While it has been picking up speed thanks to the casting of Channing Tatum in the lead, [20th Century Fox’s planned new Gambit spin-off film has now locked in a release date](http://<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">How do you say October 7, 2016 in Cajun?— Channing Tatum (@channingtatum) January 6, 2015 ) – for the States at least – pencilling in an October 7, 2016 slot.
And that’s despite the film still lacking a confirmed director – presumably we can expect that announcement any day now. Few details have emerged about the film thus far, though Tatum has described how he sees the character: “Gambit was always like the woman-loving, cigarette-smoking, drinking guy. He was the punk rock of all the superheroes. He’s a thief. He kind of rode the line.” There is still talk he may actually first be seen in X-Men: Apocalypse, though it could just be a brief cameo.
It’s just one of a batch of announcements from Fox about their upcoming slate, which also includes word that the third Planet Of The Apes film (to be directed by Dawn’s Matt Reeves) has switched places with the company’s second new Fantastic Four film. Caesar and co. will now return to Stateside screens on July 14, 2017, with Reed Richards and the rest set to hit once more on June 2 of that year. Assuming, of course, that their initial outing works at the box office this year.
The **Assassin’s Creed **adaptation, which still boasts Michael Fassbender in the lead, is now targeting December 21, 2016, with Hugh Jackman’s P.T. Barnum film The Greatest Showman On Earth following on Christmas Day. Finally, there’s raunchy comedy Mike & Dave Need Wedding Dates for July 29, 2016 and Charlie Hunnam/Rosamund Pike romantic drama The Mountain Between Us on February 10, 2017. Naturally, we offer the caveat that all of these films could be released on other dates in the UK.