The upcoming and repeatedly delayed Gambit film, a spinoff of the X-Men movie franchise, will honor the mutant character's roots as a thief. For years, Gambit remained stuck in a state of limbo despite boasting Channing Tatum as its star. The past few months however, have seen the film's fortunes change. After Tatum teased the script was starting over from scratch a few months ago, word broke last week that Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) is now at the helm. With a director potentially secured, things look to finally be moving along.

While Verbinski still hasn't been officially confirmed, yesterday news arrived that Gambit now has a February 2019 release date. Though exciting, it is worth taking the news with a grain of salt as this isn't the first time the film has locked in a date. Still, with Tatum in the lead role and a new script and director potentially in hand, it's only a matter of time before the X-Men spinoff gets off the ground. And when it does, it looks as if it will feature Remy LeBeau doing what he does best.

Omega Underground editor Christopher M reports that Gambit will indeed be a crime/heist film, no surprise given the protagonist's long history as a thief. While the report should be taken as just a rumor for now, it's worth keeping in mind Omega Underground's track record. He not only reported on Gambit's working title yesterday, but usually has good information when it comes to superhero production news.

It's also not a surprise to learn that the heist genre will be the focus of Gambit. Marvel Studios has had great success mixing superhero films with other distinct genres, and Fox is clearly attempting the same. Both Deadpool and Logan had their own vibe, and they both benefitted greatly from those choices. Meanwhile, the teaser for New Mutants proves that the X-Men universe is ready to start trying new things.

Films like Baby Driver and Logan Lucky this year showed how successful the heist film can still be at the box office, and it makes sense that more and more films are being pitched this way. Considering Gambit's ties to the Thieves Guild, his preference for playing cards, and his nom de plume, it's a smart move to have the criminal underworld and high-stakes job factor into the film. If Fox can marry all of these elements together, then Gambit could be both a fun and exhilarating addition to the X-Men universe.

NEXT: New Mutants Teaser Trailer Arrives

Source: Christopher M

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