They Almost Brought Gambit to Life: A Q&A with "Magic Mike" Dardant
Let's learn the truth behind the local legend.
Dear Moviegoers,
Within my college film group was a small but extraordinary legend of sorts, passed around as both a fascinating bit of local trivia and an intriguing source of jokes. Told many times over, it described a proof-of-concept sequence for a potential X-Men movie based on regional character fan-favorite Gambit.
For almost two decades, on and off, I sought as much information as possible. Finally, with one text message, I got a contact: New Orleans area magician Michael Dardant.
Also known as “Magic Mike,” the performer played a crucial role in this pre-Hurricane Katrina piece of comic book dreaming. Thankfully, he was up to answer several of my questions.
Now, what happened/what didn’t happen comes to light. Oh Gambit, how you could’ve come about cinematically much earlier. How you may have avoided your cameo in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. How you could’ve been part of Hollywood South royalty.
Enjoy!
How familiar are you with the X-Men comics and movies?
I became very familiar with Marvel comics around my freshman year of high school when I made friends with all of the other nerds. One particular friend, Chris Strong, was really into Comics. In fact, I remember when I went to his house he had all of his favorite comics in plastic bags pinned to the wall so essentially his wallpaper was made up of mint-condition comic books. The X-Men was my favorite series.
How did the Gambit project come about and what preparations were taken to get it started?
I always wanted to play Gambit in a film or really in any situation. I’ve been body painted as Gambit, played the character for the superheroes theme of the Fleur de Tease burlesque show, and, of course, went dressed as Remy Lebeau at Comicon. Because there had been (and is still) no particular movie script, I started thinking of ideas for a feature-length film about Gambit's backstory. One of my friends suggested that the only way we would ever get a production company’s attention to be able to get the option to use that character would be if we went ahead and filmed a scene that we could show them. so we started a film project to create about 10 minutes or roughly 3 scenes.
What do you like most about Gambit?
My favorite character was always Gambit. After all, I grew up in Cajun country so the accent was 2nd nature. Also, I was already studying things like pickpocketing and card throwing because of my endeavors to acquire skills as a magician. And, my favorite weapon to play with, for some reason, was always a bo staff.
How did you feel about the independent filmmaking community in New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina?
I’ve been continuously impressed with a lot of the independent projects that have gone on in New Orleans and many of the students that have graduated from UNO. I was amazed at how many people wanted to get involved with this little venture. After Hurricane Katrina, I got even more sense of the amount of talent we had in the city as we began work on even bigger projects.
What were some of your ideas for the project?
Essentially, there was going to be a bar location with an elaborate fight scene. Some bullies were going to start something regarding a girl by a pool table, of course unaware of Remy’s skills. I remember one line of dialogue was going to be, “My drinks on him,“ as Gambit’s beer explodes all over the guy. One other interesting tidbit was that we plan to only put the mutants in sunglasses as a subtlety.
How did the other actors take to it?
So many people wanted to be involved and audition. It was tough to cast it because there was so much talent. So many people in any film community outside of Hollywood, California will go above and beyond just to get noticed or be able to add something to their reel. This can easily be taken advantage of, but at the same time indicates an amazing work ethic.
What stopped the scene from being made?
The main thing that stopped the scene from being made was Hurricane Katrina. We were just in the process of planning our shots when the city had to be evacuated and it would be months before we got back to anything relatively normal. What stopped the idea from continuing after that was the realization that it was very unlikely any of us would be able to get the option to use the Marvel character or be taken seriously if we presented a script, having no contacts in Hollywood. We had many other ideas for original projects that would prove to be a better use of our time.
What are your thoughts on the Hollywood production of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, which was partially filmed in the city, and their version of Gambit?
I liked the look of the character in the Wolverine movie, but of course, the accent was so off and any locals could tell that the French Quarter was created in a studio instead of on location.
Was there an effort to complete the project at a later date?
While I never got back to the idea of filming that scene, I did keep adding to the script throughout the years and believe I do have a rough concept for a wonderful and unique feature-length movie. It would of course be filmed in New Orleans and in the Louisiana swamps.
Any thoughts on actor Channing Tatum being cast as Gambit in Deadpool & Wolverine, even if in a cameo?
Much like the appearance in the Wolverine movie, initially, I felt that the character was brought in just for cool points, and really had nothing to do with the overall plot. That being said, I have every reason and then some to hate Channing Tatum in the role. Remember that in addition to playing my favorite character of all time, he stole my stage name when he decided to make his stripper movie called Magic Mike! But I have to admit that some of his funnier roles have won me over throughout the years. I actually thought he did a great job playing the part and especially becoming the only actor in history to pull off the Cajun accent on film.
What does the future hold for your movie career?
I have no idea what the future holds for my movie career. It has been a roller coaster ride by far with many unexpected turns. I do feel that I’ve developed a desire to write more and I think writing will have a lot to do with my future. I would love to be able to present my script ideas to the powers that be if they are still planning to make a Gambit movie. Perhaps like Loki, I could be a Gambit variant! Maybe one day I could work with Channing Tatum. There was talk for years about having him play Gambit and the project was halted about three times because they never had a finished script. At one time, the Director planned on hiring me to not only help Tatum with vocal training but they were also aware that card-throwing skills were part of my magician repertoire as well.
What does the future hold for Gambit, in your opinion?
I have no doubt that with Channing Tatum’s love of the character, Ryan Reynold’s support of the character, and the fact that he has always been beloved by fans and considered to be the second coolest X-Men (second only to Wolverine), they will make a feature-length film about the Cajun Bad Boy if not one too many films as per usual.
Is the world ready for a major Louisiana superhero blockbuster?
If you had asked me a few years ago if the world was ready for a major Louisiana superhero blockbuster, I would probably have answered no, simply because it may be difficult for the world to understand what Cajuns were all about. But, ever since that show “Swamp People" created a love of the Cajun accent and intrigue for our culture, I believe a Cajun superhero would be embraced. Not to mention that the mystique of New Orleans is relatively untapped in the movie and television industry. Consider how little we actually have learned about the city in any of the last few decades of films. The majority of film projects that take place in New Orleans are usually set somewhere else.
Any thoughts on the current state of independent filmmaking in New Orleans?
I continue to have high hopes for the filmmakers in the Big Easy and believe it’s a simple matter of just getting noticed by the big wigs, to not only produce more down here, but also to hire more of the writers, directors, and actors from Louisiana that have proven themselves through their work and drive. We will always face challenges, but we are well-trained and prepared to take them on, as we are pretty used to challenges here.
Do you have any favorite superhero movies?
I have so many favorites, and it’s probably one of my favorite genres to begin with. I loved the original Spider-Man with Tobey Maguire and thought that it was really well put together. The best ensemble cast would still be the first Avengers which blew me away. I also loved Iron Man one because it was such a different take on a superhero character. The first Deadpool was one of the most unique and funniest in my opinion. And one of my all-time favorites is actually the animated, Into The Spider-Verse.
