Gambit 2015 Zetumer.pdf - Bruce

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GAMBIT by Joshua Zetumer Second Draft (W/ Starred Changes) 8.28.15 1 INT. RED HAT BUILDING, LOUISIANA STATE PEN - DAY ( 1984 ) 1 3 hard-bitten U.S. MARSHALS enter, passing security booths. A SUPERVISOR stands in a freight elevator. He eyeballs the Marshals, then snatches a TOOTHPICK from one man's mouth. 2 INT. ELEVATOR, RED HAT BUILDING, LOUISIANA STATE PEN - DAY 2 Abruptly the Marshalls get undressed. Stripping to tank tops. Rings, badges, shoes -- everything into secure wall lockers. The elevator descends . Whoever's below them is dangerous. 3 INT. SUB-BASEMENT, MUTANT WING, LOUISIANA STATE PEN - DAY 3 Doors open. The Marshals enter a sleek wing lined with CELLS. We're in a maximum-security wing for MUTANT PRISONERS. They pass CLEANERS vacuuming dust, arrive at a CELL at the end of the hall. A klaxon sounds. 3 security doors open to 4 INT. GAMBIT'S CELL - CONTINUOUS 4 Inside, a PRISONER kneels, like he's praying, arms outstretched. Then we see -- his wrists attached to a rock face ceiling. Like he's carrying the weight of the world. His head is dropped, we can see only his HANDS. They're Callused and burnt. Like the hands of a blacksmith. Marshals strap a mask over his face, seal his wrists and waist into ADAMANTIUM coils. This prisoner is the most dangerous man on the planet. 5 EXT. GROUNDS, LOUISIANA STATE PEN - DAY 5 The Prisoner steps outside into vast plantation fields. We're in ANGOLA PRISON, sweltering in the hazy heat. 6 ARMED GUARDS step forward, weapons trained. Dogs snarl on tight leashes. Marshals lead the Prisoner to a TRANSPORT TRUCK. 4 more GUARDS fastening him onboard. 6 INT/EXT. PRISON TRANSPORT TRUCK - DAY 6 A CONVOY falls in as the truck follows a dusty road. ROAD CREWS glance up, watching it pass. 7 INT. COURTROOM, NEW ORLEANS - DAY 7 A ceiling fan spins lazily. Women on the JURY fan themselves. A CLERK fills up glasses of water. 2. A HUSH falls as the masked Prisoner is led to the witness stand. For a moment, you can hear a pin drop. Then the Prisoner's mask comes off. This is REMY LEBEAU (30s). Gambit. When we first see his face -- he is crushingly handsome. Movie star looks. We see ATTRACTION ripple through the jury. One woman raises an eyebrow like -- damn. Then, as Gambit's FINGERS reach for a glass of water -- An alarm SOUNDS. Two U.S. MARSHALS reach for their guns: U.S. MARSHAL Weapon. Gambit's fingers inch away from the glass. The jury murmurs. The BAILIFF approaches Gambit with a King James Bible. BAILIFF Please state your name. GAMBIT (soft, almost sweet) My name is Remy Lebeau. The JUDGE (60s) glances up, sees TWO WOMEN in the jury eying Gambit, WHISPERING. Their shirts stick to their skin. BAILIFF Sir, put your right hand on the Bible. Do you swear to tell -- As Gambit barely touches the bible -- the SAME alarm. U.S. MARSHAL (O.S.) Weapon. Now the Marshals are POINTING GUNS at Gambit. The judge sighs: JUDGE Is all that necessary? The PROSECUTOR (30s ) smiles. He's a bully with a perm. PROSECUTOR I'm afraid so, your honor. With that bible, the defendant could kill you, me, anyone in this room. The judge glances at Gambit. Gambit doesn't deny it. JUDGE Just put your hand in the general vicinity, son. Gambit floats his hand near the bible 3. BAILIFF Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you god? GAMBIT (soft cajun accent) For sho. In the jury box, two women smile. The judge eyes them, annoyed. JUDGE I have to ask. Are any of you going to have a problem remaining objective in this case? The women in the jury all look at Gambit. A long beat. One-by-one, all the southern women start RAISING THEIR HANDS. FEMALE JUROR Your honor, he just don't look like no criminal! He look like this boy I knew in grade school. Had the softest eyes... Other female jurors all start CUTTING IN. Nodding. Working themselves into a lather in the sweaty courtroom: FEMALE JUROR #2 FEMALE JUROR #3 I think he looks my swim No, he looks like Richard instructor. Gere! As the women all start ARGUING about who Gambit looks like, the courtroom dissolves into CHAOS. The judge BANGS his gavel: JUDGE Order! Order! The prosecutor turns to his legal team and growls: PROSECUTOR We're gonna need a new jury. And that, in a nutshell, is Gambit. Dangerous, but sexy. SLAM TO: 8 EXT. BOUDREAUX PLANTATION, NEW ORLEANS - DUSK ( 1955 ) 8 Pounding rain. A storm drenches a lavish GARDEN PARTY at an old New Orleans plantation. GUESTS rush inside. SERVANTS hold umbrellas over their heads. CATERERS bus food inside from the outdoor kitchen, shouting. Amid the sea of umbrellas we spot -- a lone RED UMBRELLA. Held by a black gentleman in a servant's tux. LUKE LEBEAU (30s). 4. Luke helps carry food into a servant's entrance. 9 INT. VARIOUS, BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - DUSK 9 WE FOLLOW Luke as he sweeps up a tray of appetizers, carries them through the party. Rich guests SWIRLING around him. One wealthy debutante, MARYANNE BOUDREAUX (20s) glances over, puzzled, as Luke disappears into a rear Pantry. She makes to follow but is held back by the family PATRIARCH who's keen to chat about the young GROOM TO BE beside her. 10 INT. PANTRY, BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - DUSK 10 Luke stands alone. Beat. What the hell is he doing in here? Then Luke deftly climbs inside the dumbwaiter. He disappears up the shaft, using the PULLEY. Luke Lebeau is no servant. He's a master thief. 11 INT. UPSTAIRS HALLWAY, PLANTATION - DUSK 11 Luke emerges in a corridor upstairs. A TOILET FLUSH down the hall. Luke stops cold, about to be trapped. A lesser thief would panic. Luke just grabs his appetizers -- LUKE LEBEAU (stiff, dignified) Andouille sausage and jumbo prawn. Luke starts serving appetizers during his robbery. When the coast is clear, Luke DARTS upstairs to an attic door. He pulls out lubricant, a screwdriver -- picking the lock. 12 INT. ATTIC, PLANTATION - DUSK 12 Luke hurries through the attic, JIMMIES up two floorboards. He DRILLS through plaster underneath, slides his umbrella through the hole. He unfurls it, then hammers the plaster, which is caught by the umbrella. When the hole is large enough, Luke DROPS down into 13 EXT. MASTER BEDROOM, BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - DUSK 13 Landing softly on deep carpet. He flips on a PENLIGHT. Pads to a WALL SAFE in the closet. Luke shines the light, sees -- The safe door hanging OPEN. Empty. Faint burn marks around it. Luke's face falls. Another thief has beaten him to the job. 5. Just then -- a CREAK. Luke spots a SHAPE dart for the w indow. LUKE Who's dat? But the THIEF is already out the window. Gone. Luke darts to the w indow. Surprised to see the stranger RUNNING through a hedge maze below. This Thief is fast. 14 EXT. BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - DUSK 14 Luke clambers out the window. CHASING the Thief over a fence. 15 EXT. OAK ALLEY, NEW ORLEANS - DUSK 15 Luke chases the Thief away from the house through a long alley of oak trees and on through rainy FIELDS. 16 EXT. STORYVILLE, WATERFRONT - NIGHT 16 Luke hops a FENCE to an INDUSTRIAL SPACE by the Mississippi. He DARTS across tracks, just moments before a freight train thunders through -- STORYVILLE: A sketchy place. SHANTIES in the shadow of a giant LEVEE. Luke's uncomfortable here. Spots a few silhouettes lurking in the shadows - MUTANTS. Luke climbs the levee to see -- The Thief is a 6 YEAR-OLD BOY. Gambit. A kid washing a headband in the river. Band-aids on his fingers. He WHISTLES a tune. Gambit doesn't spot Luke. He steps into his Shanty to see 17 INT. SHANTY, STORYVILLE, WATERFRONT - NIGHT 17 Luke is already waiting for him inside. Weighing a diamond engagement ring in one hand. Gambit stops short. LUKE LEBEAU Boy, I know you didn't rob that party yourself. Where's your daddy at? Gambit: a precocious little punk. Speaks in gutter-patois. GAMBIT Man, I ain't got no daddy. I'm the brains of dis outlaw operation. Luke, poking Gambit's STOLEN TREASURES with his umbrella. LUKE LEBEAU Oh you are, huh? Well tell your little crew: that plantation is Lebeau territory. Understa and, boy? 6. Petulant, Gambit starts THROWING watches at Luke's feet. GAMBIT What, you want some of dese riches? Take em. You want dis watch? Take dat too. I can rob more. I'll rob your watch, you ugly sumbitch. A Rolex SKITTERS out the door. Luke can see SHADOWS MOVING close by. He scrambles for the watch. Voice SHARP now: LUKE LEBEAU Knock it off. You trying to get yourself killed? Luke pockets the watch. He eyes Gambit's other treasures. Rings, necklaces. Feeling a pang of sympathy for the boy. LUKE LEBEAU If you're smart, you'll fence the rest of this stuff down on Canal Street. Beat. Gambit just blinks . Luke smiles, schooling him: LUKE LEBEAU A fence is who you sell the jewels to, kid. Else they just decoration. GAMBIT (sheepish now) Man, I know dat... LUKE LEBEAU (dryly) Course you do. You're the brains of the operation. Luke opens his red umbrella. He turns to go, warm and dry. LUKE LEBEAU Take care of yourself, boy. Storyville ain't no place for a youngin. Gambit watches Luke walk off under the umbrella. Gambit feels a pang of loneliness. He shivers. Water buckets overflow. Gambit makes a choice. Digging into his haul, shoving the stolen RING and a banded roll of PHOTOGRAPHS into a satchel. 18 EXT. OVERPASS, ABOVE STORYVILLE - NIGHT 18 Luke climbs onto the elevated road above Storyville. Gambit follows. Car tires splash puddles. 19 EXT. OVERPASS, EDGE OF BAYOU - NIGHT 19 The overpass now deserted. Luke heads home, above the swamps. 7. ACROSS THE ROAD - Gambit follows . A truck passes, Gambit watches as Luke seems to DISAPPEAR off the overpass. Gambit DARTS across. Puzzled. Then he spots a ROPE-LADDER to the bayou below. Gambit begins climbing down the ladder. 20 EXT. THE BAYOU - NIGHT 20 Gambit finds himself in a dark swamp. He quickly loses sight of Luke. Alone, Gambit's suddenly nervous. Then he hears -- LUKE'S VOICE Don't tell me you're scared of alligators, boy. Gambit turns. Sees Luke umbrella extended from the sawgrass. Gambit stands in the rain. Then DARTS under his umbrella. 21 EXT. THE BOAT, B.AYOU - NIGHT 21 Luke and Gambit push through the tall sawgrass, over a hidden pathway of waterlogged boards. They emerge to see -- THE BOAT: A multi-tieredjumble of house parts built onto a steel hull. As Gambit looks up in awe -- SPLAT! A SLOT MACHINE falls off a balcony, into the mud. On the top deck are 6 of Luke's boys, including HENRI AND CHARLIE (8 and 6). Streetwise Lost Boys. Henri's the alpha. HENRI Nah Charlie. You're still hucking it like a li'l baby-girl, man! 3 more kids drop, SMACKING the slot machine with hammers. Luke wipes splattered mud, growls. He tugs Gambit inside. 22 INT. UPPER DECK, THE BOAT - NIGHT 22 Luke walks Gambit into the ramshackle boat. It's a cozy space. A few shitty paintings sit waiting to be fenced. Inside are 6 MORE STREET KIDS. They feed stray cats, Watch THE SEVEN SAMURAI from a (stolen) projector. Kids watch Gambit pass. One boy makes a face -- Gambit reeks. LUKE Find yourself a bed. Henri enters from outside. COUSIN HENRI Well he ain't sleeping near me. Smells like he stepped in duck shit. 8. LUKE Y'all need to give this stray a bath. Other kids roughly GRAB Gambit's arms. Pulling at him. GAMBIT Hey -- quit it. Quit it! Boys HAUL him to the bath like Piggy in Lord Of The Flies. Water pours from a SPIGOT. Kids YANK off Gambit's shirt. Henri PUSHING him underwater. Grime sloughs off Gambit's white skin. GAMBIT THE COUSINS I don't wanna -- it's cold -- Dunk his head Henri/Dunk him! Limbs, shouts. Gambit sputters. Henri oblivious that something's wrong. Suddenly, UNDERWATER -- Gambit's hand starts VIBRATING. Trembling so fast, all the ice-cold water starts to BOIL. GAMBIT I mean it -- Lemme go! ON GAMBIT'S EYES -- capillaries fill with rust-colored BLOOD. Henri falls back as a wave of EXPLOSIVE ENERGY spreads out -- 23 INT. LUKE'S QUARTERS, THE BOAT - NIGHT 23 Luke places Gambit's treasures into a SMALL SAFE. He looks up, DRENCHED by bath water flooding through ceiling rafters. 24 INT. UPPER DECK, THE BOAT - CONTINUOUS 24 Luke barrels upstairs. Water sprays everywhere. Like someone's thrown a HAND-GRENADE into the bath. LUKE LEBEAU Dammit Henri. The hell's that ruckus? Kids are backed into corners, stunned and soaking. In the tub rubble, little Gambit looks back at him, ashamed. COUSIN HENRI Kid's a walking stick of TNT. 25 INT. BOTTOM DECK, THE BOAT - NIGHT 25 THUNK. Luke drops the SLOT MACHINE on the table. Eyes Gambit. LUKE LEBEAU Open it. 9. Gambit eyes the kids. Cautious. He reaches out and TOUCHES the machine's lock. Gambit COWERS like he's just set a bomb. Nothing happens . As kids pull confused faces -- CRACK! The slot machine EXPLODES. Luke ducks as LOOSE CHANGE blasts into the walls and ceiling. Gambit's not in control of his powers. GAMBIT Sorry... Dumbstruck kids look to Luke. Charlie picks up nickels, giddy . COUSIN HENRI Does he got bad blood or something? To our surprise, Luke softens. Unlike every parent in the X-Men Universe, Luke isn't scared of mutants. LUKE LEBEAU Blood don't matter. Reckon everybody got a little of the devil in them... Luke eyes Gambit. Looks at the other kids. A tough mentor. LUKE LEBEAU I think he could be a real good earner for us. Long as we all keep our mouths shut. Gambit nods profusely. Relieved he's not being cast out. LUKE LEBEAU Kid. You got a name? As Gambit lifts his voice to speak -- MATCH CUT TO: 26 EXT. FOOD MARKETS, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY ( 1964) 26 COUSIN HENRI (now 15) in an outdoor market. Bellowing: COUSIN HENRI Remy! Wait up! Up ahead, out of the crowded, grimy marketplace bursts GAMBIT (now 14). He passes fruit-stands, clutching a bottle of milk. GAMBIT I got it! Gambit runs, groceries falling from his hands. His cousins Henri and Charlie (13, scrawny) race to keep up. Charlie clutches a GROCERY LIST: Eggs. Cheese. Bread. Milk. 10. AROUND THEM -- 12 slum-kids plunder the market like locusts. Young kids stealing fruit. Older kids whip past on BICYCLES. Gambit vaults onto a cart, hurtling past a STREET BAND to 27 EXT. CAFE, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY 27 Gambit leaps a table. Henri ducks it. Slumdog parkour. Into: 28 INT. CAFE, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY 28 Kids run through the cafe where MUSICIANS practice into 29 EXT. ALLEYWAY, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY 29 Quickly Gambit is up and over a WOOD FENCE. He's so fast, the other kids struggle to keep up. 30 EXT. BACKSTREET, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY 30 The kids keep running. SMACK into a padlocked fence -- but Gambit just TOUCHES the lock. It BURSTS apart. WE FOLLOW a piece of shrapnel flying -- CRACK! It shatters a COP CAR WINDOW turning the corner. A Cop YELLS to his partner: NEW ORLEANS COP Daryl, it's him again! Gambit: a reckless teenager with power he can't control. GAMBIT Ah Christ. Sorry. Kids SCATTER, ducking cops. Zipping past on bikes, giving police the finger. All the cops, zeroing in on Gambit. 31 EXT. ALLEYWAY, STORYVILLE BORDER - DAY 31 Gambit, Henri, and Charlie enter an alley, suddenly tense. They're at the dividing line between Storyville and French Quarter. A decrepit sign overhead: Storyville Welcomes You! COUSIN HENRI Rem, we ain't s'possed to be here. Gambit doesn't care. He LEAPS up the drainpipe of a drab FACILITY. It looks vaguely like a hospital. BELOW - Henri picks up groceries raining from Gambit's pockets as he climbs. Now Gambit's the alpha. Henri's job is cleaning up. GAMBIT You need to take your little tampon out, bruh. Ain't nothing to be -- 11. Suddenly Gambit YELPS, scared. A GIRL (10) stares at him through a window. Her face is demonic. Black eyes, bones jut out of her face like horns. Gambit LEAPS away. Catches a FIRE ESCAPE, sends down a ladder. GAMBIT C'mon y'all. Up here! As cops close in, the kids RUN UP the fire escape, onto 33 EXT. ROOFTOPS, FRENCH QUARTER - CONTINUOUS 33 Gambit runs rooftops, all of New Orleans beneath him. The narrow streets, bayous, riverboats on the Mississippi. Gambit spots COPS behind them. Yanks Henri into a DOORWAY. 34 INT. BACK STAIRWAY, PSYCHIC PARLOUR - DAY 34 Gambit runs down stairs. Into a psychic parlor buildin. g 35 INT. HALLWAY, PSYCHIC PARLOUR - DAY 35 A long HALLWAY full of occult objects and doorways. One door's ajar, Gambit hears a GIRL'S VOICE. Gambit stops, doubles back. Glances through a CRACK IN THE WALL. Whispers GAMBIT Hey yo, hold up a minute. GAMBIT'S POV -- a cute teenage girl, BELLADONNA BOUDREAUX (13). Reading tarot cards for a TOURIST COUPLE. 36 INT. PSYCHIC PARLOUR - DAY 36 Bella eyes the tourists. A blase, punk vibe. She flips TAROT CARDS, couldn't care less about telling fortunes. BELLA I see y'all are from out of town. You're very much in love. And I see... (yawning) You may be coming into some money. DRUNK TOURIST (scoffs, to his date) What'd I tell you? This little charlatan is scamming us. They make to leave, grabbing back their money on the table. Bella reacts, annoyed. THROUGH THE CRACK -- Gambit watches, stunned, as Bella's body creates a static charge. Her clothes and hair seem to become weightless. Like she's underwater. Suddenly Bella's eyes ROLL BACK into her head. Eerie. 12. The Tourists stop in their tracks. Bella: a psychic who's actually psychic. Her voice is tougher: BELLA I see y'all are down from New York. And you been treating Nawlins like your own personal toilet. You work at IBM. You drink too much. And ignore your kids. (eyes snap open, dry) That'll be two-hundred dollars. DRUNK TOURIST (open mouth) What? BELLA The rest is so I don't tell Pat from Human Resources that you're down here with his wife. The Female Tourist looks stunned. Bella turns to her, sweetly: BELLA He ain't never getting that divorce, honey. I'd throw this one back, plenty of fish in the sea. The couple BLINKS. Sobering up fast. ON GAMBIT -- glued to the crack. He smiles, swooning. Sees the tourists quickly hurry out the front exit, frazzled. MALE TOURIST I told you we should've stayed on Bourbon Street! 37 INT. HALLWAY, PSYCHIC PARLOUR - DAY 37 Just then, Gambit spots TWO COPS at either end of the corridor. No choice, he spills into -- 38 INT. PSYCHIC PARLOUR - DAY 38 Bella shoves money into her training bra. Gambit stumbles in. GAMBIT Miss? I saw what you did -- Bella reacts. Pulling a KNIFE from the table. Fierce. BELLA You didn't see shit. Gambit reacts. Pulling a TAROT CARD from the table and holding it up in exchange. Bella cocks an eyebrow. 13. GAMBIT It's okay, cher -- I'm like you. BELLA Ain't noone like me. Bella lets fly with the knife. Gambit ducks, HURLS his card in self-defense. Bella side steps, the card PUNCHES A HOLE in the wall. Bella eyes the wall. Eyes Gambit. Slowly she starts to SMILE. BELLA Cool. Abruptly -- the entire wall collapses, revealing A STUNNED COP standing in the back corridor. Eyes turn to Gambit. The Cop goes for his whistle and BLOWS HARD. Gambit freezes, busted. In that moment, Bella makes a choice. Whispers: BELLA Mama's gonna kill me... Then Bella GRABS Gambit's hand. Tugging him out the FRONT DOOR. Gambit sees Bella's hand touching his. He's in heaven. 39 EXT. DUMAINE STREET, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY 39 Bella and Gambit BURST out, past TOURISTS and PERFORMERS. Gambit spots Henri and Charlie, running in the street. COUSIN CHARLIE Remy! We ain't got time to trifle with no girls, cuz! BELLA C'mon. I know a shortcut. She tugs Gambit. The four kids RUNNING TOGETHER now, into 40 INT. BROTHEL, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY 40 The kids hustle into a WHORE-HOUSE, past gaudy PROSTITUTES. As one of the JOHNS goes to put on a brown DUSTER -- Gambit SNATCHES it as he runs by. The coat's too big for him. COUSIN HENRI That ain't on the list, bruh. Dad'll give you a whipping. GAMBIT Who cares. This coat looks correct. The kids run UP THE STAIRS into a dim hallway. They hear MOANS behind doors. Gambit peeks inside. Bella scoffs. 14. BELLA Y'all got dirty minds. Gambit spots FOUR COPS enter below. He reaches in the wall, grabs exposed COPPER PIPING. With a HUM, the pipe heats up -- DOWNSTAIRS -- THE COPS look up to see water pipes RATTLING. The pipes EXPLODE. BLASTS OF STEAM incapacitate the cops. Prostitutes and Johns pour from bedrooms. The lobby now chaos. UPSTAIRS -- Charlie and Henri look stunned. Bella and Gambit see the chaos and grin. 41 EXT. BACK COURTYARD, BROTHEL - DAY 41 The kids HOP out a window, to the street. They see a COP hurrying out of his SQUAD CAR. The car door is ajar. Gambit stares at the vacant cop car. Henri hisses: COUSIN HENRI No way. That's goin' too far. Gambit looks at Bella. She GRABS his arm. Tugs him towards the cop car. Bringing out the best in each other (or the worst). COUSIN CHARLIE (watching, shakes his head) Man, this chick is bad. 42 INT/EXT. COP CAR - DAY 42 Gambit RIPS off the wheel casing. Touches an ignition cable. The engine GROWLS. Bella's impressed. BELLA You've driven before, right?! GAMBIT Hell yeah girl. Tons of times. Gambit can't reach the gas. He grabs a retractable POLICE BATON, presses down. As the car LURCHES forward -- 43 EXT. STREET, FRENCH QUARTER - DAY 43 WHAM! Abruptly Gambit CRASHES into another police car. 44 INT. MUGSHOT ROOM, FRENCH QUARTER POLICE STATION - DAY 44 Gambit grins for a MUGSHOT, toothless. He turns to profile, smiles at Bella. They can't take their eyes off each other. GAMBIT My name's Remy Lebeau. 15. Bella's hand: idly touching his. BELLA Belladonna Boudreaux. So you're a pretty good thief, huh? GAMBIT Nah, I'm the best that's ever been. Our soundtrack kicks in. Devil Went Down To Georgia. 45 INT. STATION ROOM, FRENCH QUARTER POLICE STATION - DAY 45 An enervated Luke hands over a wad of cash to a BAIL CLERK. LUKE LEBEAU I'm real sorry, officer. My Remy just got a whole lot of energy. Station doors open, Bella's mother, MARYANNE (30s) sweeps in. Face full of makeup, heels clicking, surrounded by an entourage of high-class THUGS. A shrewd New Orleans Godmother. Her son JULIAN (18) sits on a desk like he owns the place. MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Where's she at? Where's my baby girl? The Clerk sits up. Maryanne knows him, oozing charm: MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Lou, I'm just beside myself. I was fixing some beignets when I heard the news. She hands the Bail Clerk a bag of PASTRIES. Leans in, whispers: MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Now I trust we won't further burden this city's judicial system by sending my little girl to the courts? Lou eyes the beignets . Underneath -- rolls of CASH. ACROSS THE ROOM -- a security door OPENS, Bella steps into the lobby. Maryanne eyes her daughter's bloody face. MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Young lady, I don't know what's gotten into you... Then GAMBIT steps out behind her. Suddenly everything makes sense. Maryanne glowers at Luke -- ON GAMBIT AND BELLA Walking out a CORRIDOR, oblivious to their parents dismay. A tableau of CRIMINALS AND COPS walking behind them. 16. MARYANNE BOUDREAUX You better keep that hustler away from my baby girl, Lebeau. I don't need Bella exposed to any bad influences. LUKE LEBEAU Bad influences? Remy ain't stolen but kibbles before. I think maybe your daughter's the bad influence! 46 EXT. POLICE STATION, FRENCH QUARTER, NEW ORLEANS - DAY 46 Gambit and Bella walk outside where TWO CREWS await. Gambit's Crew: Rag-tag. One rusty Chevy. Slum kids on dirt bikes. Bella's Crew: old-school mob. Cadillacs and chrome glinting in waistbands. COUSIN VINCENT(20)wears a silk shirt. The crews talk trash. Gambit and Bella, lost in each other. GAMBIT Before you go, lemme steal just one more thing… Gambit leans in and KISSES her. As the kids start MAKING OUT-- LUKE MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Remy! You act civilized now, Belladonna, that ain't no way you hear me? for a lady to behave! They WRESTLE the kids apart to the SOUND of shredding violins. Gambit and Bella STARE out windows as their cars drive off. MATCH CUT TO: 47 EXT. STREET, BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - DUSK ( 1973 ) 47 10 YEARS LATER. A COP-CAR with a busted window pulls up to camera and STOPS. Gambit steps out, now an adult clad in bell-bottoms. He leaves the car running, abandoning it in the street. WE FOLLOW Gambit as he approaches a Plantation wall. Starting an impossibly graceful, silent break-in. He connects two police BATONS, forming a STAFF. VAULTS over a wall, into a tree, FLIPPING onto a balcony like a gymnast. Below -- Vincent lugs BEER into the house. Oblivious. Above, Gambit pulls out a tin filled with a mixture of EPOXY AND GUNPOWDER. He dabs it on a window touches it -- 17. Foom! It IGNITES, silently cutting a circle in the glass. Gambit: now almost in full-control of his powers. He peers in the house, sees -- Bella in the shower. 48 INT. BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - DUSK 48 Inside, a record player spins Fats Domino. The house is old money, portraits of family patriarchs on the walls. As Bella steps from the shower she feels a faint CHARGE as someone ghosts past. The HAIRS on Bella's neck stand up. BELLA (whispers) Remy. That you -- ? But when Bella turns, she sees only shadows lining the hall. Bella looks puzzled as her cousin Vincent (now 30s) rounds the corner. His arms full of Dixie Beer. Oblivious. VINCENT Belle, you coming to the Guild meet? Party's supposed to be righteous. Bella watches in horror as GAMBIT'S HAND snakes out of the shadows behind Vincent. Silently stealing one of his beers. Gambit: addicted to risk. Bella nods, stilted. BELLA Yeah, Vincent. I wouldn't miss it. Vincent moves off. Bella darts into the shadows, finds Gambit coolly drinking the beer. She SWATS him, stifling laughter. BELLA Have you lost your damn mind? Mama sees you, she'll dump your ass in the swamp -- GAMBIT (shrugs, maybe steals a kiss) Risk I'm willing to take. With that, Gambit YANKS Bella back into her bedroom. 49 INT. BELLA'S ROOM - TWILIGHT 49 Gambit and Bella MAKE OUT heavily against the wall now. Her hands gliding up his back. Whispers through kisses. BELLA Shh -- They gonna hear -- Bella’s free hand turns her TV up. Words through kisses: 18. GAMBIT You sure -- you want me to go, cher? BELLA Nah, you can stay. On one condition. Let me go up inside your head while we're making love. Gambit STOPS kissing her. Not crazy about that idea. BELLA I just think it'd be nice is all. Make me feel closer to you... He looks at her, more sincere. GAMBIT You really wanna know what's up in dis head, cher? BELLA Course I do. GAMBIT Well go on then... Bella shuts her eyes. Their bodies become CHARGED with a static pulse as Bella reads Gambit's mind -- FLASH TO: A SINGLE REVOLTING IMAGE -- Gambit's fat COUSIN HENRI, pants down, eating KFC on the toilet. He looks right at us. COUSIN HENRI Sup. BACK TO SCENE -- Bella starts SMACKING Gambit. Furious. BELLA You damn pervert! Gambit GRABS her, cracking up. GAMBIT I walked in on Cousin Henri last week. Saved the memory just for you. BELLA Lemme go! The hell's wrong with you?! He THROWS her onto the bed, the two giggling. 50 INT. DOWNSTAIRS KITCHEN, BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - TWILIGHT 50 Crabs BOIL in a pot. Maryanne cooks while her BOYS watch wrestling on TV. 19. 2 SERVANTS prep as Maryanne reaches for the paprika. Her hand passing a PISTOL inside the cupboard. MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Jules, honey. Go tell Belle it's time for supper. Julian peels himself off the couch. The mood suddenly tense. 51 INT. BELLA'S BEDROOM - TWILIGHT 51 Upstairs Gambit and Bella hook up in bed, unaware. The TV rolls footage from Future Past. Mystique saving President Nixon. WALTER KRONKITE (ON TV) …love them or fear them, Mutants are here to stay... Bella's in Gambit's lap, half-clothed . He kisses her chest. GAMBIT Y'know, I might be coming into some money soon. Maybe we should elope. BELLA For real? Like to Vegas or something? Gambit reaches into a bowl of ice water. STEAM comes off his hand as he gives Bella a cold towel for her neck. GAMBIT I'm partial to Paris myself. But you want Vegas, I'll give you Vegas. BELLA Big talk. You ain't even left Nawlins. GAMBIT That's exactly the reason to do it. Just hop in the Cadillac, stop at the first chapel we see. Gambit's fingers leave a faint trail of HEAT on her bare back. BELLA I dunno. I always saw our wedding as one of those funky parades down Frenchmen. Both our families there... GAMBIT (stops kissing her, frustrated) Yeah well. I know family's important and all… but sometimes -- 20. BELLA What? Say it… Gambit eyes the TV. Rolling footage of mutants. GAMBIT Sometimes I wonder why you fawn all over your family, when they don't even know the real you. You feel me? Bella eyes the TV. Speaks soft, idly, trying not to answer. BELLA You know, I never really dug that word. Mutant. Only way to describe us, and it sounds like a slur... GAMBIT For real. Shit sounds outlandish. Bella turns back to face him. Looking down, serious. BELLA You do get that it's different for me, right? Your folks ain't gonna judge you. Mama's just a little more old-school is all... Abruptly -- a KNOCK on the door. Julian's outside. JULIAN BOUDREAX (O.S.) Belle . You in there -- ? Bella and Gambit instantly REACT. Bella motions -- go. BELLA Just a sec! Gambit DARTS to the window, back the way he came. Pauses. GAMBIT When can I see you again? Bella motions -- Dude. Go. He snags a FLIER off her desk. GAMBIT Y'all are hitting up that election- thing, ain't ya? BELLA Oh no. You definitely ain't on the guest list. Now will you please scoot? Just then the door opens, Bella turns. Gambit's already gone. 21. 52 EXT. OAK ALLEY, NEW ORLEANS - TWILIGHT 52 Gambit walks to the oak alley out back. The swelling HUM of Cicadas all around him. Gambit's frustrated. He reacts to an intense migraine, his eyes RUST RED. He sits, takes a pack of playing cards from coat, and slides one card from the deck. He holds it in his hand a moment, feeling the weight. Then he THROWS IT -- BOOM! He splinters a branch . Gambit throws another. Farther. Then another, harder. This time an oak tree CLEAVES in- half. A hint of Gambit's inner-darkness coming out. 53 INT. DOWNSTAIRS KITCHEN, BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - TWILIGHT 53 Inside, Maryanne's removing her apron. She stops short, hearing the sound of THUNDER from the darkness. CUT TO: 54 EXT. STREET, FEDERAL RESERVE BANK - DAY (DIALOG IS TEMP) 54 Dress shoes CLICK on marble. We're behind a dapper BANKER exiting the huge Federal Reserve. We wonder why we're here... Then we see Luke Lebeau across the street. Cousin Henri steps off his bike and approaches. We see -- we've been following Gambit, posing as a banker. The Lebeaus are casing the bank. They converge in the street. Charlie pulls up on a MOTORCYCLE, stopwatch around his neck. The men talk without looking at each other. COUSIN CHARLIE We got a whole eight minutes to the police station. We're golden GAMBIT It can't be done. Gambit's firm. Henri and Charlie share a frustrated look. COUSIN HENRI Remy, c'mon. Me and Charlie been at this for weeks -- GAMBIT (chiding) Yeah? And you missed the ten treasury agents inside. We ain't got the manpower to handle that. 22. HENRI (stung) So that's it? Gambit eyes the bank. GAMBIT Well no. Not necessarily… LUKE LEBEAU (perking up) What's up, son? You got something cooking? Henri grouses, soft: COUSIN RENRI Oh I see. Remy's got a plan, suddenly you're all ears... LUKE LEBEAU (scoffs) Boy, if not for Remy, we'd still be hustling nickel slots. Now what you got, Rem? Gambit keeps staring at that massive bank. Thinking. CUT TO: 55 INT. GUILD HALL - NIGHT 55 An old BLUESMAN (70s) SINGING under a spotlight. As he sings-- Miraculously TWO MORE VOICES filter out of his throat. Re sings in THREE VOICES at once, harmonizing with himself. Lights come up -- A mutant-fronted brass band kicks in. 'The Storyville Singers' painted on the bass drum. We're at a GUILD shindig. TWIRL on the dance-floor. Entering the BACK ROOM - Maryanne and fellow members of the Guild, including - a POLITICIAN, a CITY COUNCILMAN. We are wit.ness to a meeting of members of the original ASSASSINS GUILD. CITY COUNCILMAN They certainly can play. Though frankly I'm surprised you let them headline. Here in New Orleans, mutant racism feels almost genteel. MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Speaking of the M-U-T-A-N-Ts. Councilman, I understand y'all are voting to expand those new housing projects in Storyville? Maryanne smoothly slides the Councilman a CHECK. He folds it up. 23. MARYANNE BOUDREAUX You know I hold nothing against then personally. Doesn't mean I wanna live next to them... BY THE ENTRANCE -- Gambit, Henri, Charlie, the Lebeaus enter. A posse from the wrong side of the tracks, gate-crashing. BY THE BAR -- Gambit grabs a whole bottle of red wine, downing it fast. COUSIN HENRI careful bruh. Keep going like that, you'll go soft around the middle. GAMBIT (wipes his mouth) High metabolism. ON THE DANCE FLOOR -- The crowd TWIRLS. Gambit approaches, drinking his wine. Eying the band. Bella spies Gambit and suppresses a SMILE. Silk-shirted VINCENT eyes the gate-crashers and SCOWLS: VINCENT BOUDREAX Thought the Guild had a dress-code. Julian spies the Lebeaus and rises. Ready for blood. Gambit begins to MOVE on the dance-floor. Subtly at first. But he's right up front, making a connection with the band. The Music INTENSIFIES. We see the mutant DRUMMER AND TRUMPETER fingers now moving with preternatural speed. Soon the crowd is left in the dust. Only Gambit can keep up with the band. Bella dances with Gambit from across the floor. Keeping up with the band too. Soon Gambit and Bella are locked in a funky, seismic dance, eyes locked. For a moment they're in-sync. Women start GLANCING at Gambit now. ON BELLA, watching -- that's my man. Then she sees Gambit's enjoying the attention. Bella mouths her feelings, turns and leaves the floor. The crowd stepping in to fill the space. Gambit frowns, following. GAMBIT Cher, wait up -- Julian moves past her, into Gambit's path, body-checking him. JULIAN BOUDREAX I don't think I like your intentions towards my sister. Gambit’s crew cuts in. Eying Julian 24. COUSIN HENRI Dude, I ain't crazy about your intentions towards your sister. Julian's eyes flash. Is that a pistol in his coat? The mood is suddenly tense. Then a cool VOICE SNAPS behind them MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Outside. The crews, all following her out. 56 EXT. STREET, BOARD OF TRADE HALL - NIGHT 56 Maryanne watches from the steps as the families talk shit. Those waiting outside joining the fray. VINCENT BOUDREAUX COUSIN HENRI * Alright boys. Time to scamper Sorry, pardner. Did I on back to the bayou. tear that pretty silk- shirt? Julian goes for his weapon. The atmosphere verging on violenc. e Gambit looks to Maryanne. GAMBIT Ma'am, this is foolishness. I didn't come here to fight. We came to offer you a deal. The cousins keep arguing. Gambit, eyes-locked on Maryann. e GAMBIT We might run in different circles. But we're all crooks here. And we been planning this real nice bank thing COUSIN HENRI JULIAN BOUDREAUX (suddenly going white) Oh here we go. More pretty Remy. Stop talking. words from the Cajun -- Maryanne puts up a hand. Radar popping. The crews quiet down. MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Belle, you heard anything about this? Bella shakes her head. GAMBIT The job's too big for one crew. But with y'all running crowd- control? With two crews, 40 thieves all in it together? There's no limit to what we could do. Luke cocks his head. Bold play. Maryanne eyes Bella, shrewd. 25. MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Now see, I'm just racking my brain, wondering why you'd bring us in on something like that. It wouldn't have nothing to do with Bella now? COUSIN HENRI (pissed at Gambit) You bet your ass it does Luke steps up. Seeing an angle, cutting Henri out. LUKE Henri, ain't no one talking to you. (then, to the group) Remy's right. We're here tussling, when together we could be running Nawlin.s Hell, there's enough of us here, we'd practically be a guild. Henri just shakes his head. Maryanne coolly eyes Gambit. MARYANNE BOUDREAUX And where's all this leave you and my daughter? Gambit eyes Bella. Coming clean about his feelings. GAMBIT I'll be honest, ma’am. I think your daughter's just the belle of the ball. I'd like the chance to prove myself to you. And in the process make you very, very rich. Bella's heart swells. Henri's annoyed. Maryanne smiles down. CUT TO: 58 INT. BOUDREAUX PLANTATION - NIGHT 58 Maryanne leads Julian to the outside porch and takes his ear. Cicadas BUZZ outside. She eyes her son, speaks quietly: MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Julian. Don't you let some petty jealousy get in the way of a good score. You wait outside. Before Julian can protest, Maryanne walks back inside. MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Well honey, I just don't know. If we work with these boys, we gotta trust them with our lives... 26. BELLA I do trust Remy. I just don't understand why you can't too. MARYANNE BOUDREAUX In my experienc· e , there are three reasons men steal. Some do it out Qf necessity. Some do it outta greed. But for some guys it's about the buzz. They tend to be selfish. Reckless. I saw that in Remy the day y'all met. BELLA (scoffs) Yeah, when I was fourteen. Ain't it time to put this stupid feud to bed? I know Remy's got a wild streak. He's also got a real big heart. Maryanne considers her daughter and smiles. CUT TO: A CONVOY OF CADILLACS, leaving through OAK ALLEY. 60 INT. TRAILER, SLAUGHTERHOUSE TRUCK - DAY 60 In a SPEEDING truck, the Lebeaus apply black-and-white face paint. Gambit shuffles his deck of CARDS, superstitious. GAMBIT (to the cards, soft) How we feeling, cheres? With flourish, Gambit CUTS to a card at random. It's an image of a POT OF GOLD. The Rich Man. Gambit looks emboldened. 61 EXT. REAR ENTRANCE, FEDERAL RESERVE BANK - DAY 61 The SLAUGHTERHOUSE TRUCK speeds to the Federal Reserve. Stops. Beaudreaux cars pull up, 20 thugs in balaclavas emerge. Truck doors OPEN to reveal: Lebeau's in zombie-makeup, on MOTORCYCLES . The two families are the largest crew of criminals we've ever seen -- 40 THIEVES. The CREWS eye each other, uneasy . Then Bella climbs onto Gambit's motorcycle, arms around him. A public display of trust. Gambit guns his engine. Bella holds tight. We stay BEHIND THEM as they speed into the Federal Reserve Bank. 62 INT. REAR HALLWAY, FEDERAL RESERVE BANK - CONTINUOUS 62 Gambit BLASTS up stairs on his bike. Bella using her powers as they ride. 27. Bell YELLS into Gambit's ear as they ride. They work in sync, a mutant Bonnie and Clyde. BELLA Right stairwell, baby! Gambit BLASTS up an iron stairway. Heading to the main floor. BELLA Dude on your left has a gun! As a GUARD bursts out of a door -- Gambit BRAKES AND DUCKS. In one fluid motion, Bella's off the bike, clocks the guard with BRASS KNUCKLES. Knocking him out. Gambit eyes her: GAMBIT I love you so fucking hard. Gambit KICKS IN a door, they speed into: 63 INT. BANK FLOOR, FEDERAL RESERVE - DAY 63 The huge bank floor is crowded with GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES. The bike speeds in, Bella FIRES two shots into the ceiling. BELLA Hands up America! Y'all being robbed! People drop. MORE BIKES blast in, leaving rubber burns on the marble. Boudreaux thugs enter with pistols. SHOUT: BOUDREAUX THUGS On the floor!/Eyes down, bitch. Vincent SHOVES civilians. JULIAN pistol - whips an aging GUARD. Henri and Luke are unnerved by the Boudreaux brutality. Luke hurries to a GATE leading to the vault chamber. He jams a CUTTER-SPREADER through the bars. Whispers sweetly to a terrified CLERK: LUKE LEBEAU Easy honey. All be over in a minute. Claws OPEN THE BARS like rubber. Gambit and Bella BLAST past. 64 INT. BASEMENT VAULTS, FEDERAL RESERVE - DAY 64 The bikes descend stairs and corridors reaching: THE VAULT. 65 INT. VAULT ROOM - CONTINUOUS 65 Gambit, Henri, and Bella look up at the PRIZE. Gambit approaches fast. Hammering huge STEEL WEDGES under the vault door. Henri unrolls sheafs of TOOLS. 28. Gambit slips on ogless. Like a welder (comic book by way of James Caan in Thief). 66 INT. VAULT CHAMBER - DAY 66 FROM INSIDE - CLANG! The wedges explode, blowing open the door. The team enters to see PALLETS OF CASH. HENRI Bruh. Jackpot. Men grab CASH. Dump it in backpacks strapped to their chests. Other LEBEAU RIDERS enter, loading up on cash, then exiting. Everrone's ready to leave when Gambit glances down a side corridor to see -- a smaller, secondary VAULT. GAMBIT Hold up. You said it was just one vault. Sup with door number two? COUSIN HENRI My blueprints must've been old. Doesn't matter, stick to the plan. But Gambit's eying the second vault. Drawn in by the challenge. GAMBIT Nah, I think I can do it. BELLA Are you nuts? We ain't got time -- HENRI It's true, bruh. Sometimes you gotta know when to fold em. But for Gambit it's always all-or-nothing. He glares at Henri: GAMBIT We could of planned for this if you did your job. Why's it always amateur hour with you, man? Henri looks stung. COUSIN RENRI Hey -- I'm sorry... GAMBIT Just keep the Boudreaux's upstairs while I'm doing my thing. You can do that, can't you? Henri wheels away, pissed. Gambit approaches the 2nd vault, begins CHARGING the steel wedges under the door. Sparks fly -- 29. 67 INT. BANK FLOOR, FEDERAL RESERVE - DAY 67 Henri guns his bike back upstairs. Anxious. All around, the bank is in CHAOS. Boudreaux thugs SHOUT, dirt bikes WHIP past. Henri hears a faint RATTLE, Gambit's charged wedges EXPLODING. 68 INT. BASEMENT VAULTS, FEDERAL RESERVE - DAY 68 In the vault, Bella's stopwatch BEEPS . BELLA That's it. We gotta move on. But Gambit ignores her. He enters the 2nd vault, eager for the challenge. The dark look in his eye troubles Bella. Behind a security grill, he can see stacks of GOLD BARS. GAMBIT Baby, I'm doing this for us. We can take this money, get our asses down to Chi-waa-waa Mexico. This could be our big win. Bella holds up her huge bag of cash. Incredulous. BELLA Baby -- we already won. Gambit isn't listening. He's charging up the metal security grille with his bare hands. Sparks reflect in his goggles. BELLA (increasingly nervous) Remy, c'mon. We gotta split. (a tense beat, then) I ain't screwing around. Like a gambler who can't leave the table, Gambit can't stop. Bella: seeing his dark side come out. GAMBIT Baby, I can do this. One minute... Then Bella's eyes roll back in her head. Using her powers. IMAGES flood into her mind from around the bank. Bella sees: - A POLICE CAR approaching. TWO COPS entering a side door. Bella's eyes snap open. Her face is now full of DREAD. BELLA Remy -- now! But Gambit's riding adrenaline. Won't stop. Orange eyes dark. 30. GAMBIT No. Bella steps back. Disappointed by what she's seeing. Softly: BELLA Mama was right about you. Bella hurries out. Leaving Gambit to protect her family. 69 INT. BANK FLOOR, FEDERAL RESERVE - DAY 69 Bella RUNS onto the chaotic floor. She TURNS CIRCLES -- searching for the cops but seeing only doorways, shouting criminals. The police could be anywhere. We see PANIC building on Bella's face. Until finally Bella's eyes roll back in her head. Using her powers publicl. y Right in the middle of the bank robbery. The air STIRS around her. Both families STARE IN AWE. Then Bella's eyes open. She points to a balcony and SHOUTS: BELLA We got two cops behind that door! ON THE BALCONY -- Boudreaux thugs turn, KICK open the door. Pointing guns at the startled COPS. VINCENT Drop it. On your knees! The cops drop their guns. Everyone else just STARES at Bella . The two families, all the civilians in dumb shock now. BOUDREAUX THUG LEBEAU THIEF Yo, is she a -- ? Goddamn she's a mutant! * WE STAY on Julian -- really panicking. Steps towards Bella. JULIAN Got something you wanna tell us? BELLA Wait -- I can explain -- Jules doesn't want an explanation. He GRABS Bella by the throat, push her back into the wall. They're both panicking. JULIAN BOUDREAX What kind of voodoo shit was that?! Jules doesn't spot -- Gambit. Up from the vault behind him -- ALL AT ONCE: Gambit KNOCKS Jules away, hard. Julian draws his gun. Gambit hoists a gold bar, HURLING -- - 31. B-Bang! A HOLE in the wall, beside Jules. Jules drops the gun. Stunned. As Gambit turns -- all eyes in the bank are on him and Bella. Civilians stare. The families look stunned. The bank goes dead silent. Gambit, his eyes RUST RED. A mutant couple together against the world. Their big moment: GAMBIT (soft, to Bella) It's gonna be all good, baby. Just tell em you're like me -- But Bella looks back at Gambit with a mix of distance and fear. The look on her face just breaks Gambit's heart. Then MARYANNE BOUDREAUX Honey, get away from him -- Bella's caught between Gambit and her mother. In that moment: she lets go of Gambit's hand. Maryanne grabs her daughter, protective. Vincent aims a gun at Gambit's head. Gambit looks devastated. VINCENT Step back, asshole. Henri and Charlie pull guns. Pointing weapons at Vincent. The bank robbery now turning into a violent STANDOFF. COUSIN HENRI VINCENT Yo, put that piece Drop that gun, hillbilly-- away- Civilians SCREAM as the crews FACE OFF. Gambit sees Julian REACH for his gun. GAMBIT Don't you do it -- Suddenly Luke cuts in, GROWLING at Gambit. Sharp. LUKE LEBEAU You stand down, boy! You done enough. Gambit keeps his eyes on Julian. Luke, trying to diffuse it. LUKE LEBEAU Let's all just keep it professional. More cops'll be here any second -- Luke starts LOWERING his gun. Men starts doing the same. LUKE LEBEAU That's right. We’ll talk this out later. 32. GAMBIT AND JULIAN are eyes-locked. A showdown at the OK Corral. - Julian -- glancing at his pistol on the floor. - Gambit -- a TAROT CARD spins on a finger behind his back. - Julian -- a hand DARTING out for that gun. Suddenly -- Boom! Gambit HURLS the card so fast, we barely see it. The EXPLOSION blows Julian into the wall. Killed instantly. Boudreaux THUGS take hits of shrapnel. A moment of STUNNED SILENCE follows . Then the big scream. VINCENT He's dead! Jules is dead! Bella eyes Gambit, horrified. He opens his mouth to explain But the entire room ERUPTS into gunfire. The two families BLASTING each other on the bank floor. In seconds, the robbery becomes a tableau of death and chaos. Civilians SCREAM. Gunshots POP. Men scramble for bikes. Henri looks up to see -- Luke, blood billowing from beneath his shirt. Henri catches him as he falls, shaking him. HENRI Dad? ... Dad! Luke's been shot through the back. Dead. Gambit looks over -- GAMBIT No -- Then up to see the Boudreaux rushing the exits. In the chaos, Gambit doesn't know who shot his father. 70 INT. FRONT HALLWAY, FEDERAL RESERVE - DAY 70 Crews shoot their way downstairs, through incoming COPS. Dazed, Gambit pulls out a gold bar. He FLINGS it at the EXIT -- Boom! 71 EXT. FRONT, FEDERAL RESERVE - DAY 71 Outside, Lebeaus speed off in one direction. Boudreauxs go another. Gambit and his crew wrestle Luke's body into his car. Gambit and Bella go separate ways. A mirror image of their moment as teenagers. Now they can't bear to look at each other. 72 INT. BOUDREAUX CADILLAC - DAY 72 The Boudreaux Cadillac speeds away. Bella's tears smear voodoo makeup. Julian's dead in the backsea.t Bella looks to her mom. 33. BELLA I'm so sorry. I understand if you never wanna see me again -- To our surprise, Maryanne's fighting back tears too. MARYANNE BOUDREAUX I ain't losing my daughter too. Bella starts to cry -- forgiven for being a mutant. But as Bella goes to HUG her mother, Maryanne flinches. WE HOLD on Maryanne's look as they embrace. 73 INT. THE BOAT - EARLY EVENING (DIALOG HERE TEMP) 73 Total silence. Gambit sits on a bench. Head down, devastate. d Hands covered in burn marks. Cousins pace, SHOUTING IN SILENCE. Charlie cradles Luke's body. Money stacks on the table. As sound RUSHES BACK -- LEBEAU THIEF LEBEAU THIEF 3 I knew it. I knew we couldn't She's gonna wanna do battle trust those assholes! over this, for sho. Dazed, Gambit moves to Luke's body. As he kneels down to touch him -- Henri reacts. Pushing Gambit back, GROWLING: COUSIN HENRI He ain't your blood. You got no right to touch him. Henri SHOVES Gambit back into the wall. Tense. Making a fist. He punches Gambit hard but he doesn't flinch. Taking it. GAMBIT It's okay, bruh -- get it out -- Henri punches again, harder. COUSIN HENRI You. You did this. Gambit doesn't react. Then Henri pulls a gun and cocks the trigger, aiming between the eyes. Gambit, goading him. GAMBIT C'mon, you don't have the balls to -- Smack! Henri SWINGS a gold bar. KNOCKS OUT one of Gambit's teeth. Henri throws more LOOT at Gambit. Gold, bills. Enraged. COUSIN HENRI Here, take it. That's what you do, right? Just take and take? (MORE) 34. COUSIN HENRI (CONT'D) Go on, take it and crawl back to your Boudreaux bitch. That's what this was all about, right? Gambit's on the floor, money all around him, degraded. GAMBIT Careful, Henri. You wouldn't last one minute without me. COUSIN HENRI What, you think we need you? This family never needed you. You're just some mutant we found on the street -- A sharp VOICE INTERRUPTS -- CHARLIE Stop it! Little Charlie cradles Luke's head, crying. Looks at Gambit: CHARLIE Henri's right, man. (then) You're the bad guy. On Gambit. Renri wordlessly turns his back on Gambit. Other cousins do the same. 74 INT. ENTRYWAY, THE BOAT - NIGHT 74 Gambit can hear insects BUZZ, the sound of his cousins arguing OS. Before he leaves, Gambit looks up, sees an old SLOT-MACHINE NICKEL wedged in the doorjamb. With that -- Gambit YANKS the nickel out of the wall. Leaving with 5 cents to his name. 75 EXT. THE BOAT, BAYOU - NIGHT 75 Gambit walks into the sawgrass and DISAPPEARS. TEN YEARS LATER 76 EXT. PARIS, BLVD DES CHAMPS ELYSEES - DUSK ( 1983) 76 A white Porsche pulls up, blaring Duran Duran. A man with an umbrella steps out, crossing the street -- is it Gambit? ALAIN (40s). He nods to a BOUNCER, passing neon-lit CALL GIRLS in gaudy dresses. Rain ruining their big hair. 77 INT. SUBTERRANEAN POOL HALL - DAY 77 Alain strides past pool tables. Past ell-dressed GANGSTERS shooting pool. MOLLS preening. In a back booth, he finds -- 35. GAMBIT with a bottle of wine. Playing solitaire. The years have changed him. The stench of wealth: his trench coat has a fur collar. The tooth Henri knocked out, now solid gold. Alain doesn't break stride, motions for Gambit to follow. ALAIN (IN FRENCH) How goes the solitaire? Gambit grabs his wine, a Louis Vuitton bag. Peels himself up. GAMBIT (CAJUN FRENCH) I'm losing. 78 EXT. REAR ALLEY, SUBTERRANEAN POOL HALL - DAY 78 Qut back, a nattily-dressed BACKER waits by a van. This is JACOB GAVIN (40s). Behind him, a DRIVER in the shadows. Jake watches Gambit and Alain approach. Gambit STUMBLES, drunk. We see he also wears pink-striped BIKE SHORTS . As if Jean Paul Gaultier designed his comic-book wardrobe. Alain approaches Jake. Eying Gambit, glowering. ALAIN I cannot work with this. He's wearing bike shorts for god's sake. JAKE You have anyone else in Paris willing to do the job? Anyone in the world even? Meanwhile Gambit PLOPS down on a Mercedes, sets off the CAR ALARM. He could care less. Just ambles to the van. But when Gambit peeks inside, he sees the Driver is a muscular MUTANT with scabrous skin ALPHONSE. Gambit darkens a bit. Looks at Jake. GAMBIT You didn't tell me you hired a mutant on my crew. JAKE Is that a problem? Gambit eyes Omar, pulling himself into the van. GAMBIT I'd just be careful if I were you. Can't trust 'em. 36. 79 EXT. COURTYARD, LOUVRE - NIGHT 79 RISE TO REVEAL the Louvre Museum, under construction. Scaffolding surrounds the half-built GLASS PYRAMID. The 3 thieves--tiny specks seen in shadow--race across open ground. Gambit CLIMBS the half-built pyramid, DROPS inside. 80 INT. LOUVRE, WEST HALLWAY - NIGHT 80 Inside, Gambit casually grabs a MUSEUM AUDIO GUIDE. Slips on the headphones. Alain and Alphonse hurry to catch up. FRENCH VOICE (AUDIO GUIDE) Note ze subtle grace of Rafael's brush-strokes... Gambit turns a corner, Louis Vuitton bag in hand, reaching A Renaissance PAINTING. Rafael's St. Michael Vanquishing Satan. Angel fighting devil. Gambit starts a little stretching routine. He clumsily extends two police batons, forming his STAFF. Omar throws a puff of POWDER, revealing LASER tripwires. Gambit then unzips his bag and pulls out a large BOOMBOX. GAMBIT (IN ENGLISH, SOFT) Time to make the donuts. He presses PLAY. The opening bars of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean. Loud. Alain and Alphonse look back as Gambit takes a RUNNING LEAP, planting his staff and -- Slips. BRRR! Alarms BLARE as Gambit skids across the floor and collides with the wall. Dumbfounded. Instantly, a SECURITY PROTOCOL locks down the wing. Steel bars DROP between Gambit and his partners. A PLEXI-GLASS WALL rises over the paintings. Gambit's teammates panic, TRAPPED. ALAIN You useless wino. Are you trying to get us caught?! Maybe. While the men panic, Gambit pops CHEWING GUM in his mouth. He charges the gum, STICKS it to the plexi-glass. The gum EXPLODES. Gambit RIPS down the painting. He then grabs rising wall, abandoning his partner. s Alphonse stares daggers, TRAPPED behind the steel bars: 37. ALPHONSE You'd do this to your own kind? You're a disgrace! But Gambit just FLIPS up and out through a window. Gone. 82 INT. LES BAIN DOUCHES NIGHTCLUB, PARIS - NIGHT 82 Music POUNDS. The painting now hangs in a Paris nightclub. WE PUSH through a Fellini-esque dancefloor. Models, rockstars. Finally we arrive on -- Gambit. In the bath, shirtless. Next to him is a dude on an inflatable raft, wearing a giant rabbit head. A bald girl doodles on Gambit's naked back with a sharpie. For all the fun, the light has gone out of Gambit's eyes. He looks BORED as he shoots scotch with three models. Then Gambit spots a new girl walk in -- a stunning, Amazonian french woman. This is JACQUELINE (20s). Gambit eyes her. This looks interesting. She swims towards him and eyes him up and down. JACQUELINE (FRENCH) Who is the woman on your arm? She's quite beautiful. Gambit takes a drink, eyes the TATTOO of a pin-up girl on his forearm. Dark hair, a bit like BELLA. He sounds wounded. GAMBIT That? That's you, cher. 83 INT. BACK BOOTH, LES BAIN DOUCHES - NIGHT 83 Gambit and Jacqueline MAKE OUT feverishly in a dark booth. JACQUELINE I know this sounds crazy, but -- your hands. They're warm. Jacqueline slowly takes Gambit's hand and puts it between her legs. She closes her eyes, tilting her head back. CUT TO: 84 INT. GAMBIT'S CLOCK TOWER LOFT, PARIS - DAWN 84 A priceless FABERGE EGG being used as a bowl for jelly beans. We're in Gambit's loft. The space is exciting and trashy stolen art everywhere. Multiple TV's. Around them is the WRECKAGE of a decadent party. Gambit lies in BED with Jacqueline. She rises, slips into Gambit’s shirt. She sits in a chair, legs-crossed. 38. GAMBIT Mm. There is nothing sexier than a woman wearing a man's -- Her body changes. Shape-shifting into a man. Jacqueline is also JAKE. The backer from last night. He's still in Gambit's shirt. Gambit BOLTS UP out of bed like a shot. Stunned, mortified. GAMBIT (BLURTS IN ENGLISH) Ohmigod. Did we -- ? Does your -- ? Jake speaks English. His voice deep. JAKE Anatomy change as well? Indeed. GAMBIT (trying to be cool) Look, I'll get down with some freaky shit, this is on another level. Gambit grabs Jake's Gucci PURSE. Trying to get rid of him. GAMBIT You need to take your little man-purse and -- the hell is this? In the purse: a dossier on Gambit. Photos, Interpol record. As Gambit eyes the dossier, puzzled - TWO RANDOM MODELS from the club WAKE UP on the couch. The party followed him home. RANDOM MODEL (IN FRENCH) Remy? Can we make waffles? GAMBIT (thrown, dismissive) Sure cher. Make yourself at home -- He turns back to Jake, who eyes the stolen Rafael on the wall. JAKE Relax. I didn't come to Gay Paree for a Rafael and a one-night-stand. Gambit looks up from dossier. So confused now. GAMBIT You -- don't care about the paintin. g JAKE My employer's not exactly an art lover. He wanted to see how good you were. (MORE) 39. JAKE (CONT'D) And, scruples or not, I think you could've robbed the Louvre in your sleep. (then) He wants to hire you for real job. Gambit starts picking up Jake's heels and panties, annoyed. GAMBIT I'll be honest, dude. You were a world-class lay. But whatever this is? I'm not the one who's supposed to get hustled. Gambit starts throwing Jake's clothes out the window. Jake follow stepping over party wreckage. JAKE You haven't even heard about the job yet. It's in New Orleans. GAMBIT Nawlins ain't got nothing worth stealing. Anyway, I ain't welcome back in the Pleasure City. My old crew -- JAKE -- are nearly all dead. All but wiped out by the Boudreauxs. As Gambit STOPS, suddenly reeling from that -- a hungover COUPLE emerges from the bathroom. HUNGOVER GIRL (IN FRENCH) Remy? Do you have any Tylenol? GAMBIT Cupboard over the sink -- (back to Jake, more emotional) Yeah well. They made it clear they ain't my crew no more. So why don't you find yourself another thief. JAKE My employer is acutely aware that of all great thieves in this world, only one has an honest motivation. (then, a look) He wants to pay you 40 million dollars to rob Belladonna and her family. Gambit: drawn in by that. Bella will always be his weakness. GAMBIT Who's your boss?