This Is Why Channing Tatum Can't Watch Marvel Movies

Whenever someone publicly admits that they don't watch the movies and TV shows that make up the Marvel Cinematic Universe, they're committing a real act of cultural defiance. With more than 25 films, a handful of television shows, and much more on the way, the MCU has a lot of loyal fans. It goes against the grain to proclaim that you're not interested in these films. 

But Channing Tatum, who many know from films like "21 Jump Street" and "Magic Mike," recently revealed to Variety that not only does he not watch most Marvel films, but that he actually can't bear to do so — and his reason is certainly an understandable one. When fans (of both the MCU and Tatum himself) learn Tatum's reason for staying away from Marvel movies as an audience member, they're likely to feel a twinge of sympathy, and possibly even some regret for what might have been.

In a Variety profile to promote Tatum's new film "Dog," the actor opened up about the collapse of what seemed on the surface to be a promising marriage of comic book character and leading man: the movie "Gambit," which would have seen Tatum embodying the Louisiana Cajun, exploding playing card-throwing hero of "X-Men" fame.

"Dog" has Tatum stepping into the role of co-director along with Reid Carolin, his "longtime producer partner." But originally, that was supposed to happen with "Gambit," a "romantic comedy superhero" project that the two spent four years trying to get off the ground. It almost happened, but Disney's buyout of 20th Century Fox ended up squashing the project, a situation that Tatum is still sensitive about. "Once 'Gambit' went away, I was so traumatized... I shut off my Marvel machine. I haven't been able to see any of the movies. I loved that character. It was just too sad. It was like losing a friend because I was so ready to play him," says Tatum.

Tatum is so attached to the Gambit character that he tends to discuss him "as if he were a real person," according to Variety. If that seems like too vital a connection to give up hope, you'll be pleased to know that Tatum is still open to playing the mutant card-slinger — if Disney ever decides to include him in whatever their big screen version of the X-Men looks like. As he puts it: "I would love to play Gambit. I don't think we should direct it. I think that was hubris on our part."