After years stuck in development hell, Gambit finally appears to be moving along, with Lizzy Caplan joining the film - but who will she play? While previously slated to arrive in theaters last year, Gambit has had notorious trouble hanging on to filmmakers - like DC's Flashpoint, the past few years have seen the film completely change hands and direction. The past few months, however, have seen the movie start to course-correct.The script has been reworked, Channing Tatum has reaffirmed his faith in the film, and Gore Verbinski will be helming. Gambit also once again has a release date, slated to arrive in 2019 following Fox's trio of Marvel films next year. It currently looks like the film is moving towards filling out the cast, and it may have got its first addition to Tatum.
Read More: Gambit Movie Character Breakdowns
All of that led up to the reveal that Lizzy Caplan is being eyed for the female lead in Gambit. No other details have emerged at this time, but there's only a handful of female characters from Gambit's pantheon in the comics that could be adapted to film. Who could she be?
Bella Donna Boudreaux
The leading candidate for characters Caplan could play in Gambit is Bella Donna Boudreaux. Léa Seydoux was originally cast as Bella Donna in 2015, although the shake-ups the film has undergone since then have led most to believe the actress is out of the picture now. While her background would have made her perfect for Bella Donna, Caplan certainly has the skills to pull off the role. What's more, it's hard to imagine the female lead of Gambit not being Bella Donna.
Introduced in 1992's X-Men #8, Bella Donna was created by Jim Lee and Scott Lobdell. She meets Remy LeBeau as a child and the two hit it off instantly, which creates some complications. While Remy belongs to the Thieves Guild, Bella Donna belongs to the rival Assassins Guild. Though there are flavors of a Romeo & Juliet story, a wedding between the two is actually proposed to help unite the clans. Bella Donna's brother Julien, however, mars the ceremony by challenging Remy to a fight afterward. Remy not only succeeds but kills Julien, choosing to then leave his clan and bride for exile.
The Thieves Guild and Remy's outsider status from his own people are two of the biggest aspects of the character, meaning almost any Gambit origin story is sure to feature them and, specifically, Bella Donna. Of course, there's no clue what part of Gambit's life his film will follow. There's also nothing saying Bella Donna will be the female lead - she could merely be a supporting love interest. If that's the case, another person from Gambit's past may prove to be Caplan's role.
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Candra
Last month, a rumor emerged that Candra will be the villain of Gambit. Though nothing has confirmed this report, it's not hard to imagine it being true. Debuting in 1993's Gambit #1, Candra is a powerful telepathic who's part of the mutant race the Externals. Along with her psychic powers, Casandra is immortal and able to awaken mutant powers in others. In exchange for some of this power, Candra has long been a figure worshipped by the Thieves and Assassins Guilds. Somewhat naturally, Candra has had plenty of run-ins with Gambit and the two have long had an antagonistic relationship.
Candra also has ties to Bella Donna, as she activated the latter's mutant powers (astral projection and powerful energy blasts). Given the complicated morality of the Guilds and Gambit himself, it would be easy for the film to not feature straightforward heroes and villains. Still, Candra would make for a solid outright villain and a very different role for Caplan. Meanwhile, Bella Donna could still factor into the story as a smaller character. Though Bella Donna and Candra are the two most likely parts Caplan will tackle, an even more interesting role remains that has even deeper ties to Gambit.
Rogue
Since 2000, Anna Paquin has held the role of Rogue despite multiple other characters being recast around her. However, she hasn't been seen in some time, with her last appearance in X-Men: Days of Future Past cut out of the theatrical release. There have since been rumors of Rogue being recast, much like Cyclops, Storm, and the other core mutants have been for the new series. And while these rumors hinted at a younger Rogue inX-Men: Dark Phoenix, Caplan could easily end up playing her older counterpart.
Assuming Gambit takes place in the present day, a younger Rogue could still join Dark Phoenix as suggested, with Caplan tackling the adult version. The change from Paquin to Caplan, meanwhile, could easily be explained by all the timey-wimey shenanigans Fox has pulled with their X-Men universe. Though the logistics may seem wonky, it's hard to deny how perfect it would be for Gambit and Rogue to finally unite on screen.
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Gambit and Rogue may not have the history of Remy and Bella Donna, but they've been one of comics' most famous couples for decades. Though regularly on and off, their relationship is a complex and storied one that fans have long been hoping to see on the big screen. Gambit could also give us a Rogue with her requisite super-strength and flight, alongside her ability absorption powers.
Marvel's new Rogue and Gambit comic adds a bit more evidence to this thread of speculation. Even when it's not an MCU film, Marvel Comics has been good about introducing new books that help promote their various characters on the big screen. The stories rarely align, but its existence alone is definitely interesting.
Joelle
The immortal Joelle is fairly new to Marvel lore, but was crucially introduced in Gambit's 2012 solo title. The series marked something of a back-to-basics approach for the Cajun, putting him at the center of a heist storyline. We know Gambit will be a heist film, so the loose plot of this run would be perfect for adaptation.
The story surrounding Joelle features a lot of mystical and supernatural elements, which likely won't factor into the more grounded Gambit. The character, however, is a skilled thief and just as duplicitous as the other people in Gambit's life, so fits. Her newer status would also mean less baggage for Caplan and the film, allowing a fresh story to unfold that hints at Remy's past for future outings.
Related: Could X-Men Be the Key to Marvel's Phase 4 Movies?
Polaris
The biggest long-shot of all is that Caplan will play Polaris. One of the few prominent female characters from the comics with ties to Gambit, her story is a relatively new and complicated one that would have to be seriously altered for the comics.
When word broke that James Franco will star in a Multiple Man movie, fans began wondering if X-Factor would ever make it to the big screen. Debuting in 1986, the early '90s incarnation of the team would prove to be its most well-known. That added Polaris to the team, along with Havok, Quicksilver, Wolfsbane, and Multiple Man. Within the next few years, all of those characters will exist in the X-Men films, meaning only Polaris and Strong Guy would need to be added. Given that Polaris has a strong connection with Gambit from his later involvement with X-Factor, she could feasibly appear her in set up for a franchise team-up down the line.
Of course, it's a stretch to imagine the story will go in this direction. There's also the fact that Polaris is currently on The Gifted, although there's no telling how connected that is to the films; after all, the show recast Blink after her appearance in Days of Future Past.
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For the time being, there's no telling who Lizzy Caplan is playing or if she'll even join the film. Gambit has had an incredibly complicated development period despite Tatum's star-status, but things look to finally be coming together. With a February 2019 release date, the film will need to start shooting in the next few months. Given that, official casting announcements and the reveal of the female lead will surely arrive soon.
