ALEX BROWN
The Ragin’ Cajun is getting a promotion. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige says Channing Tatum’s Gambit will be far more than comic relief in Avengers: Doomsday. Speaking to Empire for the magazine’s new cover story, Feige called Tatum “a standout” and said that while Gambit keeps the charisma he showed in Deadpool & Wolverine, in Doomsday “it’s not all for laughs.” The film opens in theaters on December 18, 2026.
What did Kevin Feige say about Gambit?
According to Variety’s write-up of the Empire interview, Feige described Gambit as a fully rounded character in the new film. That is a notable shift. Tatum’s long-awaited debut in Deadpool & Wolverine was built around a running joke about his thick, nearly incomprehensible Louisiana accent, and fans have wondered how the character would fit into a big, serious ensemble directed by the Russo brothers.
Is Gambit’s accent different in Doomsday?
Yes. Tatum previously told Variety that studio executives had to work out how audiences would understand the accent in a larger dramatic film, and he has described “softening” Gambit’s Cajun voice while keeping his New Orleans roots. Trailers released so far have shown Gambit squaring off against Simu Liu’s Shang-Chi, one of the few concrete hints about his role.
Who else is in Avengers: Doomsday?
Gambit is part of the largest crossover in MCU history. Feige told Empire that bringing the original Fox-era X-Men actors together with the Avengers “just felt right” as a way to cap a quarter-century of Marvel films. Confirmed or widely reported returning players include:
- Robert Downey Jr. as Victor von Doom
- Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Chris Evans as Steve Rogers
- Ian McKellen, James Marsden, Alan Cumming and Rebecca Romijn from the original X-Men films
- Pedro Pascal and the Fantastic Four
- Florence Pugh, Anthony Mackie, Simu Liu and Channing Tatum
More from Empire’s Doomsday cover story
The Playlist reports Feige also explained that the Avengers enter the film as a disorganized group, having gone years without a formal team just as multiversal incursions begin. James Marsden teased that his Cyclops faces some catastrophic moral choices. Empire’s January 2027 issue, with 22 pages of interviews with Feige, the Russos, Downey and the ensemble, goes on sale November 19.
Why it matters for Gambit’s future
Tatum spent years trying to get a solo Gambit film made at 20th Century Fox before that project collapsed. A meaningful, dramatic role in Doomsday is the strongest sign yet that Marvel sees a future for his version of the character, although no solo movie has been announced. With Avengers: Secret Wars set for December 17, 2027, there is room for Gambit to stick around.
Need to catch up first? Our official 16-title Doomsday watch list covers everything Marvel recommends, and Avengers Endgame: Encore is streaming now with new scenes tied to the film.
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Sources: Variety, The Playlist, ComingSoon, Empire.