Disney to Make Decision on Gambit and X-Force Movies

While there is a lot of excitement about the pending Disney/Fox merger when it comes to the X-Men movies there are also a lot of questions and when it comes to the future of spinoff films Gambit and X-Force the answer is “ask Disney”.

X-Men producer Lauren Shuler Donner told reporters at the Television Critics Association panel for Legion that Gambit and X-Force will only get made if Disney decides to.

“That’s up to Disney,” Shuler Donner said specifically in regard to Gambit. “That really is up to Disney. I hope so, but that’s up to them. The problem is you can’t have too many Marvel, X-Men superhero movies out there because we will cancel each other out. Each one has to be distinctive and yet you’ve got The Avengers to follow through. You’ve got so many distinctive story canons to follow through and yet we want new ones, but I don’t think you can have more than four. Four is a lot because people are going to get sick of them, so we have to be careful. He has to be careful.”

It’s the same situation when it comes to the Deadpool spinoff, X-Force.

“Same as everything,” Shuler Donner said. “This is all now in Disney’s playground and they get to decide. At least we know it’s in good hands. Everybody’s worked really hard up to now on the Fox side but now it’s going to be Disney’s call.”

Generally-speaking, this update should come as no surprise as neither X-Force nor Gambit have made it to production ahead of the merger’s finalization. In the case of Gambit, that film has had a series of false starts, director departures, and other delays that have kept the film in limbo for years. The latest news on Gambit is that Gore Verbinski has left the project and that Channing Tatum, who is set to star in the film, is considering directing it as well.

Gambit and X-Force aren’t alone in having their fates a bit up in the air with the Disney/Fox deal, either. The release of The New Mutants, which is currently sitting at August 2nd, is also a little up in the air. Reports have hinted that New Mutants, whose release date has been pushed back a handful of times, may end up being dumped onto Hulu rather than being given a theatrical release. It’s a possibility that Shuler Donner said she would hate to see.

“They worked hard on it,” she said. “I want to see it released [theatrically]. I’d hate to see it thrown at Hulu.”

Do you think Gambit and X-Force have a chance with Disney? Let us know in the comments below.