Finally, after being delayed a few years, the Gambit movie is back on track. The Gambit solo film will star Channing Tatum as Remy LeBeau/Gambit and be directed by Gore Verbinski. Gambit is a mutant who has the ability to charge matter with volatile kinetic energy, causing the object in question to explosively release its charge on impact. The X-Men spinoff is rumored to be a heist flick involving Gambit recovering a mysterious case that was stolen from Nathaniel Essex — known as Mr. Sinister in the comics — by the Boudreaux clan. They plan to auction it during the yearly Thieves Ball where all the world’s criminal organizations gather for a single night. Essex offers Gambit $40 million to recover the case and return it to him.
This mysterious case is most likely the one seen during the post-credits scene of X-Men: Apocalypse. Many fans thought this scene would only provide a loose connection to Logan — as it contains Wolverine’s DNA — but it seems that 20th Century Fox had other plans for the information presented in the scene.
It is currently undetermined if any other actors will return to reprise their X-Men roles for the film, but there is one character in particular that fans are hoping to join the cast… Rogue!
In the comics, Gambit and Rogue became love interests as soon as he joined the X-Men. Despite their immediate attraction, their relationship developed slowly. This was due to Rogue’s inability to control her powers as well as Gambit’s secrecy and dishonesty concerning his previous relationships. Through their many break-ups and make-ups, Gambit and Rogue have one of the longest and most popular relationships in the X-Men comic series. Fans have been eagerly awaiting to see this relationship explored on the silver screen.
We do not know if 20th Century Fox currently has plans to have Rogue in the Gambit film, nor do we know who they will get to play her. The character has previously been portrayed by Anna Paquin, who has played this role in four X-Men films – X-Men, X2: X-Men United, X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: Days of Future Past.
Back in 2015, Paquin was asked by a fan if she would appear in Gambit and she simply responded: “No.”
This, however, was back when Gambit was scheduled to be released on October 7, 2016. Lots of things have changed in the X-Men franchise since then and Paquin may now be available to reprise her role. If she did return, then it would provide more of a connection to the rest of the X-Men films.
One reason the studio may hesitate on casting Anna Paquin as Rogue in Gambit will depend on where this film fits into the X-Men franchise timeline. If the mysterious case is indeed the same case seen during the post-credits scene of X-Men: Apocalypse, then this would set Gambit in the rebooted continuity. This would mean that Gambit would have to be set in the early to mid-2000s for the character of Rogue to be old enough to be played by Paquin.
If they wish to set the film in the ’90s closer to X-Men: Dark Phoenix, then they would have to change when Rogue was born. The timeline changing after the events of X-Men: Days of Future Past makes this possible. This is what allowed 20th Century Fox to change the age of Jubilee, a mutant who appeared as a teenager in the original X-Men set during the early 2000s, and made her a teenager in X-Men: Apocalypse which is set in 1983.
Fans should be getting more information soon about which actors will join Channing Tatum in Gambit and what roles they will play. One thing’s for sure we know that Taylor Kitsch won’t be returning! Hopefully, we get some cameos from existing X-Men characters in the film. Fingers crossed that Anna Paquin is available and willing to join the cast if the studio asks her. It never hurts to add an Academy Award-winning actress to a film.
Gambit is scheduled for released on Valentine’s Day 2019
Are you excited for Gambit? Do you want Anna Paquin to return as Rogue? Do you wish the studio didn’t recast Taylor Kitsch? Leave your comments below!