After establishing in the past that he had an interest in playing the role, producer Lauren Shuler Donner confirmed today that Channing Tatum will, indeed, be playing Gambit in at least one upcoming X-Men movie.
In an interview with Total Film, Donner confirmed the rumors that Tanning was playing the part by bluntly stating, "It's Channing."
When followed up with whether that was a confirmation on his casting, she stated, "yes."
As for why it is Tatum, and not, say, Taylor Kitsch, who played the part in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, she responded, "Well, he’s a rogue, Channing, he’s a rascal, just like Remy LeBeau. And he can handle the action, we all know that. And he’s got a really good heart, because I know him personally, I did a movie (2006's She's the Man) with him. So I think he’ll be great. He’ll be great for Gambit. And he’s a Southerner, too. He’s not from New Orleans, but he is a Southerner, he understands that world. And you know Gambit loves New Orleans."
This casting has not been a secret to the press, as Tatum has even stated that he had a meeting with Donner for the part, but this is the first confirmation of him having the part.
Given that director Bryan Singer has stated that he was interested in having Gambit in the next X-Men movie, X-Men: Apocalypse, it is most likely that Tanning will be first playing the part in that movie. There has also been talk of having a Gambit spin-off, which is now even more likely given that Tanning is in the part. But that, of course, will have to be determined in the weeks to come.