“I thought I lost Gambit forever,” actor Channing Tatum wrote in an emotional Instagram post, praising Ryan Reynolds for helping save Tatum’s dream of playing the Marvel character.
“Reynolds fought for me and Gambit,” Tatum writes. “And I will probably be forever indebted to him. Because I’m not sure how I can ever do anything that equals what this means to me. I love you, my friend.”
Tatum was set to star in a spin-off of the Gambit X-Men franchise in 2014, but the project was canceled in 2019 with Disney’s acquisition of 21st Century Fox. Magic Mike The star finally got to wear the Gambit costume this year for a brief appearance in Deadpool and Wolverine Starring Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.
Tatum’s message was accompanied by two side-by-side photos of him and Reynolds taken at comic book conventions 10 years apart. In both sets of photos, Tatum is wearing a Gambit shirt. (See photos below.)
“These photos are almost 10 years apart from the day they were taken,” Tatum wrote. “I was in the audience when Ryan Reynolds showed the world the first look of Deadpool 1 and I think I ran backstage right after and found him and I think I hugged him and said oh my god you did it man. It’s perfect. I didn’t really know him at the time. But since then I can say there’s almost no one in this industry who supports me more than @VancityReynolds.”
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Tatum continued his thanks. Deadpool and Wolverine Director Shawn Levy, too. “He’s a really great creator on every level. Everything happens for a reason. I’m so grateful to be in this movie. It’s a masterpiece in my opinion. It’s just a real joy. I was literally screaming in the theater.”
In a second Instagram post, Tatum paid tribute to Jackman, Levi, and producer Kevin Feige.
“These two amazing, amazing young men. Oh my God, it was an epic moment. Kevin Feige gave an amazing performance. It was amazing to have the opportunity to share the screen with Hugh and Wolverine Jackman. Thank you, Sean, you genius.”
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