Gambit movie gets a 2016 release date

Fox has announced the release date for the Gambit movie, the X-Men spin-off starring Channing Tatum. As the third X-Men movie of 2016 — following X-Men: Apocalypse and Deadpool​ — Gambit will hit theaters on October 7, 2016. The screenplay was written by Josh Zetumer (Robocop reboot) but doesn't yet have a director.

Gambit, a favorite among many X-Men fans, was originally played by Taylor Kitsch in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but they didn't give the strong character enough screen time and also removed his Cajun accent. His real name is Remy LeBeau; he's a mutant, thief, uses a staff, and carries a deck of playing cards that he can charge up using his powers of controlling kinetic energy, and then cause them to explode.

Earlier in 2014, X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner expressed interest in having Tatum play Gambit, and even confirmed in May that he would be playing him. Even though we love Taylor Kitsch, it wouldn't be right to bring him back for the role considering that it looks like Fox is pretending Origins never happened.

With the release date of Gambit announced, here are the X-Men and Fantastic Four films Fox is releasing over the next few years :

• The Fantastic Four – August 7, 2015
• Deadpool – February 12, 2016
• X-Men: Apocalypse – May 27, 2016
• Gambit – October 7, 2016
• Wolverine 3 – March 3, 2017
• Fantastic Four 2 – June 2, 2017
• Untitled X-Men Movie –  July 13, 2018

2016 is shaping up to be an awesome year for X-Men fans, and more importantly, Gambit fans like myself that have loved the character since the 1990's X-Men animated series.