Is That Wade Wilson Standing Next To Deadpool In the New Trailer?

CBR

Have the Deadpool 2 filmmakers just taken Wade Wilson's signature meta jokes to the next level?

Since the new Deadpool 2 trailer hit the Internet, fans have been rabidly screen-capping every millisecond to see what kind of plot clues and easter eggs they can find. The footage finally gave us a good look at both Cable and Domino in action, but what really has fans excited is the mutant team introduced at the trailer's 1:37 mark.

Chances are good that the group is most likely the Wild Pack/Six Pack, and that Terry Crews is playing G.W. Bridge, but we noticed something strange when we took a closer look at the squad. Behind Wade and Domino is an unidentified character who might just be a tongue-in-cheek meta-joke.

With the dark circles around his eyes and what appears to be a sewn-shut mouth, the character bears a striking resemblance to the original live-action Wade Wilson, aka Weapon XI from Wolverine: Origins (2009). In any other superhero movie, this wouldn't be possible, but considering how Deadpool breaks the fourth wall and has already made jokes about Reynolds' other comic book roles, it's not impossible t imagine that this might be the ultimate meta-joke. This scene could turn out to be a flashback that explains how Pool and Domino were both part of a covert team in the past, which would be a humorous nod to the crew Stryker put together in Wolverine: Origins that included Logan, Wraith, Agent Zero, Bolt, Blob, Sabretooth and, of course, Wade Wilson.

While X-Men films like Days of Future Past (2014) and The Wolverine (2013) did their best to keep the continuity of the franchise alive, nobody is expecting a clever retcon from Deadpool 2. However, if it is the original live action Wade, it could work on multiple levels. Deadpool would obviously make multiple cracks about this fan-despised version of Wade, and it could also establish that both are the same guy from different timelines. In turn, this could open the door for the Deadpool Corps, an assemblage of Deadpools from alternate realities -- and who wouldn't want to see Headpool realized on the big screen?

Now, having said all that, it is also possible that this character’s lack of an apparent mouth is due to it being covered by a partial mask. Jon Schnepp (of Schneppzone) has postulated on Twitter that the mutant soldier may well be the initial leader of Peter Milligan and Mike Allred’s X-Force, Zeitgeist (with Terry crews tagged as a potential take on Anarchist). This character’s costume included a yellow mask that covered his mouth and nose. Zeitgeist’s mutant power was to puke up a substance that could eat through nearly anything. So, hey, we’re not going to complain if we get to see that in live action either.

Directed by David Leitch, Deadpool 2 features Ryan Reynolds as Deadpool, Brianna Hildebrand as Negasonic Teenage Warhead, Leslie Uggams as Blind Al, Stefan Kapičić as the voice of Colossus, and Karan Soni as Dopinder, with newcomers Zazie Beetz as Domino, Josh Brolin as Cable, as well as Julian Dennison, Jack Kesy, and Terry Crews in unrevealed roles. The film hits theaters on May 18.