20th Century Fox's "Gambit" has its director: Entertainment Weekly reports that Rupert Wyatt, director of 2011's "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," has joined the Channing Tatum-starred X-Men spinoff film.

"Gambit" will be Wyatt's fourth feature as a director. His first was 2008's "The Escapist," starring X-Men franchise alum Brian Cox; he also directed "The Gambler" starring Mark Wahlberg, released late last year. Tatum is set to produce the film with "Magic Mike" writer and producer Reid Carolin, plus X-Men movie veterans Lauren Schuler Donner and Simon Kinberg.

Created by Chris Claremont and Jim Lee and first introduced in 1990, Gambit stands as one of Marvel's most uniquely popular X-Men characters of the last 25 years. The character was previously depicted in live-action by Taylor Kitsch in 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."

"Gambit" is scheduled for release on Oct. 7, 2016.