Despite taking months to find a director and rumors of lead actor Channing Tatum dropping out, 20th Century Fox’s Gambit continues progress – now with a female lead.
Deadline reports French actress Léa Seydoux has been offered the role of Belladonna Boudreaux aka Bella.
So technically not official, but close. Seydoux is both a talented actress, appearing in films like Blue is the Warmest Color and La Belle et La Bête, and familiar with franchises, having roles in both Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol and the upcoming James Bond film, Spectre, so she’s a great choice.
Gambit is one of Fox’s solo X-Men films and Bella’s been an important character to Remy LeBeau (Gambit’s real name) since the start.
They grew up together in rival guilds in New Orleans and were arranged to marry. However, when Gambit killed her brother out of defense after the wedding, he fled New Orleans.
Gambit once believed her to be dead (this is comics, after all) and their relationship is a series of coming back to one another until Gambit flees again. She ends up ruling the guilds in New Orleans, still in love with Gambit.
Seydoux beat out actresses like Abbey Lee (Mad Max: Fury Road) and Rebecca Ferguson (Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation) for the offer.
Gambit, directed by Rupert Wyatt and starring Channing Tatum, is set to hit theaters on October 7, 2016.
Are you happy with this casting? What do you hope the story between them will be? Sound off in the comments!
