It feels like we’ve been waiting three years for solid Gambit news. Oh, wait, we have. Gambit has been in limbo over at 20th Century Fox and the producers know they have to do the film justice. That’s why the creative team has recruited Oscar-winning costume designer Jenny Beavan, according to Omega Underground. She won a BAFTA Award for her costumes in Mad Max: Fury Road, and has been nominated an additional eight times throughout her career.
Striking is the word that describes Beavan’s style, perfect for Gambit since he’s an odd character and needs a definitive look to go along with his strong personality. Channing Tatum is the perfect actor to bring Gambit to life and fans can’t wait to see what parts of the classic costume Beavan will choose. Beavan will be working alongside a familiar director, Gore Verbinski. The two collaborated earlier this year with the horror film, A Cure for Wellness.
The film will have undeniable spark and flavor, as Omega Underground also learned it’s set in the city of New Orleans. “Chess” is the working title and it definitely fits Gambit’s persona. X-Men writer Simon Kinberg spoke to Flickering Myth last year about developing a clear tone and voice, like Rhett Reese did with Deadpool. He and Tatum are really determined to get the character right. Kinberg even told ComicBook Channing wants to channel his inner Hugh Jackman.
“The process has been that Channing [Tatum] is as determined about getting the character right as Ryan Reynolds was about Deadpool and Hugh [Jackman] was about this Logan movie. We know that when we get those right, the movie succeeds so we want to make sure we get Gambit right because we want him to be the beginning of a whole new franchise," he said.
Remy Etienne LeBeau, also known as Gambit, was created by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee. His first appearance was in Uncanny X-Men Annual #14. There are a lot of subtleties to his character Tatum should master. Gambit is very proud of his Louisiana heritage, and Tatum needs to nail that Cajun accent and irresistible charm. Once a thief, Gambit must carry himself in a memorable way because his powers are so unique. He has the ability to convert latent and potential energy from inanimate objects into pure kinetic energy, making him skilled in card-throwing and the use of the bo staff. It will be awesome to see how Tatum portrays Gambit charging objects, such as throwing and exploding playing cards, one of his signature moves.
Gambit is set to arrive in theaters Feb. 14, 2019.
