In a chat with Total Film, Lauren Shuler Donner- the producer behind the X-Men franchise over at Fox- revealed who will be playing Gambit. She confirmed murmurs from last year that Channing Tatum was up for the role, after campaigning for it himself. When asked about who will play Gambit in upcoming films, and if it would be someone like Tatum, Donner flatly stated, “It is Channing.”

Surprised by how bluntly she stated the casting of a major character by a well-known actor- something usually announced in a big press release- the interviewer asked her to elaborate a bit about what makes Tatum the right man for the job. Here’s what she had to say:

“Well you know he’s a rogue, Channing. He’s a rascal, just like Remy LeBeau, and he can handle the action, we all know that. He’s got a really good heart, because I know him personally, I did a movie with him. So I think he’ll be great, he’ll be great for Gambit, and he’s a southerner too, he’s not from New Orleans but he is a southerner and he understands that world, and you know Gambit loves New Orleans.“

So there you have it, folks. Channing Tatum, 34, from Alabama is your new Gambit. He’ll be taking over the role from Taylor Kitsch, who played the character in the ill-fated X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and it’s been said he’ll be making an appearance in X-Men: Apocalypse. What do you make of that?

Personally, I like Tatum. A lot. But for Gambit? I’m going to need some convincing before I can picture it.