'Gambit' Movie Casting Rumors, Update: Channing Tatum's X-Men Spin-Off Gets the Green Light
Channing Tatum is heading for an X-Men spinoff project "Gambit" as lead star and Fox is now giving the green light, according to reports.
The "22 Jump Street" actor is now officially signed to play the card-slinging X-man for its spin-off movie, with "Robocop" writer Josh Zetumer joining the crew to pen the screenplay, according to Deadline.
The film will be based from X-Men veteran Chris Claremont's story treatment, Digital Spy added.
The 34-year-old "Magic Mike" star will also be taking in some parts behind the camera as a producer with Free Association partner Reid Carolin, as well as Lauren Shuler Donner and Genre Film's Simon Kinberg.
"He's a rogue, Channing. He's a rascal, just like Remy LeBeau," said Donner, who made the casting announcement during a red carpet interview. "And he can handle the action, we all know that. And he's got a really good heart. ... So I think he'll be great for Gambit."
Talking about Gambit's fictional southern roots, Donner also cited Tatum being born in Cullman, Alabama.
The "White House Down" actor himself has been extremely excited about the thought of playing a mutant hailing from "down south."
"I met with Lauren Shuler Donner. I would love — Gambit's my really only X-Men that I've ever loved," Tatum was quoted as saying during an interview with MTV back in May. "I [mean] I've loved them all, they're all great, [but] I don't know I guess just being from down south — my dad's from Louisiana and I'm from Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida — I don't know I just related to him."
As for its filming sched, Inquistr speculated that the "Gambit" movie will not likely to appear "until 2017 or later," given the actor's hectic schedule.
