Here’s how the X-Men cast should look in the MCU

LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 16: Jeremy Irvine attends the “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” world premiere at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith on July 16, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty Images for Universal Pictures )

Jeremy Irvine as Gambit

Does anyone remember seeing Gambit in Fox’s X-Men universe? Taylor Kitsch was the first to play the smooth-talking, card throwing mutant in X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Sadly, it wasn’t a good or memorable outing for Kitsch or Gambit. Kitsch never stood a chance in a movie that divided fans and was panned by critics.  Unfortunately, we didn’t see Gambit again.

For years, fans thought Fox, with the help of Channing Tatum, would produce a Gambit solo film. That never happened and likely won’t, at least not yet. Gambit’s backstory has major implications, so a solo movie or series makes sense, even for Disney.

If Gambit does happen, the movie must include Sinister who has been teased in Fox’s X-Men movies, specifically Deadpool. Having Gambit lead the Marauders in a movie that ultimately connects to a larger arc fits what Disney does best.

As comic fans know, the larger arc is the “Mutant Massacre.” We have our Mister Sinister in Bryan Cranston, that was easy. But Gambit was difficult. Channing Tatum, while committed, is too old for the role among a cast of young adults.

In a world where Hugh Jackman is Wolverine and James Madsen is Cyclops, Tatum would work. But with Disney, they need an up-and-coming actor who can play in movie as dramatic like Gambit.

Most people won’t know the name Jeremy Irvine, who got his claim to fame in War Horse. His roles are mostly dramatic, and it’s those performances that allude to his ability to play Gambit. Irvine also starred in the Mamma Mia! sequel, and is set to shine in a movie starring Samuel Jackson, The Last Full Measure.