Skip to main content

Channing Tatum wants The Bourne Identity director for his Gambit movie

1156710 autosave v1 2 tatum channing
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Last month, Rise of the Planet of the Apes filmmaker Rupert Wyatt exited the upcoming X-Men spinoff movie, Gambit, leaving the project without a director and in uncertain waters. Now comes word that The Bourne Identity and Edge of Tomorrow director Doug Liman is being pursued by both the studio and Gambit star Channing Tatum to take on the project, which is expected to begin production early next year.

According to Deadline, Liman is on “an inside track” to direct Gambit, but a number of obstacles on the horizon could derail the deal. First and foremost among the potential problems is that Liman only recently finished filming the drug-smuggling drama Mena with Tom Cruise, which could tie him up in post-production work past the viable timeframe for Gambit to shoot. Liman is also rumored to be considering an Edge of Tomorrow sequel and his longstanding sci-fi film Luna Park for his next projects, so that could also create some scheduling issues.

After that initial report mentioned Liman as a potential director Gambit, the report was confirmed by The Wrap, which also seemed to indicate that the director wasn’t a lock for the project.

True that Channing Tatum has been courting Doug Liman to direct GAMBIT. We'll see if he goes for it though…

— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) October 18, 2015

As it stands now, Gambit is set to star Tatum as the title character, a recurring member of the mutant superhero team the X-Men who has the power to charge inanimate objects with explosive kinetic energy. A Louisiana native raised by the mysterious Guild of Thieves, Remy LeBeau (aka Gambit) first appeared in a 1990 issue of Marvel Comics’ Uncanny X-Men series. In the X-Men movie-verse, Gambit was portrayed by Taylor Kitsch in the 2009 film X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

Long the subject of solo movie rumors, Gambit is expected to get an origin story of sorts in the upcoming film, which will also star The Grand Budapest Hotel actress Lea Seydoux. The film is based on a screenplay by RoboCop writer Joshua Zetumer, and is currently scheduled to hit theaters October 7, 2016.

Editors' Recommendations

Rick Marshall
A veteran journalist with more than two decades of experience covering local and national news, arts and entertainment, and…
3 underrated (HBO) Max movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)
A girl looks at a boy in House at the End of the Street.

June is surprisingly over, and with it, a great month for movies comes to a satisfactory close. You've probably watched Inside Out 2 or Bad Boys: Ride or Die or maybe even The Bikeriders. From blockbusters to indie fare, the theatrical movie business has been robust and healthy.

The same goes for streaming. Netflix had a big hit with Richard Linklater's Hit Man, while Amazon Prime Video recently premiered the latest bonkers season of The Boys. HBO and Max have been quieter, but their robust library speaks volumes to the streamer's high quality. The following three films are older, but are just as worth your time as new hits like House of the Dragon season 2.
The Skin I Live In (2011)

Read more
3 underrated Amazon Prime Video movies you should watch this weekend (June 28-30)
Two men spy from a car in The Limey.

As we head toward the end of June, it's worth reflecting on how we want to spend the rest of summer. For some, that's going to mean enjoying nice weather or getting some time in at the beach. For others, it might mean escaping from the heat, at least for a while, to check out a great movie.

If you fall into that second category, then we've pulled together a list of three great, underrated, titles available on Amazon Prime Video that are all worth checking out. Prime Video is home to some of the best movies available online, but it can be hard to find the ones you want. These three will at least give you a great place to start.
The Limey (1999)
The Limey | 4K Restoration Trailer | Plays Dec. 19

Read more
The best Netflix original series right now
Eric and Benedict Cumberbatch in Eric.

The era of Peak TV was also Peak Netflix, because the streamer seemingly had an endless supply of new original series. So far in 2024, that hasn't been the case. Whether we'll ever get the same level of content again seems unlikely for now. But even in a reduced capacity, Netflix still has a few new additions to its lineup of originals.

For the month of June, we're adding the '80s-set thriller, Eric, which stars Benedict Cumbebatch. Our other pick for the month is Supacell, which is Netflix's new British series that remixes some old superhero archetypes. That's not a very big selection for fans who always want something new, but this roundup of the best Netflix original series really does have all of the top options in one place for you. All you have to do is scroll down and make time to binge watch some shows.

Read more