Channing Tatum will play Marvel mutant Gambit in a forthcoming X-Men spinoff movie, producer Lauren Shuler Donner confirmed to Total Film this week. Tatum - who stars in 22 Jump Street later this year - had previously expressed an interest in the role, given his New Orleans roots.

Channing TatumChanning Tatum Will Play 'Gambit' In An X-Men Spin-Off

Gambit, a Marvel mutant with the ability to mentally create, control and manipulate kinetic energy, was born Remy Etienne LeBeau in New Orleans. He was previously played by Taylor Kitsch in X-Men Origins: Wolverine - probably the worst movie in the franchise. 

"It is Channing," Donner confirmed, "He's a rogue, he's a rascal, just like Remy LeBeau. And he can handle the action, as we know, and he's got a real good heart, I know him personally.He'll be great for Gambit, and he's a southerner too."

"He's not from New Orleans, but he is a southerner, so he understands that world, and you know Gambit loves New Orleans."

More: Channing Tatum is writing 'Magic Mike 2'

It's no secret that Tatum has an affinity for the character and he publically expressed a desire to play the role in September.

"I would like to play Gambit. Gambit's my favorite. I'm from New Orleans, around that area. My dad's from New Orleans, and I like to do a Cajun accent," Tatum told the media at a press event last year. "I could do it for real. No knock on Taylor Kitsch, though, 'cause I actually like his Gambit, but I've always lived around Cajun people . 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."

More: X-Men: Apocalypse coming in 2016 - and you know what that means

The latest X-Men movie Days of Future Past, with Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Ian McKellen, Hugh Jackman and James McAvoy hits theaters on May 23. On the whole, reviews have been pretty strong. 

More: Despite complicated plot X-Men: Days of Future Past entertains critics

Watch Channing Tatum with some lucky fans outside Letterman: