Channing Tatum's 'X-Men' Spinoff Movie 'Gambit' Still Can't Find A Director
Actor Channing Tatum has been pushing his solo "Gambit" movie but has been turned down by four high-profile directors to date, leaving the "X-Men" spinoff without one. Despite a scheduled release set for Oct. 7, 2016, the "X-Men" solo film spinoff, "Gambit," still doesn't have a director.
News has emerged a total of four prestigious filmmakers have rejected proposals to helm the spinoff on the Cajun mutant, whose popularity is second only to Wolverine.
While the script has already been written by "Robocop" writer, Josh Zetumer, and producers Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg in place for the 20th Century Fox movie, a director has yet to take the gamble.
According to Cinemablend, several big name filmmakers have been offered the director's chair, including Bennet Miller of "Foxcatcher," "The Wolverine" director Darren Aronofsky, Gareth Evans of "The Raid" and "A Most Violent Year" helmer J.C Chandor. All of them have reportedly turned down the opportunity to direct the superhero mutant film.
It remains a puzzle as to why directors have been turning down the offer since comic book movies appear to be the running trend in Hollywood, and Channing Tatum remains a bankable star who has headlined box office hits like " White House Down," "22 Jump Street," and "Magic Mike."
There have also been increased efforts on the part of Fox to handle their comic properties with a view to creating an "X-Men Universe" which "Gambit" will play a part in.
Tatum, who is rumored to appear in next summer's "X-Men: Apocalypse" to introduce his Gambit character will be getting a fresh start as Remy LeBeau/Gambit, a role "Battleship" actor Taylor Kitsch first portrayed in 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."
With the spinoff's release date fast approaching, Fox will need to start filming soon if they intend to make the theater release deadline they've set.