Gambit, the Channing Tatum-starring vehicle, has been through a tumultuous pre-production. Contradictory reports said that the leading star was close to dropping out of the title film to pursue other projects, but ended up closing the deal to appear as the Ragin’ Cajun. Lea Seydoux (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Spectre) would then be confirmed to play the lead female role in the film. Weeks after that casting, director Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Gambler) left the film either due to scheduling conflicts or creative differences.

Whatever the case may be, it left Gambit without a director, which in turn forced the production to be pushed back almost six months. However, there appears to be a new rumor that says Doug Liman (Edge of Tomorrow, The Bourne Identity) may be in talks to direct the X-Men spin-off. More on the story here below.

Just as things were finally coming together for the Channing Tatum starring vehicle Gambit, Rupert Wyatt walked out on the film. The news broke not long after Tatum officially signed on to play the title character – after nearly walking out on it himself – with Lea Seydoux (Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol, Spectre) signing on to play the female lead Belladonna.

Wyatt said that he couldn’t commit to the project due to scheduling conflicts but wished the team well. That sort of answer is something you always hear when it comes to news like this. Of course it goes much deeper than that, and now it is being reported that creative differences are what drove Wyatt away from the film. More on the story below.

The planned Gambit movie with Channing Tatum attached to star in the title role finds itself facing a bit of a speedbump.

Director Rupert Wyatt (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Gambler), who signed on to direct the movie back in June, has been forced to depart the movie. Why exactly Wyatt was forced to walk away from the movie appears to be due to a scheduling conflict.

The events of X-Men: Days of Future Past reset the X-Men film franchise’s timeline from the first trilogy to its Wolverine spinoffs. With Deadpool and Gambit now separate entities that exist in the same universe as the X-Men, there is a strong possibility that crossovers could happen — at least it’s more likely to happen than a crossover with the Fantastic Four.

X-Men writer and producer Simon Kinberg is over at the Toronto International Film Festival to help promote The Martian, and he teased such an idea, saying “there will be interplay between different characters in different movies.” Check out all of his comments on the possible crossover below.

Ever since Channing Tatum nearly walked away from Gambit, Lea Seydoux (Spectre, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol) was among one of the frontrunners for the female lead. Tatum would eventually stay on to play the titular character after working out a new deal, but actresses would join Seydoux for the opportunity to star opposite the 21 Jump Street actor. Among those female lead shortlist names were Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, The Girl on the Train) and Abbey Lee (Mad Max: Fury Road, Neon Demon). Chemistry tests were held last week to see who would be best suited for the role of Belladonna Boudreaux aka Bella, but with Ferguson now in talks for The Girl on the Train, it would come down to either Seydoux or Lee.

Now there is confirmation that Seydoux will star in her third big budget blockbuster, by entering Fox’s Marvel Cinematic Universe. More on this story below.