Simon Kinberg on Gambit delays: It takes a while to find the right tone

X-Men fans have been looking to laissez les bon temps rouler with a Channing Tatum-starring Gambit movie since at least 2014, but the project has endured its share of development delays, including a director departure and some schedule shuffling.

With the project now eyeing a spring 2017 start date, producer Simon Kinberg recently explained that the long incubation period is a result of the filmmakers taking their time to nail the distinctive tone and voice of the Ragin’ Cajun.

“I think the truth is when you have these movies that need a very special and unique tone, it takes a little while to find that tone,” Kinberg said in an interview with Slashfilm on Friday. “Deadpool feels like it exploded out of nowhere, but it was a 10-year development process on that movie. I think it was honed over those 10 years.”

Kinberg continued, “I hope that Gambit doesn’t take 10 years, but it takes a little honing to get that tone and that voice exactly right. The character has such a specific voice in the comic in the same way that Deadpool has a specific voice in the comic, that we want to make sure that we capture that voice on the page. Really it’s just about getting a screenplay that is worthy of that character, and I think we’re really close right now.”

Read Kinberg’s full interview at Slashfilm.