but it still put him on the map as this main figure of the MCU, who took prominent roles in some of the industry’s highest grossing films ever.

Maybe Hemsworth as Gambit means he never takes the Thor role. If so, the MCU might have a different look and not an iconic character who partially represents this ever-expanding, billion-dollar part of film.