Following X-Men: Apocalypse last May, the X-Men movie franchise is focusing on spinoffs for the near future. Logan arrives in March, Deadpool 2 is expected to be released in 2018 and New Mutants is being worked on. One project, however, that's been in a state of flux for a while is Gambit. Originally supposed to come out late last year, the spinoff starring the card-throwing mutant has been languishing in development hell. While there's still no word on when it will be released, apparently the plan is still to have Channing Tatum as Gambit on the big screen.
Earlier today at the Television Critics Association Legion presentation, Buzzfeed reporter Jarett Wieselman noted that longtime X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner said that Channing Tatum is still attached to play Gambit in a standalone X-Men movie. So despite all the troubles 20th Century Fox has had with making Gambit, the Magic Mike star is still keen on playing the Ragin' Cajun somewhere down the line. Donner did not reveal any other details about what's happening with Gambit, but evidently it's still a priority for the studio.
For a long time, Gambit was supposed to be released on October 7, 2016, and Channing Tatum was preparing for the role by practicing the Cajun accent and even learning a few card tricks. Rise of the Planet of the Ape's Rupert Wyatt was originally tapped to direct Gambit, but he left reportedly because the studio had doubts he was truly committed to the project. By March 2016, Gambit had been taken off that 2016 date. Eventually The Bourne Identity's Doug Liman was later hired as the new director, but then he departed to work on Justice League Dark for DC, and there hasn't been any news since then about a replacement director or when we can expect Gambit to be released. Despite these many setbacks, evidently that hasn't deterred Tatum from wanting to play the superhero, so he's in it for the long haul.
So far Gambit's only movie appearance has been in 2009's X-Men Origins: Wolverine, where he was played by Taylor Kitsch. Due to the timey-wimey events of X-Men: Days of Future Past, it's unclear whether Channing Tatum's Gambit would the same version or if they would go the Deadpool route and give the mutant a fresh start, ignoring everything that came before. As far as other characters go, back when Rupert Wyatt was still involved, Lea Seydoux had been cast as Belladonna Boudreaux, but it's unclear whether she's still attached to the movie. No villain has been announced either, but with Mister Sinister set up in X-Men: Apocalypse's post-credits scene, he might make a good candidate given his history with Gambit in the comics.
Gambit still doesn't officially have a new release date yet, but we'll keep you apprised of how it's progressing as more news comes in.
