Daniel Craig is reportedly being eyed by Twentieth Century Fox to play the main villain in Gambit, and possibly beyond in the X-Men universe. For all the attention Marvel Studios and DC Films receive, much of the modern superhero movie craze would not exist without Fox launching X-Men back in 2000. The mainline franchise has continued and been rebooted a few times over the years, but the studio has found their biggest hits in the standalone endeavors.
Gambit has been stuck in development for years with Channing Tatum as the star, cycling through several directors and undergoing multiple rewrites. Most recently, Tatum said that the project was starting over, but potential plot details have already made their way online. Not only is the film (reportedly) looking to introduce Mister Sinister finally, it may also bring Daniel Craig into the mutant world.
Related: Gambit Plot Rumors Hint at X-Men Connections
Splash Report is reporting that their sources have informed them that there are “conversations” to bring Craig onboard for Gambit. While this report should be taken with some major grains of salt, it does claim that Fox wants the current 007 actor to be their new X-Men movie big bad. Again, this is just a rumor right now, but an enticing one still. [UPDATE: The Wrap's Umberto Gonzalez is now reporting that this Craig/Gambit rumor is "not true".]
Fox first teased the introduction of Nathaniel Essex aka Mister Sinister in the post-credit scene for X-Men: Apocalypse. Should these rumors about Gambit's plot and casting picks (both of which came from Splash Report) prove accurate, then the X-Men movies may finally be ready to bring one of the original comics' biggest and most powerful villains ever to the big screen.
While Craig has voiced his frustrations with franchises in the past when discussing a possible return as James Bond, this would be a different direction for him to take his post-007 career in. He also starred opposite Tatum in Logan Lucky earlier this year, where both men appeared to have a great time together. If they did, having the opportunity to work with Tatum once again could be just another reason for Craig to be interested in said Gambit role.
There is still a long way to go before Craig officially joins Gambit, should things head in that direction. The film is still without a director or release date, and any new director may want some input in the casting process. Plus, it is not even confirmed that Sinister will be included or how quickly Fox is planning to move this film forward. So, before people get too attached or disinterested in the idea of Craig joining Gambit as Mister Sinister, it is just a rumor right now and could never happen.
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Source: Splash Report
Update Source: The Wrap
