I suggested this idea on the old CBR forums, but nobody responds there. So, howzabowza here? How about we Tatum as Gambit in this movie, Remy LeBeau and all and then have him star in a solo Gambit movie later that acts as a prequel.
It would have Taylor Kitsch making a small guest role and show Channing Tatum as his heir, Jordan a street orphan with the name given to him by Gambit. Basically, Kitsch's Gambit is one of two halves of one of New Orlean's leading thieves guilds. Nobody knows who he is other than his partner, Julien Bordeaux. One thieve's guild is full of one kind of mutant, and Gambit's is full of kineticists like him. At a gala, which Gambit doesn't attend, Jordan goes in his place. He meets Julien and is enthralled by his sister, Bella, but he doesn't socialize much and is unawares that she is also as stricken by him as he is she. When he returns home, he finds Gambit near death. He is told to become the Gambit. Taking Remy LeBeau's name and identity, Jordan becomes Gambit and unravels a conspiracy involving Julien. In the end, despite his love for Bella, he murders Julien and is exiled from New Orleans, leading into Apocalypse.
The best part about this is, because of Days of Future Past's mutable timeline, we can ignore Kitsch was ever involved with X-Men Origins and just treat him as a mentor like figure just for continuity's sake. I mean, Kitsch has stated he is willing to come back if the story and everything were right and he doesn't seem like the kind of guy who hates the character so much that he would never want to return.
