Channing Tatum Will Play Gambit in Future 'X-men' Films

Ever since X-men franchise producer Lauren Shuler Donner hinted she wanted Channing Tatum to play the ragin' Cajun, Gambit, in a future film there has been quite the uproar from fans against the move. That only increased when Tatum began openly campaigning for the role as the popular mutant, finally stating that he had indeed met for it. Now Donner has confirmed to Total Film that Tatum will be playing Gambit....

 Donner: " It is Channing, yes. Well you know he's a rogue, Channing. He's a rascal, just like Remy LeBeau, and he can handle the action, we all know that. He's got a really good heart, because I know him personally, I did a movie with him. So I think he'll be great, he'll be great for Gambit, and he's a southerner too, he's not from New Orleans but he is a southerner and he understands that world, and you know Gambit loves New Orleans."

While she doesn't make any comment about 2016's X-men: Apocalypse, Bryan Singer has previously stated he wants to bring Gambit aka Remy Lebeau into the film, along with a new version of Nightcrawler. So it's not far fetched to think he'll pop up for a cameo before heading off into a Gambit solo film, which Donner also seems to be alluding to.

I know other X-men fans will disagree with me on this, but I'm really anxious to see what Tatum can do. More than that I'm eager to see exactly how they present him to even look like Gambit, because right now Tatum couldn't be more different than the suave, long-haired, stealthy cajun thief.  Then again, maybe I'm wrong because he's pulling off some wildly acrobatic stunts in Jupiter Ascending.

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Channing Tatum Has Already Met to Play Gambit of the X-men

Channing Tatum may not be the first person anybody would think of to play the ragin' cajun X-man, Gambit, but producer Lauren Schuler Donner thinks otherwise. She said a few months ago....

"I'm dying to do a Gambit movie with Channing Tatum. That doesn't have to be a great big movie. It's a thief in New Orleans, it's a whole different story. He's on board, and I have to get the studio on board. How can anyone resist Channing? He's such a sweetheart."

And now that she's reiterated her desire to make a Gambit spinoff film, along with spinoffs possibly for Mystique, Deadpool, and others, MTV caught up with Tatum to ask him about it. According to him, he's already met Donner to talk about it...

Tatum: "I met with Lauren Shuler Donner. And I would love it. Gambit is really the only X-Man I’ve ever loved. I mean I’ve loved them all, they’re all great, but I guess from being down south – my dad’s from Louisiana, I’m from Mississippi, Alabama, Florida – I don’t know. I just related to him. He’s just kind of suave… He’s the most un X-Men X-Man that’s ever been in X-Men. Other than maybe Wolverine, who’s like the anti-hero. He’s a thief. He’s not even a hero. He’s kind of walking the line of grey…He loves women and drinking and smoking and stuff so he’s just a cool guy who happens to have a moral center….I hope it [comes together]. You never know it’s a weird industry. If the stars align, I would die to play it. I’m already working on the accent. It’s crappy at the moment."

Bryan Singer has mentioned the possibility of seeing Gambit and Nightcrawler in X-men: Apocalypse, so Tatum will have a couple of years to sharpen up his accent and card-throwing skills.

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Is Channing Tatum "On Board' to Play Gambit in a Solo X-men Movie?

Here's something fans of Chatum Tatum might have missed about their favorite Step Up alum: he's a hardcore fan of Marvel's X-men. In particular he's a huge fan of the ragin' Cajun, Gambit, who appeared briefly in the terrible X-men Origins: Wolverine played by Taylor Kitsch. Tatum has always expressed his desire to play Gambit in a feature film, in fact you can hear him talk about it here while trying on a Cajun accent....



Anyway, it's possible he could be about to get his wish. X-men producer Lauren Shuler Donner has told Empire that she's got Tatum "on board" for a Gambit film, assuming she can get the greenlight to make it happen.

Donner: "I'm dying to do a Gambit movie with Channing Tatum. That doesn't have to be a great big movie. It's a thief in New Orleans, it's a whole different story. He's on board, and I have to get the studio on board. How can anyone resist Channing? He's such a sweetheart."

There were brief rumblings about a Gambit film starring Kitsch around the time of the first Wolverine movie, but when it turned out to be a critical and box office dud that killed any shot at a spinoff for every character involved. Look what's happened to the Deadpool movie. With 20th Century Fox expanding the X-men brand with X-men: Apocalypse and an X-force movie, the chances of seeing Gambit back on the big screen are better than ever. 

What do you think? Would Tatum make for a cool Gambit or what?  

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Channing Tatum Still "Committed" To 'Gambit' Film, Not Jumping To DCU

Much like in politics, the movie news biz is basically one big echo chamber. One site posts something, and a million other sites come swooping in looking to score some hits of their own. Most of the time it's fine, but other times it's just plain dumb. What's been going on the last few days with Channing Tatum, Gambit, and a possible jump to the DC Universe is a case of the latter. And I'm going to contribute to the madness by posting this, so I'm not much better. Ah well.

So a few days ago Batman-News had a flimsy story that suggested Tatum was ditching the shelved Gambit film to join Warner Bros.' DCU movies. Where'd that rumor come from? Well, they stalked The Flash director Rick Famuyiwa's Twitter and noticed that he followed a bunch of DC-related accounts. Oh, and he followed Tatum around the same time, as well. OBVIOUSLY this means Tatum is jumping ship from Gambit to the DCU, right? Some have even begun posting entire pieces on which DC Comics character he might be playing. Sheesh.

To be fair, the reason why some are so quick to believe this is that Famuyiwa landing the 'Flash' gig was preceded by his following a bunch of DC folks. And now that's the low bar being set for movie scoops: Twitter follows.

Now Latino Review has weighed in and they say a source has confirmed to them Tatum is "committed" to Gambit and that Fox is moving ahead with the film.  Currently it has no release date, production schedule, or confirmed cast, so that latter part is a little hard to swallow.  But chances are Tatum is sticking around to play the Ragin' Cajun, if only because it was such a pet project for him and the X-Men producers. First it has to be put back on the schedule by Fox, who removed it after Rupert Wyatt dropped out and problems arose with the screenplay. Doug Liman came aboard to replace him, but who knows how long he'll be able to stick around waiting.

Now after all of that watch Tatum sign on to play Green Lantern tomorrow or something. 

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Channing Tatum Says X-Men Spinoff 'Gambit' will be an Origin Story

Where will 20th Century Fox's X-Men franchise be after X-Men: Apocalypse wraps up next year? By most accounts Charles Xavier's mutants are in for a major shake-up, one that will see Bryan Singer's cast shuffled off to who knows where, and a brand new line-up taking over. That includes Ryan Reynolds' Deadpool film, which we assume is the start of a franchise; there's been talk of an X-Force movie and a New Mutants film with Josh Boone. And then there is also Gambit, which will star Channing Tatum as the ragin' Cajun mutant thief.

While nobody would have predicted Tatum to ever be part of the X-Men universe, much less as Gambit, the actor has been vocal about his love of the character. He's expected to cameo in X-Men: Apocalypse before spinning off into his solo movie afterwards, but we still don't know who will direct or how closely it will tie in with the other X-Men projects. In a conversation with Empire (via CBM), Tatum gave a small status update on the film, while also revealing the story will take us back to Gambit's origins...

"Josh Zetumer just turned in the first draft of the script, and it's killer. None of us were sure how he was going to deal with the X-Men world. But we're going to be changing some of the tropes of these movies. It's always about saving the world (Laughs), but maybe we're going to shift things a little but. There's so many ways you can take [an origin story]. You could do it like Batman Begins, or a different take and go the Guardians of the Galaxy route. All I can say is, I'm super excited."

Tatum also talked a bit more about why he's been so interested in playing Gambit for such a long time....

"I grew up in the South; my father's from Louisiana. We'd go to New Orleans and I heard all the dialects. It felt so different from the rest of America; it has its own ancient culture. So I identified with that. And he always felt the most real of the X-Men to me. He's kind of a tortured soul and he's not a good guy. But he's not a bad guy, either. He walks his own path. And of course he plays cards and drinks and is a martial-arts badass!"

Gambit is one of those great mysterious characters, like Wolverine and Boba Fett, who became less interesting the more was revealed about them. The only way to make Gambit cool again is by doing what they seem to be doing with the Deadpool film, which is going back to the character's roots and boiling them down to their essence. Tatum is suggesting that will be the direction they take. Gambit is currently set to open on October 7th 2016, which sounds awfully soon for us to know so little about it.

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Channing Tatum Reportedly Could Direct 'Gambit' Himself

I remember it like it was yesterday: Channing Tatum up on the Hall H stage at San Diego Comic-Con with the rest of Fox's superhero cast. The future was so bright four years ago; Fantastic Four was still a month away from stinking up the joint, X-Men: Apocalypse...well, we had no reason to think it would suck, and nobody knew shit about any Disney/Fox deals. Well, things have changed a lot since then, including that Tatum's Gambit movie looks less likely to happen than ever.


That said, Deadline suggests that if Gambit does happen, Tatum may just direct it himself. This would follow on the heels of numerous directors dropping out of the project; including Rupert Wyatt, Doug Liman, and Gore Verbinski. Tatum has been a producer in the past but this would be his first time behind the camera, which to me makes it seem very unlikely he'd be trusted with something of this size. Then again, Bradley Cooper has set a new bar for giving first-time directors the keys to the kingdom, hasn't he? Tatum would stay on as the ragin' Cajun X-Man, Remy Lebeau aka Gambit with a script by his longtime creative partner Reid Carolin.


Who knows if the movie will happen at all, though? With the Fox/Disney deal possibly wrapping up in March, the fate of the X-universe is up in the air. Gambit may not fit into Disney and Marvel Studios' plans, or they may decide to go in a different direction with the character, a direction away from Tatum. We'll just have to wait and see, but it's weird that all of these Fox stories are cropping up at the time of the most uncertainty.

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Channing Tatum may Exit Fox's 'Gambit' Film

Despite showing at Comic-Con decked out in his favorite Gambit T-shirt to pose with the X-Men cast, Channing Tatum apparently isn't locked in for the role just yet. The Wrap reports that Tatum may actually drop out of the film as negotiations with 20th Century Fox have hit a snag.

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. 

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Channing Tatum's Gambit Spinoff Lands 'Robocop' Writer

Now is probably a good time to accept that Channing Tatum is going to be part of the X-men franchise. After some months of speculation that the mysterious mutant thief Gambit would be getting his own solo film with the 21 Jump Street actor in the role, the project has been made official with the signing of Robocop writer Josh Zetumer to write the screenplay.

Tatum will not only star in the film but produce with his creative partner Reid Carolin, Lauren Shuler Donner, and Simon Kinberg. While the news that Tatum is playing one of the most popular X-men ever won't sit well with some, they may be appeased by knowing the story will be based on a treatment by legendary comics writer, Chris Claremont, who not only created Gambit but wrote the X-men's most memorable stories.

Gambit, aka Remy Lebeau, has the ability to charge any non-organic object with kinetic energy, causing it to explode. A world-renowned thief by nature, he's known for his charming Cajun accent and supernatural athletic ability, along with his on again/off again relationship with Rogue. As for when the film will shoot or who will direct, that much is unclear but Gambit is expected to appear in 2016's X-Men: Apocalypse. [Deadline]

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Channing Tatum is sticking around for 'Gambit' after All

And this is why it's sometimes a good idea to actually pay attention to what the reports are, rather than jumping the gun with sensationalist headlines. A few days ago a report surfaced that Channing Tatum's negotiations with 20th Century Fox over the Gambit film had hit a snag, and that if things didn't work out he could walk. Some sites concluded this to mean he had left the film. But that wasn't the case, and now THR reports that Tatum has inked his deal to play the X-Men's resident Cajun thief.

The story goes that the talks between Tatum and the studio had a "sensitive" patch but that he was never going to actually leave. Gambit has been a project largely powered by Tatum's own enthusiasm, with the actor showing up at Comic-Con wearing a t-shirt of the X-Man as part of the official confirmation of the film moving forward.

It's expected that Tatum will help fill the void when Hugh Jackman finally hangs up his claws after The Wolverine 3. Gambit is one of the most popular X-Men and could be a centerpiece character of the franchise for years. Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) will begin production on Gambit this October, with the film's release set for October 7th 2016.

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Channing Tatum to Star in 'Two Kisses for Maddy', but can't Find a Director for 'Gambit'

One thing Channing Tatum won't have to worry about is running out of projects to take on. He can pretty much do whatever he wants right now, having proven himself a success in just about every genre, and he's even made some moves as a writer and producer through his Magic Mike films. Surprisingly, the one area Tatum seems to be having trouble is in the field of superhero movies, like his upcoming solo Gambit film.

According to Umberto Gonzalez and the Meet the Movie Press podcast (via ScreenCrush), Tatum and 20th Century Fox are having trouble finding a director for Gambit, an X-Men spinoff centered on the Cajun mutant thief. Bennett Miller, who directed Tatum in Foxcatcher, Gareth Evans (The Raid), Darren Aronofsky (Noah), and J.C. Chandor (A Most Violent Year) have all turned down offers to direct it. The interesting thing is that Aronofsky was once on board to direct The Wolverine before backing out due to personal reasons. Fox needs to get moving on this soon. They already have a completed script by Josh Zetumer, and a release date in October 2016. Tatum has definitely been wildly enthusiastic about the film, so maybe that energy he has for it will lure a high-profile filmmaker in. Otherwise, they may have to go with a lesser name.

Meanwhile, Tatum has landed a dramatic role in Two Kisses for Maddy, a film he'll produce and star in based on the memoir by Matthew Logelin. Penned by Dana Stevens (Safe Haven), the film centers on Matt, a loving husband whose wife dies literally hours after giving birth to their first child, Madeline. Devastated by grief and the sudden responsibility of being a single father, Matt pushes through it all in order to create a life for Maddy.

No word on when that one will shoot, and like Gambit it needs to find a director first. [TheTrackingBoard]

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Channing Tatum Says 'Gambit' May be a Standalone Film First

The more Channing Tatum and producer Lauren Schuler Donner talk about a Gambit movie, the more apparent it is that Tatum will play the thieving X-man. Bryan Singer has talked about introducing the character in 2016's X-men: Apocalypse, setting him in the 1980s with the rest of the X-men: First Class team of younger mutants. But in a conversation with MTV, Tatum suggests that may no longer be the case, not if he has his way....

Tatum: “We’ve talked about it being a standalone, first, and actually trying to change the ‘hero, superhero movie.’ Because Gambit is not your typical hero. He’s a thief. He walks on the gray. I’m hoping we can change it a little bit, and then ultimately feather into the other ones.”

And there's also a glimmer of hope for those who have been vocal about not wanting Tatum to play the ragin' Cajun as he says nothing has been confirmed yet. Still, this looks like it will happen one way or another because Tatum is clearly taking an active role in developing the film...

Tatum: “Creatively, we’re starting to chug forward. Obviously there’s nothing [official]. There are only conversations and dreams right now, really.”

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Fan Art Shows Channing Tatum as Gambit; 'X-men: Apocalypse' Setting Revealed

Over the weekend X-men: Days of Future Past shot past The Amazing Spider-Man 2 as the top-grossing film of the summer, good news for 20th Century Fox as they set the stage for 2016's X-men: Apocalypse. Of course, there was also a rumor Bryan Singer could be out as director due to his legal troubles, so you can't win 'em all. Another story that has sparked mixed emotions in X-men fans everywhere has to do with Channing Tatum taking on the role of the ragin' cajun, Gambit, as he and producer Lauren Schuler Donner have been talking about for months.

Some fans may hate the idea of Tatum as their favorite thieving X-man, but a good idea would be to start preparing for it to happen. Devian Art's Metalblackfae has designed a cool piece of fan art that shows how Tatum could look as Gambit. I have doubts they'll go with this classic version of the character with the weird headgear and body armor, but there's no doubt Tatum is a dead-ringer for the character.

Whether or not Gambit makes his next appearance in X-men: Apocalypse as many expect, we now have a better idea when the film will take place. The two prior films have been set during tumultuous dates in our history: X-men: First Class in 1962 and X-men: Days of Future Past in 1973, and Bryan Singer has promised X-men: Apocalypse would be in the '80s. Now chatty producer/writer Simon Kinberg has revealed the film will take place in 1983. There are some spoilers beyond this point so just be warned!

Setting the film in 1983 means it will be two decades after X-men: First Class, and that should have a dramatic impact on most of the characters. We could see James McAvoy's Charles Xavier beginning to resemble Patrick Stewart's older version a bit more. The same should happen for Michael Fassbender as Magneto, but also the villain's hardline ideology should be further cemented. It will also be interesting to see how the retconning, or rebooting of the continuity will be handled. Will we start seeing younger versions of established characters like Cyclops, Storm, or Gambit and Nightcrawler as has previously been rumored? And will there be another significant historical event the film will center itself around?

Lots to ponder. X-men: Apocalypse opens May 27th 2016. [CBM]

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Channing Tatum's 'Gambit' Film Shoots in October; Casting Call Reveals Possible Details

20th Century Fox have big plans for a Gambit film, centered on the X-Men's favorite mutant thief. That was apparent from the moment producer Lauren Shuler Donner began suggesting Channing Tatum for the role, and now that he's confirmed to play the "Ragin' Cajun", details about the film are beginning to emerge. Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) came board to direct, and Showbiz411 says filming will begin this October in New Orleans, so they aren't wasting any time.

A casting call sheet has also been revealed, and while these are almost certainly cover names for these characters, the descriptions suggest many of them could be members of the Thieves or Assassins Guild.

Louis– Male, any ethnicity, 40s-50s. Elegant and intelligent. An appealing entrepreneur with an unexpected
dark side.

Vera– Female, any ethnicity, mid 20s – early 30s. Beautiful, smart, tough, fiery and unpredictable.

Wes– Male, any ethnicity, mid 20s – mid 30s. Aspirational but weak minded. Soulful and sensitive.

Fritz– Male, any ethnicity, 40s – 50s. A professional thief. Charismatic con-artist. Warm hearted but untrustworthy.

Nash– Male, any ethnicity, mid 20s – early 30s. A potent threat. Heir to his mother’s business. Malevolent.

Willhelm– Male, any ethnicity, 30s. Dangerous street criminal. Protective and loyal to his family. Intensely loyal and violent.

Gary– Male, any ethnicity, mid 20s – early 30s. A little simple; dim-witted and passive.

Nonna—Female, any ethnicity, mid 20s – 30 years old.
Uptight, corporate, vicious, sexual.

Joe– Male, any ethnicity, 30s. He’s a gun for hire. He is the black sheep of his family. Not from good breeding but from a working class family.

Ben–Male, any ethnicity, 20s. Just reaching adulthood. A street kid, a disaffected outsider, an orphan.

Boris–Male, Hispanic, 20s. Charming, handsome, and dangerous..

Clarissa– Female, mixed race, 10 – 12 years old. Ethereal and other worldly. Very expressive.

Wolfgang– Male, authentic French, 40s. A French criminal. Must speak fluent French.

Howard– Male, Caucasian. 50s. A refined European mobster who speaks fluent French.

Gambit, aka Remy Lebeau, was raised as a member of the Thieves Guild which is where his gift for thievery was honed. The two sides are constantly feuding, with Gambit often caught in the middle.  Since this is beginning to look like an origin story, it's likely we'll see at least something of his time in the Guild, and possibly even his marriage to Bella Donna, a high-ranking member of the Assassins Guild.

With a budget reportedly set for $154M, a hefty sum that exceeds the cost of The Wolverine, it's clear Fox has intentions of making Gambit a major part of their X-Men franchise. Perhaps they're looking for a character to replace Wolverine now that Hugh Jackman is on his way out after The Wolverine 3.

Gambit hits theaters on October 7th 2016.

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Lizzy Caplan Joins X-Men Spinoff 'Gambit' With Channing Tatum

It's taken years but Channing Tatum's long-awaited, at least by him, Gambit movie is finally happening. The X-Men spinoff has gone through a few incarnations, and one would have had Rupert Wyatt directing and Lea Seydoux as the female lead of Belladonna Boudreaux. That version died some time ago, and now it looks as if this version will have Tatum co-starring with Master of Sex and Now You See Me 2's Lizzy Caplan.

Caplan has joined Tatum in the film, but her role is being kept under wraps. There's been so much work done on Gambit that I can't say for sure if the female role is still Belladonna or if it's been changed to someone else. But let's assume it hasn't changed; Belladonna is a member of the Assassins Guild, the rivals of the Thieves Guild that Gambit, aka Remy Lebeau, belongs to. The two are childhood sweethearts and grew to become lovers, despite tensions within their groups.  Of course, it would all fall apart and she would end up hating Gambit, but that's a long story.

Directed by Gore Verbinski, Gambit opens Valentine's Day 2019. [Variety]

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Rupert Wyatt Drops Out of Channing Tatum's 'Gambit' Film

20th Century Fox apparently can't buy a break. The studio, still smarting from the drubbing Fantastic Four received, are now facing a potentially worrisome problem with X-Men spinoff, Gambit. The film already faced a minor blip when star Channing Tatum nearly departed the project, but now they need to find a new director as Rupert Wyatt has dropped out.

According to THR, Wyatt, who directed Rise of the Planet of the Apes for the studio, has left Gambit due to script issues, an expanded budget, and delays that have caused a conflict with another project he has. What's that project? No idea. He's got nothing confirmed to be coming up. Here's his statement...

“I was very much looking forward to working with my friend Channing and the team at Fox, but regrettably a push in the start date now conflicts with another project. I thank them for the opportunity, and I know that Gambit will make a terrific film.”

Maybe that's true, but then again maybe not. Those delays pushed the film's start date to next March, which isn't a lot of time before the pegged October 7th 2016 release date. Wyatt may not be keen on that kind of time crunch. Tatum is still on board and so is co-star Lea Seydoux, but let's not forget how hard it was for Fox to land a director in the first place. It may be they choose a lesser name, perhaps an up 'n coming filmmaker who can make the movie they want to make in an extremely short amount of time. 

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Channing Tatum's 'Gambit' Gets A Sweetheart Release Date

And it looks like I lost the office pool that Channing Tatum's Gambit movie would never ever happen. And at least for now it looks like I lost the side bet that Tatum would drop out. 20th Century Fox has dated the long-awaited spinoff for February 14th 2019, no doubt hoping it would bring the same level of success as Deadpool did there a couple of years ago.

Or they're hoping to lure in the Gambit/Rogue lovebirds still obsessed with their on again/off again love affair in the comics. Honestly, I expect them to recast the Rogue role (Hey, new timeline and all.) and have her appear. It hasn't been revealed but if it happens you heard it here first.

The film doesn't officially have a director but last we heard Gore Verbinski (A Cure for Wellness) was in talks to take over. Rupert Wyatt and Doug Liman were previously attached but dropped out, derailing the project twice just as it seemed to get rolling. Clearly Fox is feeling confident now, just as they are preparing to unleash a number of X-Men projects. Next year will see three X-Men movies in theaters: New Mutants in April, Deadpool 2 in June, and X-Men: Dark Phoenix in November.

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The PDC Picks Our Most Anticipated 2016 Films

Wave "do svidania" to 2015, folks! It's gone, kaput, fini! Let's look ahead to what's in store for 2016, and of course it promises more superheroes than ever, and yes, even more Star Wars. But there's more than that; we've also got a new Star Trek movie, a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, the X-Men have two movies this year, and...what's that? Harry Potter is back? And the Ghostbusters? Whoa! Fortunately, there's more than just blockbusters and sequels out there, like new films from Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Terrence Malick.

It's going to be another wild year for film lovers, and the Punch Drunk Critics got together to pick the three movies we absolutely can't wait for. Check it out, and be sure to chime in with your own choices!

John Armstrong

DOCTOR STRANGE
Director: Scott Derrickson
Cast: Benedict Cumberbatch, Tilda Swinton, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachel McAdams, Mads Mikkelsen
Release Date: November 4th
If there's one thing we've learned from the second phase of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it's that the lesser-known properties can be the most fun.  But while Guardians of the Galaxy and Ant-Man both pushed the MCU formula in comedic directions, Doctor Strange appears to be playing up the supernatural and occult.  That should be a nice break from the punch-or-shoot-em-up style we're used to getting in Marvel's core properties like Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, and The Avengers.  Benedict Cumberbatch is always fun to watch, and a supporting cast filled out with the likes of Chiwetel Ejiofor, Mads Mikkelsen, and Tilda Swinton is a very good omen indeed.

GHOSTBUSTERS
Director: Paul Feig
Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones, Kate McKinnon, Chris Hemsworth
Release Date: July 15th
Paul Feig and Melissa McCarthy continue their mission to carve out space in comedies for ladies to shine.  This time it's a gender-flipped reboot of the classic '80s paranormal romp, with Bridesmaids' Kristen Wiig, and SNL regulars Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones joining McCarthy on the team.  It certainly is an audacious play on their part, already causing a tempest in the Twitter teapot over the idea of replacing Murray, Aykroyd, Ramis, and Hudson with women.  Will this remake live up to the shadow cast by the original version? or will it find new ground to break and succeed on its own terms?  We'll have to wait until summer to find out.

KNIGHT OF CUPS
Director: Terrence Malick
Cast: Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, a cast of thousands
For some moviegoers -- myself among them -- all you need to say is "new Terrence Malick film" and we're sold.  Malick's detached, meditative style is far from everyone's cup of tea, but other directors can't seem to help but crib off of him when they want a quick injection of gravitas.  But Malick is contemplative, not didactic with his messages, and he's among the very few filmmakers who can engage with moral and spiritual questions without turning preachy.  His films wrestle with what it means to be human, but never try to push an easy answer on us, preferring to leave us to consider the questions they raise for ourselves.  What more can any work of art achieve than that?

Roxana Hadadi

GAMBIT
Director: Doug Liman
Cast: Channing Tatum, Lea Seydoux
Release Date: October 7th
Poor Taylor Kitsch. A series of flopped would-be blockbusters, the terrible second season of True Detective, and now he's been recast as Gambit by none other than the loved-by-all Channing Tatum. I feel bad for Tim Riggins, but jeez, am I pumped to see Channing take on this character, my most favorite - and perhaps the most difficult to adapt - member of the X-Men. As a '90s kid, I'm partial to the overcoat-wearing, headband-sporting, card-throwing version with a particular Bayou drawl, and Kitsch's more Vegas-style Gambit was definitively not what I expected. Who knows what Channing will bring to the table? It's impossible to deny that he's improved leaps and bounds as an actor in recent years, and it will be interesting to see whether he can successfully add "superhero" to his resume with Gambit. Plus, if Tatum can work a New Orleans accent as well as he did faux French in The Hateful Eight, then please know that I'll be dead from thirst in the theater.

THE NICE GUYS
Director: Shane Black
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe
Release Date: May 20th
Ryan Gosling returns! Rejoice! All hail! After taking time off in recent years to have a daughter with Eva Mendes and direct his not-well-received first feature, Lost River, Gosling is popping back up in theaters, first with December's excellent The Big Short and then with next summer's The Nice Guys. This latest film from Shane Black pairs Gosling and Russell Crowe in an unlikely, wonderful duo in the same way that Black linked Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer together in the underrated, excellent Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. Watch the red-band trailer for The Nice Guys and you might embarrass yourself with glee because you'll remember that Gosling is hilariously funny, and you'll realize that fat Russell Crowe is just regular Russell Crowe now, and you'll be pleased to learn that R-rated comedies don't always have to be juvenile free-for-alls. They can also be noir-ish, whipsmart films for adults, and that's exactly what makes The Nice Guys look so damn exciting.

THE NEON DEMON
Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Cast: Elle Fanning, Christina Hendricks, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Keanu Reeves, Bella Heathcote
Release Date: 2016
Oh, I'm sorry. You didn't like Nicolas Winding Refn's Only God Forgives? Please GET OUT OF MY LIFE. It's exactly the nightmarish fever dream feel of "Only God Forgives" that has me excited for The Neon Demon, the latest from Refn about a coven of Los Angeles witches preying on the youthful and hopeful. Refn has always flirted with horror, but The Neon Demon -- picked up for distribution by Amazon, which will be an interesting experiment -- sees him going all out, and a Suspiria-like film from Refn is all I've ever wanted. Plus, a cast that includes Elle Fanning, Keanu Reeves, and Christina Hendricks? GIVE IT TO ME NOW.

John Nolan

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Director: Gareth Edwards
Cast: Felicity Jones, Riz Ahmed, Donnie Yen, Ben Mendelsohn, Diego Luna, Forest Whitaker, Mads Mikkelsen
Release Date: December 16th

A decidedly bad name, Disneyfied if you will, but a name that’s going to be causing giddy fanboys like myself to squeal for the next year. Rouge One is to be the first Star Wars Anthology film that will lead into others including a Han Solo spin-off. I suppose anticipation is to be expected seeing as The Force Awakens is about to take its place as the top box office draw of all time. It’s much more than the flavor of the month though, it’s a turning point in the Star Wars cinematic universe, the fate of which will decide the future for all non-Skywalker films from a galaxy far, far, away. The story of the rebels who stole the death star plans that were carried by R2 way back in Episode IV: A New Hope, Rouge One will define whether audiences are willing to plunk down $10 a year for Star Wars films and more importantly whether or not films outside of the core characters can have mass appeal.

Captain America: Civil War

Directors: The Russo Brothers
Cast: Chris Evans, Sebastian Stan, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, pretty much everybody from The Avengers
Release Date: May 6th

Speaking of films that are defining the future of franchises the third Captain America film, which will see Cap and Tony finally duking it out, will undoubtedly have long lasting repercussions in the most dominant of cinematic universes. Not only will we see the Avengers completely fall apart but we are also stuffing more heroes into an already crowded roster, which has never worked out well in the past. That being said Marvel continually defies convention and logic with their successes so I’m extremely hopeful that new additions like Spider-man and Black Panther, will be dealt with properly. Besides, who didn’t get a little steamy watching that scene of Steve and Bucky fighting Iron Man in the trailer? Is there any way this movie is less then great?

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice

Director: Zack Snyder
Cast: Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg, Jeremy Irons, Laurence Fishburne
Release Date: March 25th

I’m surprised by how many people are downing this film already…then again I was surprised that people didn’t like Man of Steel. I will admit that Doomsday looks less than perfect but everything else about this movie is hitting every note perfectly. Ben Affleck, contrary to previous popular belief, is on track to become yet another iconic Batman (I mean c’mon, the guy’s chin was MADE for comic book movies!) Henry Cavil is visually perfect as the Man of Steel, and even Gal Gadot, who I thought could never be a convincing Wonder Woman giving her slight frame, is nailing it if the trailers are to be believed. If nothing else, this will be the top popcorn film of the summer.

Looking back at my list I’m realizing just how dominated by “Cinematic Universes” the modern film market has become. You know what? I’m ok with that!

Mae Abdulbaki

X-Men: Apocalypse
Director: Bryan Singer
Cast: Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, Oscar Isaac, Nicholas Hoult, Rose Byrne, Tye Sheridan, Sophie Turner, Evan Peters
Release Date: May 27th
Of all the superhero movies out there (there are so many now that I can barely keep them straight most of the time), the X-Men films have always had my heart. Except for the third film in the franchise, the films have been strong, with lots of characters, good story lines, and a great ensemble cast. And now we're getting the Apocalypse story being told onscreen! It's one of the biggest story lines, with one of the biggest characters in X-Men history! The four horseman are in it! Xavier will finally go bald! There'll be younger versions of Jean Grey, Scott Summers, and Storm! Oscar Isaac is Apocalypse! It's too exciting for words and I can't wait to see how it all plays out. Plus, Nightcrawler is coming back (the younger version of him, but I'm not complaining).

Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice
I was one of those people who thought Man of Steel was just meh, but I can't help but be intrigued by the second film to feature Henry Cavill as Superman. First off, it's Henry Cavill (hello!), and secondly, I've always enjoyed the Batman/Superman dynamic. They're just so opposite of each other in a lot of ways and it'll be interesting to see how it all goes down. I'm staying (mostly) spoiler free, and if they'd stop putting out trailers of the film, it'd be greatly appreciated. Now I don't think Zack Snyder is the best director ever; he's certainly not a strong storyteller in comparison to his ability to put together great action sequences, and there might be too many Justice League members being shoved into a movie that isn't the Justice League, but I'd be lying to say that I am not anticipating this film. If it turns out to be disappointing, then it'll be my own damn fault for hoping it's better than the last film.

Travis Hopson
Because my list would be nothing but X-Men, Marvel, DC, or Star Wars movies I'm going to make a point to not include any of them. There are too many promising flicks coming up to be completely occupied by superheroes. Limiting this to just three was CRAZY difficult.

Triple Nine
Director: John Hillcoat
Cast: Casey Affleck, Kate Winslet, Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrelson, Norman Reedus, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Gal Gadot, Aaron Paul
Release Date: February 26th
I've had a serious jones for this Triple Nine since they first started putting the cast together, and believe it or not it was even more starry back then. First of all, it's a cop movie, which I love; but it's a cop movie directed by John Hillcoat, director of such manly flicks as The Proposition, Lawless, and The Road. But then you look at the cast which includes Kate Winslet, Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Norman Reedus, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Aaron Paul, Clifton Collins Jr., Gal Gadot, Michael K. Williams, and Teresa Palmer. Check muthafuckin' please!!

The Bad Batch
Director: Ana Lily Amirpour
Cast: Jason Momoa, Jim Carrey, Keanu Reeves, Suki Waterhouse, Diego Luna, Giovanni Ribisi
Release Date: 2016
The coolest vampire of the last ten years was unquestionably Ana Lily Amirpour's A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night. It was the kind of stylish, confident debut that sets an incredibly high bar for what comes next. So what does Amirpour choose to do? Explore romance in another fucked-up community, this time a Texas love story involving cannibals. And obviously her talents have attracted the attention of big Hollywood as uber-producer Megan Ellison is backing this effort which features the starriest cast Amirpour has ever worked with. This one's going to be weird and fun and I simply can't wait.

The Birth of a Nation
Director: Nate Parker
Cast: Nate Parker, Armie Hammer, Colman Domingo, Aja Naomi King, Jackie Earle Haley, Gabrielle Union
Release Date: 2016
I've often said that Nate Parker is this generation's Denzel Washington....if only Denzel would get out of the way! That's not likely to happen any time soon, and Parker has found a way to forge his own path, anyway. Part of that includes making a move behind the camera (just as Denzel did with The Great Debaters, Parker's breakout film) with the slavery drama, The Birth of a Nation. The film tells the true story of Nat Turner, the charismatic slave who led a violent slave rebellion in 1831 that led to dozens of white people being killed. It's touchy, complicated material that could stoke racial fires that still burn today, but there's every reason to think Parker will handle it with the care such a story deserves. Fortunately, this one's playing at Sundance so I should (::fingers crossed::) be able to find out very soon.

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Lea Seydoux Offered 'Gambit' Role Opposite Channing Tatum

Gambit has had many loves in the pages of the X-Men comics, most notably the Southern belle, Rogue. But a guy never forgets his first, and when Channing Tatum takes the role of the mutant thief in the Gambit film next year, it looks like his first love will be played by Blue is the Warmest Color and Spectre's Lea Seydoux.

Seydoux had been on the short list for the role of Bella Donna Boudreaux, along with Mad Max: Fury Road's Abbey Lee and Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation breakout, Rebecca Ferguson. The list got shorter when Ferguson took her name out of the running to star opposite Emily Blunt in The Girl on the Train, and now Deadline reports an offer has been made to Seydoux which she is expected to accept.

The role of Bella Donna is an interesting one, as her relationship with Remy "Gambit" Lebeau has a Romeo & Juliet quality to it. They were young lovers on opposing sides in the war between New Orleans Assassins Guild and Thieves Guild. Eventually they were married to bring the two sides together, but when her jealous brother attacked Gambit he was killed in the melee, forcing Gambit into exile. Bella Donna gained mutant psychic powers of her own and took over leadership of the Assassins.

Directed by Rupert Wyatt, Gambit is expected to open on October 7th 2016.

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'Gambit' And Other Fox Films Are Being "Evaluated" By Disney

The headache that was Channing Tatum's Gambit movie has passed from 21st Century Fox over to Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios. The long-troubled X-Men film has been in limbo for years as multiple directors exited the project, but with the Disney/Fox deal completed there's a chance for it to finally happen. That's if Disney decides it's worth it to bring the Ragin' Cajun's first solo adventure to the big screen.

According to X-Men producer and Dark Phoenix director Simon Kinberg, Gambit is under evaluation at Disney right now, along with all of the Fox movies that came over in the completed deal. He told Variety...

"All of the movies at Fox are being evaluated. I love the idea of Channing playing Gambit. I think we have a great script for it and I think it’s a role he was born to play. It’s a character I grew up loving and I know the fans love. So I suspect, I hope it will happen. There will be a lot of mixing and merging now and I’m all for it and excited to see."

With the X-Men now firmly part of Marvel Studios, there will be a place for Gambit somewhere in the MCU. It's just a matter of how. Will he debut as part of a new team film, or will they move forward with Tatum's vision for the character, as he's been instrumental to its development. Something tells me the Gambit movie won't happen anytime soon, and probably not as we've come to expect.

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Channing Tatum Joins The Amazing 'Kingsman: The Golden Circle' Cast

Wow. Matthew Vaughn is really upping the ante when it comes to Kingsman: The Golden Circle, his sequel to last year's suprise spy hit, Kingsman: The Secret Service. Already there's been the tease of Colin Firth's unexpected return as Harry Hart; plus the additions of Julianne Moore, Halle Berry, and Pedro Pascal to the cast. As if that wasn't enough, over the weekend Elton John, the friggin' "PianoMan" himself, entered talks for a role. And now? Here comes Channing Tatum.

Tatum broke the news himself on Twitter with the following image and caption...

I'm about to get all up in that Golden Circle. #Kingsman pic.twitter.com/LqCPJ6monO

— Channing Tatum (@channingtatum) April 14, 2016

Considering the film is set to bring the action to America, it sounds like Tatum will be playing a Southern spy, possibly a member of the Kingsman's U.S. counterparts, the Statesman.  This is also probably more of an indication that Fox's Gambit film is either dead or a long way from getting started, but at least they found something for Tatum to do in the meantime.

Taron Egerton, Mark Strong, Sophie Cookson, and Edward Holcroft will reprise their roles for Kingsman: The Golden Circle which opens on June 16th 2017.

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