Channing Tatum made the impossible possible when he finally got the chance to play Gambit in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The Hollywood icon debuted in 2024's Deadpool and Wolverine and he very quickly made an impression, with his comic-accurate look and viral Cajun accent dominating the conversations among fans for weeks.
Tatum was originally set to play the character in Fox's X-Men movies before that franchise came to an end ahead of the Disney / Fox merger. Although the project went away, he got the opportunity to make his dreams come true when the brought Remy LeBeau to the MCU. And now, he will return in Avengers: Doomsday.
That being said, Marvel Studios is currently developing their own X-Men reboot movie, with an apparent 2028 release date. Therefore, it's almost certain that the vast majority of X-Men stars within the MCU - Tatum included - will be bidding farewell to their roles in the near future as new actors will likely take them over. But just who would be a great successor to Tatum's legendary Gambit?
Brenton Thwaites
Brenton Thwaites is no stranger to playing part of a superhero team. After all, the Australian actor is best known for portraying Dick Grayson on DC Universe-turned-HBO Max series Titans, showcasing his evolution from Robin to Nightwing across the first two seasons (and his journey from closed-off-ally to reliable team leader throughout all four seasons).
That being said, Titans' darker approach to its source material meant that we didn't always see the light-hearted side of Dick's personality - a side that he is renowned for in the DC Comics. Yet Thwaites embodied it perfectly whenever the opportunity came calling. This is something that he could easily bring to the role of Gambit if he were to be cast as the playful, card-wielding mutant in the MCU.
He's got the charm and the smile to pull it off, while also being familiar with the physical demands and athleticism required for playing a superhero (we remember those fight scenes!). He's also an exceptional actor who would undoubtedly deliver a fantastic performance!
Dacre Montgomery
As the Marvel Cinematic Universe is expected to reboot the X-Men with a host of younger actors, a name like Dacre Montgomery would be an exceptional choice for Gambit. Not only would he look the part wearing Gambit's signature brown trenchcoat, he oozes charisma is a way that the captivating Cajun is renowned for.
His role as Billy Hargrove in Stranger Things introduced him to a huge audience and he delivered such a committed, charismatic performance that was full of layers. We all know that there is a well of layers beneath Gambit's playfully confident persona and Montgomery would be an inspired choice to bring all of them to life.
He is also no stranger to the superhero genre, having played Jason Scott, a.k.a. the Red Ranger, in 2017's Power Rangers movie. Perhaps now it's his time to return to the genre in what would undoubtedly be one of the biggest roles of his career.
A. J. LoCascio
We've talked about actors being familiar with the superhero genre, but no actor on this list is as familiar with Gambit than A. J. LoCascio. The star currently voices the character on Disney Plus' X-Men '97, and he does an absolutely phenomenal job. The show is a revival of the critically-acclaimed X-Men: The Animated Series, meaning that he took over from the legendary Chris Potter, and he captures all of the intricacies of that performance - while also adding his own unique flavor to it.
He's so familiar with Gambit, in fact, that he also voices the character in the RPG game Marvel Rivals. So there is no doubt about it that he could master that exquisite tone that the Cajun superhero is known for. And, once again, the answer is: Yes.
Although LoCascio currently voices Gambit, he has also cosplayed as the character on multiple occasions, and to say he looks the part would be an understatement. Upon seeing those images, fans quickly commented underneath about how Marvel needs to cast him in the role in a live-action project. And honestly: They're right!