Gambit, the Marvel Comics adaptation that has seemingly been stuck in development for eternity, has had a tricky life so far. First announced in 2015 with Channing Tatum to star and produce, the film went through filmmakers Rupert Wyatt (Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes) and Doug Liman (Edge Of Tomorrow) before finally settling on Gore Verbinski (Pirates Of The Caribbean).
The film also went through multiple script changes, delaying production even more, but after all that, there’s finally some movement and positive news. Lizzy Caplan is reportedly in talks to star alongside Tatum in the film and play the female lead.
It’s unclear which role Caplan is exactly playing, as when Wyatt was still set to direct the film, Lea Seydoux became attached to play the role of Belladonna Bourdreaux, who in the comics is Gambit’s love interest. However it’s unclear if Seydoux is still attached or if Caplan is playing Bourdreaux, or another character entirely.
Either way, this is a great casting choice as Caplan is almost always the best thing about any project she’s involved in, and has a unique, spunky presence that always stands out.
Considering that Gambit has been described as “a heist movie” and a “sexy thriller” by producer Simon Kinberg back in 2015, it seems it is set to be a quite different superhero adaptation that we’ve been used to, so adding Caplan, someone with great comic timing and also involved in the heist Now You See Me franchise, this is a great fit.
Fox has already shown a desire to differentiate their superhero films from their competitors with the subversive, genre-shifting Deadpool, Logan, and the upcoming The New Mutants. With Verbinski on board, always an interesting director, and, if Caplan signs on, a great duo of stars, Gambit could be set up to be another hit for the studio.
#Peace.Love.Gambit
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