Gambit in X-Men '97 and Taylor Kitsch as Gambit in X-Men Origins Wolverine

New MCU fan art imagines a strong casting choice for a live-action version of Gambit in Marvel Studios’ upcoming X-Men reboot. Remy LeBeau, a.k.a. Gambit, made his Marvel Comics debut in 1990’s The Uncanny X-Men Annual #14, introduced as a former member of a thieves’ guild who eventually became a steadfast member of the X-Men. The New Orleans Cajun became one of the most popular X-Men, and one of the team’s most complex heroes, given his on-again, off-again romance with Rogue, and connections to villains such as Mister Sinister, so he is sure to be brought into the live-action MCU.

Gambit was previously portrayed by Taylor Kitsch in 20th Century Fox’s reviled X-Men Origins: Wolverine in 2009, but there are hopes Marvel Studios will adapt a more comic-accurate version of Gambit for the MCU. One potential casting choice for the MCU’s Gambit has been imagined in dark fan art shared by 21xfour, which places rising star Jacob Elordi in the role.

This art proves that Jacob Elordi, star of The Kissing Booth, Euphoria, Priscilla and Saltburn, has the perfect look for Gambit in the MCU. After his celebrated and emotional journey in X-Men ’97, Gambit’s MCU debut is hugely exciting.

Who Else Could Portray Gambit In The MCU’s X-Men Reboot?

Gambit throwing playing cards in Marvel Comics

Despite not being Cajun, Australian actor Jacob Elordi would be fantastic in the role of Gambit in the MCU. At only 26 years old, Elordi is young enough for Gambit to have a lengthy career in the MCU, and Elordi’s previous roles have showcased the perfect level of vulnerability, tenderness, aggressiveness and screen presence to make his iteration of Gambit one of the strongest aspects of the MCU’s X-Men reboot. In January 2024, Elordi revealed to Wonderland that Heath Ledger’s performance in The Dark Knight inspired him to become an actor, so a role in a superhero franchise could be on the cards.

Having started in theater when he was just 12, being an actor is all that Elordi’s been trying to do for the last near-decade. Heath Ledger was his inspiration; The Dark Knight his trigger “when [he] realized that somebody was actually doing something quite important and special”.

While Jacob Elordi would do a brilliant job at portraying Gambit in the MCU, there are several other stars who could deliver the charisma and magnetism of the beloved X-Men member. Channing Tatum has lobbied for the role of Gambit for several years, but this never came to fruition in Fox’s X-Men franchise. There is speculation that Tatum could make a cameo appearance as Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine. Should this occur, it’s very likely that Channing Tatum wouldn’t be portraying the MCU’s official version of Gambit, with another actor perhaps being better suited for the role.

Actors including Lost’s Ian Somerhalder, Titans’ Brenton Thwaites, The Originals’ Joseph Morgan, Elvis’ Austin Butler and Constantine’s Matt Ryan have all also been suggested as being fit to play Gambit. Any of these actors would deliver something new and fresh, while Cajun actors such as Shane West and Shia LaBeouf could provide authenticity. A.J. LoCascio voices Gambit in X-Men ’97, so it’s possible he could simply make the move into live-action to portray the X-Men member in the MCU. Marvel Studios’ X-Men reboot is highly-anticipated, so whoever takes the role of Gambit and his X-Men teammates needs to be perfect.