Director Rupert Wyatt exits Channing Tatum's 'Gambit'

LOS ANGELES, Sept. 17 (UPI) -- Rise of the Planet of the Apes director Rupert Wyatt announced Wednesday that he is exiting Gambit, the Channing Tatum X-Men spinoff being made by Fox.

"I was very much looking forward to working with my friend Channing and the team at Fox, but regrettably a push in the start date now conflicts with another project," said Wyatt in a statement. "I thank them for the opportunity, and I know that Gambit will make a terrific film."

Starring Channing Tatum, the film is said to be an important project for Fox who hopes Gambit can launch it its own franchise while tying into their other superhero films X-Men: Apocalypse and Deadpool.

In the Marvel comics, Remy LeBeau, aka Gambit, is a professional thief from New Orleans who gets introduced to the X-Men by Storm. The character is a mutant with the ability to control kinetic energy who throws playing cards that work as explosives.

Gambit has had a rocky production so far with Tatum rumored to be exiting the project before he formally committed to the role back in August.

Actress Lea Seydoux is expected to star opposite Tatum as Belladonna Boudreaux, Gambit's childhood love.

Gambit is expected in theaters Oct. 7, 2016.