No, your eyes do not deceive you; Fox’s long-gestating Gambit spinoff may finally have a production start date to call its own.
Per Omega Underground, it seems the Powers That Be want to fast-track Remy LeBeau’s origin story before the Disney-Fox merger is fully consummated next summer, by which point the Mouse House – and, more specifically, Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige – will ostensibly be in control of the X-Men and Fox’s band of merry mutants from 2019 onwards.
That would make Gambit the final mutant spinoff to release before 20th Century Fox cedes control of its precious entertainment assets, as Omega Underground is reporting today that filming on the Channing Tatum pic will kick off on February 15th in New Orleans, Louisiana – one day after it was originally supposed to hit theaters, which really gives you an idea of just how long this movie has waited for its chance to shine.
So, yes, it appears there’s still life in the old dog Gambit yet…
A New Orleans setting is practically a no-brainer for Gambit, given Remy’s long history with the city, while we understand the Fox spinoff plans to shoot at Big Easy Studios, the same creative hub in which Dawns of The Planet of The Apes and Logan flickered into life.
All of this certainly bodes well for Gambit, which somehow – almost inexplicably – still has Channing Tatum attached to star. It’ll still need to nail down an official director before things start falling into place though, after Fox lost the likes of Rupert Wyatt, Doug Liman and Gore Verbinski in quick succession.
It’s been a long and meandering road, then, but if Omega Underground’s scoop is anything to go by, it would seem Gambit‘s fortunes are about to change. And, frankly, it’s about damn time.