Could Channing Tatum Direct 'Gambit'?

If Channing Tatum plays his cards right, he could add "director" to his long and colorful resume. But that's if luck is a lady to Gambit, the long-gestating 20th Century Fox superhero movie that has seen a revolving door of directors while Tatum grew out his hair to no avail. With Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox ongoing, it seemed like Gambit was out for the count. But a new report about Tatum's departure from his longtime talent agency suggests that Gambit may see action after all.

Channing Tatum has been attached to star in Gambit since the film was first announced in 2015, but he's remained the only constant in the film's long, tortured production history. Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) was the first director hired, but exited because of behind-the-scenes conflicts. Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Edge of Tomorrow) was next in the line-up, but soon left because he couldn't connect with the story. Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) came and went due to scheduling conflicts. Kong: Skull Island director Jordan Vogt-Roberts was even rumored to be among those contending for the job.

Now it seems that Tatum could be taking matters into his own hands. Per a Deadline report about the actor parting ways with his longtime reps at UTA and Management 360:

He has been trying to get going theX-Men spinoff Gambit. He has long been slotted to play the charming card-throwing mutant, and buzz has been that he might direct the film after several other filmmakers have been in and out. But there is no start date at this point and its still being worked on.

This would mark Tatum's directorial debut, though the actor has proven himself to be a talented character actor and producer, a long way off from his beginnings as an exotic dancer. I'm convinced that Tatum can do anything he sets his mind to — after all, he transformed himself from big-screen heartthrob to scene-stealing character actor. And it seems that no one is as dedicated to this project as Tatum, who has stuck by Gambit through thick and thin, and even grew his hair out into a horrendous style supposedly for this film. If Tatum steps into the director's chair, I hope he follows through with producer Simon Kinberg's promise of a Gambit romantic-comedy.

20th Century Fox still has Gambit slated for a release date of June 7, 2019, which will certainly get pushed back as the studio considers its director.