The story of a bored individual...

The following scoop was recently sent into Aint It Cool News, who claim that their secondary sources seem to support this rumor's validity:
Talked to an old friend back in Vancouver BC who I went to high school with and haven't spoken to in a few years. He called on a completely unrelated matter and we just started yaking and catching up.He owns a metal supply shop and has supplied metal and crews to a few movie and TV productions in the Vancouver area including X-Men 2.
He indicated to me that he's already signed the contract to do the same for X-Men 3 and then mentioned the contract would carry over to X-Men 4 which would film back to back with #3.
Wow! Could this be related to the Phoenix storyline hinted at the climax of X2? Hopefully we'll know soon enough!

Bryan Singer and 20th Century Fox are reported to be considering filming both X3 and X4 back-to-back, with those movies potentially closing the book on the X-MEN movies as a team, but opening the door to myriad spin-off movies (with the first one confirmed to be WOLVERINE. 

Cinescape has early word on what nuggets of information are to be released in tomorrow's issue of Wizard Magazine:

Among the facts dropped in the mag are: the idea by Singer to shoot X-MEN 3 and X-MEN 4 at the same time; how many primary characters are currently in the X3 treatment (which includes Beast); which actors are likely to reappear in the second sequel; other filmmakers that Singer has been meeting with regarding the latest breakthroughs in filmmaking technology; and spinoff movies using Wolverine and other X-Men characters.
Perhaps the biggest news is the revelation of what the general premise of X-MEN 3 will be about -- or is, at least at this early stage of the game. According to Singer, the idea behind X3 is what would happen if humans and mutants went up against evolution itself.

I've been to a few discussion boards where they keep complaining that Wolverine gets too much screen time in the movies, and how sad they are because Gambit's cameo got cut.

I liked both these characters very much, they are pretty much my favourites, but I have another view to the whole thing:

I didn't think Wolverine got as much screen time in X2 as in X-Men in spite the fact that X2 was built up around his past. But this might just be me. Wolverine is after all my fave, so I have another point of view that the people who have other faves.
As for the whole Gambit-cameo, I must be the only one that's thrilled that they cut it. Now don't get me wrong, I would love to see Gambit in the movies, but give the guy a propper introduction!

Now, this is a possibility for how they could do this:
We know that Wolverine is staying in the mansion and that X3 will probably be "the Phoenix saga". So I would like it to end with Jean giving Logan the final message that she has no interest for him. (I know she kind of did this in X2, but I have a point.) He then leaves at the end of the movie to give her space, and maybe the professor gave him another clue...
Then they can make X4 (this absolutely kills me to say,) without any Wolverine what so ever. Then they can give Gambit a propper introduction and a real amount of screen time. And then the fans will get a new love triangle to get into. :p
By X5 (hopefully we'll get this far) Hugh Jackman will have been replaced by another actor, so then they can have the new guy playing him come in.

Just a little thought. I doubt the Gambit fans will want to wait until X4 for Gambit, but with the way they're going I think it would be the best way to go.
"Just a thought... just a thought"