The beleaguered X-Men spin-off movie ‘Gambit’ is once again searching for a director to helm the solo film starring the lucky Cajun mutant thief after Rupert Wyatt (‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’) departed over scheduling and/or creative differences (depending on who you ask).  We just reported that the film’s producers were courting Doug Liman, the man behind ‘Edge of Tomorrow’, ‘The Bourne Identity’ and ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith.’  This was just confirmed, so that may still be an ongoing process or perhaps things weren’t looking so great, since Liman is currently working on two different films.

At any rate, two additional names are now in the mix.

First up is Shane Black.  Black directed the $1 billion grossing super hero smash ‘Iron Man 3’, widely considered one of the best of the current crop of comic book blockbusters.  As a writer, he’s worked on such seminal films as the original ‘Lethal Weapon’, ‘Last Action Hero’, ‘The Long Kiss Goodnight’ and one of my personal favorite underrated 80s gems ‘The Monster Squad’.  He is currently in post-production on crime thriller ‘Nice Guys’ which he also wrote and is presently said to be working on scripts for a new ‘Predator’ movie and a film adaptation of pulp novel character ‘Doc Savage’, both of which he is attached to direct as well.

The second name being mentioned in relation is British screenwriter Joe Cornish, who has only directed one film, the well-received low budget alien invasion flick ‘Attack The Block’.  Cornish does have some super hero experience, contributing to the script of ‘Ant-Man’.  He also worked on the script for the non-super hero comic-based ‘The Adventures of Tin-Tin’.  He was at one point considered a contender to direct ‘Star Trek Beyond’ but the job eventually went to Justin Lin.

‘Gambit’ was allegedly already supposed  to have begun filming for an October 7, 2016 release.  There is supposedly a script ready, written by Joshua Zetumer based on a treatment by the character’s creator, comic book writer Chris Claremont.  And of course, Channing Tatum is still attached to star as the title mutant with Léa Seydoux (‘Spectre’) rumored to be playing romantic interest Bella Donna Boudreaux.  

Will ‘Gambit’ be able to pick up all the cards and put them back in order to meet the chosen release date?  Or will it have to be pushed back?  Or… will it even get made at this point?

What would you like to see happen?

Source: Screen Rant