The idea's been floating around for a while now. There's a script or 2. A director. Nothing official though. It all depends on what takes place in what time line really. I feel like X-force will take place in the preset day with Deadpool. Until we find out when Gambit takes place for certain, we won' know.
I don't think Deadpool is "present day". I keep hearing music and seeing props that place it in the 90s. But that could always be Deadpool's qwerkiness because I did see NSW with touch screen phone... So my post is pointless.
But if it is present day, I think that may be the reason Tatum wasn't in Apocalypse. Because that would force Gambit to be in that timeline. I'm sure if Deadpool is going to be the hit Fox wants it to be, they are going to want to cross him over with other potential hits. I was getting used to Gambit being in the early 90s but I'm cool with a present day take. It gives the opportunity to see him alongside a proper X-Men team.
I'd be kind of surprised because it means one of two things; 1. The current younger cast thats portraying the X-Men will only have this movie that's coming out, and then they'll be recast for older characters or just replcaed with the former cast, Femke, Berry, etc. 2. The next couple X-Men films will be set in the past while, Gambit, Deadpool, and X-Force take place in the present. That could get confusing to the general audience.