If Tatum leaves it would leave the production with a major hurdle to overcome. After a lengthy search that included a number of candidates, Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) came aboard to direct the film, with shooting set to begin this October. Casting calls had already been issued and Tatum was reportedly testing with Lea Seydoux (Blue is the Warmest Color) for the female lead role.
But the biggest issue may be one of studio enthusiasm. While fans have been mixed on the idea of Tatum as the Cajun mutant, it was him and producer Lauren Shuler Donner who really pushed to make this happen. Without him, would there even be a Gambit movie? With a production budget rumored to be north of $150M, Fox may want to take that money and go with a surer bet. Gambit was an extremely popular character back in the '90s, but that hasn't been the case for a long time.
There's still a chance Tatum stick around, but with his friend and creative partner Reid Carolin suggesting they may embark on their directorial debut soon, it may be that Tatum's attentions are already elsewhere. Gambit is currently set for an October 7th 2016 release.
