Deadpool & Wolverine featured a surprise appearance by Channing Tatum’s Gambit, and a deleted scene could explain why a part of his comics design was different. There was a lot of speculation about what cameos might happen in Deadpool & Wolverine, given that it marked Deadpool’s Marvel Cinematic Universe debut. However, no one expected Tatum to finally appear as Gambit on the big screen. The Blink Twice star was previously attached to a Gambit solo film that lingered in development hell for almost a decade before the project was permanently shelved after Disney merged with 20th Century Fox.

After Tatum’s debut in Deadpool & Wolverine, the actor expressed his gratitude to Ryan Reynolds, stating on X that he “will owe him probably forever.” Even so, long-time fans of Gambit had a few gripes with the character. Most notably, his Louisiana accent was played off as a joke, and his black-and-red eyes were instead Tatum’s natural green, only glowing when using his powers. There was some confusion about this choice, a clear deviation from the comics. However, a deleted Gambit scene from Deadpool & Wolverine helps explain it.

Deadpool & Wolverine’s Gambit Scene May Not Have Worked With His Comic-Accurate Eyes

Gambit’s Eye Color May Have Conflicted With The Scene’s Visual Effects

In the clip, Gambit remains in the Void after helping Deadpool and Wolverine defeat Cassandra Nova, when his eyes show the reflection of a sling ring portal. The implication is that Gambit survives, and we could see him in the MCU again. More importantly, the scene offers a potential explanation for why Deadpool & Wolverine changed Gambit’s eye color. The scene is intentionally vague and relies on the ability to recognize the portal without directly seeing it. With red eyes, the “Marvel sparkle circle,” as Deadpool called it, wouldn’t reflect as clearly on Gambit.

The deleted scene of Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine was shown in the background of the actual post-credits scene on a television monitor.

How Gambit will return remains a huge question even after his rescue from the Void. Of note, Deadpool asks B-15 to return Gambit and his fellow resistance members to their proper timelines, something shown by X-23’s appearance at the end of the film. Though that seems like the obvious reason behind the portal’s appearance, the Time Variance Authority does not use sling rings but rather time doors to traverse dimensions and time. Therefore, it is possible that someone else aided Gambit in leaving the Void.

Deadpool & Wolverine’s Gambit Scene Teases The Potential Of Another Design For Channing Tatum’s Version

Through The Potential Of The Multiverse, Gambit Could Get A Redesign

As for Gambit’s future in the MCU, the possibilities remain open. Of the resistance heroes, he is the only one who does not have a previously established universe, creating the possibility that he was pulled into another timeline at the end of Deadpool & Wolverine. He could join Deadpool and Wolverine on Earth-10005, or his place could be with the Avengers or a yet-unseen iteration of the X-Men.

Either way, another outing for Tatum’s Gambit could rectify the comic inaccuracy of his eye color, be it through a new suit or a different manifestation of his mutation. Both Reynolds and Tatum have expressed interest in Gambit returning after Deadpool & Wolverine, making a comeback increasingly likely.