While doing press for White House Down, actor Channing Tatum was vocal about his desire to play the Ragin' Cajun in a Gambit movie. Apparently, this campaign has made it's way to X-Men franchise producer Lauren Shuler Donner who revealed to Empire, that she's been already talking to 20th Century Fox about Channing starring in a Gambit film.
“I’m dying to do a Gambit movie with Channing Tatum...That doesn’t have to be a great big movie. It’s a thief in New Orleans, it’s a whole different story. He’s on board, and I have to get the studio on board. How can anyone resist Channing? He’s such a sweetheart.”
A low budget Gambit movie could be almost as awesome as The Wolverine, which took place in one setting with a semi-street level story, instead of globetrotting around the world, while trying to save it. Gambit has an interesting history which includes a longstanding conflict of two warring mutant groups The Thieves (which he is apart of) and The Assassins, something that could be interesting to explore in a smaller movie. There is also his darker-side when he helped Mr. Sinister with the genocide of the Morlocks (a group of low-level sewer dwelling mutants). Either way, this sounds like confirmation that Taylor Kitsch is going to be re-cast. Currently, a director and writer haven't been named or announced, but I assume Simon Kinberg would be involved. Fingers crossed, this could also mean Rogue and Gambit might finally cross paths.
Channing recently got a career boost from successful features like 21 Jump Street, along with cameos in films like This Is The End and G.I. Joe: Retaliation. This year he'll be jumping between comedy and action with roles in 22 Jump Street and The Wachowskis' sci-fi epic Jupiter Ascending. Tatum might be in a better place with audiences than Ryan Reynolds, who has been trying for ages to get his Deadpool out of development limbo. Despite Ryan having a steady stream of box office failures, which might have Fox scared to invest in Reynolds as The Merc With The Mouth.
SOURCE: EMPIRE
