'X-Men' producer says Channing Tatum will play Gambit, teases other spinoffs

Channing Tatum had earlier said he was in serious talks for an "X-Men" role

(EW.com) -- "Days of Future Past" promises to fit more X-Men into an "X-Men" movie than any "X-Men" movie ever before. Naturally, the curious moviegoer is led to ask: Could the next "X-Men" movie possibly feature even more X-Men, as we evolve towards the ultimate singularity moment when life will be measured not in time but in unconfirmed "X-Men" casting rumors?

EW: Channing Tatum is in talks to play a very famous X-Man

Current franchise steersman Bryan Singer has told French magazine Cine Premiere that he'd like to fit Gambit and Nightcrawler into 2016′s "X-Men: Apocalypse." Now series producer Lauren Shuler Donner has kinda-sorta-completely confirmed that Gambit will be joining the franchise...and that he'll be played by Channing Tatum.

Talking to TotalFilm in a video interview, Shuler Donner is very bullish that Tatum is involved. (The "21 Jump Street" star previously told MTV he was in serious talks for the role.)

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"He's a rogue, Channing. He's a rascal." Shuler Donner doesn't specifically say how Tatum would join the franchise, nor does she even come close to mentioning how Tatum's Gambit will be different from Taylor Kitsch's Gambit in that movie that never happened. (Worth pointing out that this could still be a pre-contract almost-definite thing, not a fully contracted definite thing.)

But there appear to be a few options for bringing Tatum into the fold. Besides "Apocalypse" and 2017′s "Wolverine" threequel, Shuler Donner tells TotalFilm that she is still pulling for a "Deadpool" movie and an "X-Force spinoff. "X-Force" is fascinating," says Shuler Donner. "It allows us to be a little grittier."