News of Channing Tatum’s Gambit movie has become redundant, what with all the times it was allegedly going to “begin filming early next year.” Today, X-Men series producer and writer Simon Kinberg offers another update on the delayed spinoff, assuring fans that it’s still very much in development and they have every intention of hopefully, maybe, possibly filming it next year — but hey, ask again in six months and we’ll see what’s up then.

In an interview with CinemaBlend, Kinberg offered yet another brief, optimistic update on Tatum’s Gambit movie:

In terms of Gambit, that's a movie that we're still developing very actively, and Channing [Tatum] is incredibly committed to it. We plan to probably shoot that at the beginning of next year.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because this is basically the same answer Kinberg gives every few months when someone asks him about Gambit. Yes, it’s still in development, Yes, Channing Tatum still wants to make it (it is his passion project, after all — or so he’s said). Yes, they hope to begin filming early next year.

But they also hoped to begin filming last year, and then they hoped to begin filming this spring. Gambit was initially delayed over script issues; Kinberg previously explained that Tatum & Co. were trying to get the story and tone of the film right (I mean, that’s pretty important), and with the loss of two directors and no replacement yet acquired, not to mention Tatum’s fairly busy schedule, Gambit has been continuously held up.

For now, Kinberg is rumored to be directing the new X-Men sequel, which will reportedly begin filming this year and centers on Sophie Turner’s Jean Grey (and may be a retelling of the Dark Phoenix saga). As for Gambit…well, maybe it’ll begin filming next year. Maybe it won’t. Ask again later.

More From WGBF-FM