By Jamie Lovett
Marvel Comics has announced a new comic book series called Deadpool vs. Gambit. The series will star two of Marvel’s most popular X-Men characters, both of whom may soon become household names thanks to films from 20th Century Fox.
The Deadpool movie arrived in February, with Ryan Reynolds (The Proposal) in the lead role. The film had spent several years in development limbo, but leaked test footage for the film generated such an enormous and positive fan response that Fox was spurred into action and quickly greenlighted the film.
The R-rated Deadpool movie, from first time director Tim Miller, brings a raunchy sense of humor and plenty of over-the-top violence to the superhero genre. Produced on a relatively tiny budget, the film broke multiple box office records and is expected to surpass $200 million domestically over the coming weekend.
The upcoming Gambit movie will star Channing Tatum (21 Jump Street) as Remy LeBeau, a mutant with Cajun charm and a history as a thief. The film has run into a few snags over the past year, with director Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes)being replaced with Bourne director Doug Liman, and Tatum himself considering an exit. Things have settled down now, and production is set to begin in Louisiana in March. Bond girl Léa Seydoux (SPECTRE) will play the film’s female lead.
The Deadpoolvs. Gambit series was announced exclusively on Comicbook.com and at the ComicsPRO comic book retailer summit taking place in Portland, Ore. this weekend. The series will be written by Ben Acker & Ben Blacker, best known for their popular fictional podcast The Thrilling Adventure Hour. The series will reveal a secret shared history between Deadpool and Gambit as conmen working jobs together. These jobs would inevitably end when one super powered rogue backstabbed the other, usually causing the kind of action-packed fight scene superhero stories are known for.
The series will be drawn by artist Danilo Beyruth, and will feature cover art by Kevin Wada. The first chapter of Deadpool vs. Gambit #1 arrives in comic shops, on newsstands, and in digital storefronts in June 2016.
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