Channing Tatum Discusses GAMBIT, Says He Won't Be in X-MEN: APOCALYPSE
Channing Tatum recently participated in an AMA on Reddit, and while promoting a contest to win a trip to the Magic Mike XXL premiere through Omaze to raise money for the Runa Foundation (which preserves Amazonian farm communities), the actor talked about Gambit and revealed that he will not be showing up in Bryan Singer's X-Men: Apocalypse. When he was asked about it, the actor said, “No ma’am, or sir. I definitely will not.”
A lot of fans were hoping that he would make his first appearance as Gambit in Apocalypse, but we wont see him until the Gambit solo film is released on October 7th, 2016.
He also went on to talk about Rise of the Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt, who is set to direct the movie:
“We finally found someone that I really do believe wants to make Gambit. It will be the second standalone character. And I just really think because Gambit is not the most popular or the biggest hero, I think there’s a really unique opportunity. Marvel’s done a lot of great movies that have made a ridiculous amount of money, and it’s always good to figure how to change the form.”
By the time Gambit is released, it will actually be the third standalone film that Fox has made based on an X-Men character. The first was Wolverine, and the second will be Deadpool. Tatum has said in the past that he is looking to change the superhero movie genre with Gambit:
"We've talked about it being a standalone, first, and actually trying to change the 'hero, superhero movie.' Because Gambit is not your typical hero. He's a thief. He walks on the gray. I'm hoping we can change it a little bit, and then ultimately feather into the other ones."
I'm curious to see what he he and his creative team do to accomplish that. Josh Zetumer (RoboCop) is writing the script for Gambit, which will be produced by Tatum, Reid Carolin, Simon Kinberg, and Lauren Shuler Donner.