Channing Tatum's upcoming "X-Men" spinoff, "Gambit," has had some trouble snagging a director, but now, it looks like that position has finally been filled.

Entertainment Weekly reports that Rupert Wyatt, who directed reboot "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," has been tapped to helm the film, which focuses on the New Orleans-born mutant. Tatum is taking over the role from Taylor Kitsch, who appeared as Gambit in 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine." This will be the card-throwing character's first solo flick.

Tatum had long desired to see Gambit get his big screen due, though a movie took some time to materialize. First, the studio needed to sign on; then, the flick floundered for months without a director (and was reportedly rejected by high-profile people including Darren Aronofsky and Tatum's "Foxcatcher" director Bennett Miller). But now, it seems that Wyatt is at the helm, and work can finally start on the feature, which is due in theaters later next year.

No official word has come down from studio Fox yet. Stay tuned to see what they have to say about Wyatt (and perhaps the rest of the cast).

"Gambit" is slated for release on October 7, 2016.

[via: Entertainment Weekly]

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