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Ah, if the whirlwind success ofDeadpool & Wolverinehas taught us anything, is it that the charisma of Ryan Reynolds as ‘The Merc with a Mouth’ continues to soar higher than a kite in a windstorm, even after our last rendezvous inDeadpool 2. The spellbinding pull of its box office performance is akin to finding a pot of gold, where the magic of Reynolds’ portrayal keeps audiences coming back for more.
And how can we forget the ensemble of stars like Chris Evans, Wesley Snipes, Jennifer Garner, and Dafne Keen returning to the fray? But not every character gets their time in the spotlight. Take Channing Tatum’s Gambit, for example. The actor spent years working on aGambitspin-off film in theX-Menfranchise, only for it to be met with a series of setbacks and ultimately canceled amidst the transition from 20th Century Fox to Disney.
And it was Shawn Levy who almost came to helm this project.
What Could’ve Been: Channing Tatum’sGambitUnder Shawn Levy’s Direction?
In an alternate universe, we might’ve been munching popcorn while watching the kinetic cards of a stand-aloneGambitmovie flicker to life, helmed by Shawn Levy, withChanning Tatumsuavely throwing down the winning hand.
“A story that feels MCU-worthy”: How Ryan Reynolds and Shawn Levy Found the Perfect Story For Deadpool & Wolverine After Pitching 17 Failed Ideas to Marvel
BeforeDeadpool & Wolverineeven hit the drawing board, there were grand plans for aGambitspinoff that became as elusive as a phantom. Alas, the project was like a ship lost at sea, tossed about by the ever-changing tides of Hollywood’s whims. According to Levy’s recent chat withHappy Sad Confused,he revealed that he was one of many directors who met with Tatum about the project. But unfortunately, it never came to fruition:
I was 1 of like 70 directors who years ago met with Channing about directing his Gambit movie at Fox and it never quite happened.
It seems thatGambitwas a project plagued by development issues from the start (seeCollider). Its troubles began long before Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, a period during which Fox had grand ambitions for theX-Menfranchise. However,Gambit’s solo outing was beset by development hell, ultimately sinking amid the upheaval between Fox and Disney.
The bitter journey of this film mirrors the fate of Mahershala Ali’sBladereboot. Both projects faced a storm of development issues & delays.
Blade: The Fallout of Mahershala Ali’s Film
Marvel Studios has made a name for itself by transforming even the most obscure comic book characters into cinematic gold. Yet, among its roster of comic adaptations, Blade has proven to be a particularly stubborn nut to crack. First announced with great fanfare at Comic-Con 2019 (viaMovieWeb), the Daywalker’s journey to the big screen has been a rollercoaster of delays and setbacks.
Originally slated to appear on August 16, 2025, the film’s release will mark a six-year odyssey from its initial announcement. Despite Marvel’s track record of turning seemingly impossible characters into box-office hits,Bladehas been anything but precise.
The latest hiccup inBlade’s saga came in June, when the film lost its second director, Yann Demange, igniting a fresh wave of speculation about the film’s troubled development. According toThe Hollywood Reporter, disappointment levels are rising, with the film’s star,Mahershala Ali, reportedly“increasingly frustrated”.
Ali, who has been pivotal to the film’s journey, handpicked Demange after the previous director, Bassam Tariq,exited in 2022. Tariq’s departure was a significant blow, coming just as the movie was poised to begin shooting.
“Avengers 5 needs a visionary director”: Avengers 5 Gets a Depressing Update Concerning Shawn Levy and Fans Think Only One Thing Can Remedy it – Report
Marvel Studios’ dissatisfaction with Tariq led them to present Ali with a new list of potential directors. To everyone’s surprise, the Oscar-winning actor took matters into his own hands, conducting his own search for a director.
Ali’s influence extends beyond just director choices. He enlisted Nic Pizzolatto, the creator ofTrue Detective, to pen the screenplay (seeComicBookMovie). However, just as the script was gaining traction, the writer’s strike hit, throwing another wrench intoBlade’s already troubled production.
Long story short,Blade’s journey has been anything but smooth. The film’s protracted development, marked by director changes, script issues, and behind-the-scenes drama, mirrors the struggles of a vampire hunter in a world filled with obstacles. Only time will tell if this film will finally emerge from the shadows and sink its fangs into the hearts of audiences!
Siddhika Prajapati
Senior Journalist & Content Head
Articles Published :3310
With over 3,300 articles carved into the digital walls of FandomWire, Siddhika Prajapati excels at creating, curating, and elevating engaging stories. She takes pride in giving these stories a home and, of course, she’s got a Google Knowledge Panel to prove it!Whether it’s reviewing the latest drop on Netflix, Amazon Prime, or Apple TV+, or analyzing the cultural echoes of a streaming hit on Paramount+ or Max, Siddhika is always writing three steps ahead of the discourse.
