Hollywood has several projects that are stuck in "development hell". They are the ones that you hear about, and then somehow they eventually get a finished script out of the concept and filming actually begins. It seems like comic book films are on the fast track, as both Marvel and DC have projects that they are trying to get out with this superhero movie trend still riding high. However, one fan-favorite comic book character that should have his own movie is the popular X-Men Gambit, and the film has just received some bad news with the departure of director Doug Liman.
If you aren't familiar with Doug Liman, he is best known for his action films as he was the director for The Bourne Identity, as well as the producer for the two films after that. He directed other films like Mr. and Mrs. Smith along with Edge of Tomorrow (as well as its coming sequel). According to The Verge, Liman has left the idea of directing the Gambit film in favor of doing another comic book movie.
This comic book source material would be something from DC and not Marvel with Justice League Dark, according to The Hollywood Reporter. This is not the two Justice League movies that are planned to be released in 2017 and 2019 with Superman, Batman, Flash, Cyborg, Aquaman and more. Justice League Dark deals with more metaphysical characters in the DC Universe such as John Constantine, Swamp Thing, Zatanna, and Black Orchid. These are characters that are a little too magical to be a part of the actual team, and they had a 42-issue run.
The Gambit project is something that really should work. It is based on a mutant hero that has showed up on the live-action screen before. In fact, he showed up in the not very well received X-Men Origins: Wolverine, along with Deadpool. Most fans thought these were horrible representations of these characters, but Deadpool was given a second chance.
Since Deadpool the movie was such a huge hit at the beginning of the year, one would think that this Gambit movie would be made as soon as possible. In fact, the one and only Channing Tatum is attached as the star of the film. This film was supposed to begin filming in 2015, then 2016, and now it probably won't begin until 2017.
To make matters worse, this isn't the first time the Gambit movie has lost directors before after losing Rupert Wyatt back in October of 2015. So who knows when they will get around to making the Gambit movie, and it would be very bad if the superhero movie fad was done with by the time it comes into theaters.
