RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES’ Rupert Wyatt To Direct GAMBIT

I am not excited about Gambit. I don't like the character, and I don't think he has particularly interesting stories or a very intriguing history. He just sort of sucks, and I think the people who tend to like him do so because of the cartoon. But there are people who like him, for whatever reason, and he's getting a movie. A movie I'll have to see. So the fact that Channing Tatum is going to star in that movie makes me feel a little better, even if I think his Cajun accent will be basically a joke. 

Could anything get me truly hopeful for Gambit? The announcement of a director today is certainly a step in the right direction - it's Rupert Wyatt, who directed Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Wyatt is strong with character - even his so-so The Gambler has great character work in it - so he might be able to salvage the dead-end that is Remy LeBeau, or at least surround him with interesting people. 

But who will write? This is definitely a movie that is being walked into backwards: it seems like the movie is happening simply because Tatum often told the press that he would like to play Gambit, and they've been figuring it out from there ever since. If the movie scores a decent writer then my cautious optimism will grow to excitement. But getting Wyatt is probably the best I can hope for - the writer that comes on this will likley be heavily tampered with by the star and producer Simon Kinberg.