The latest set photos from Deadpool 2 demonstrate that mutants are still hunted and feared in the movie’s reality. Due to the confusing continuity of the X-Men films, it can be difficult judging which plots factor into which films - and with Wade Wilson’s world being so thoroughly detached from sanity, it’s been unclear whether Deadpool as a franchise would deal with the same persecution mutants have faced in other films. The addition of the time-traveling mutant Cable, however, may open up some new possibilities for the Deadpool sequel.

In the comics, Cable comes from a future that hasn’t been kind to his people. We’ve seen different versions of these events unfold ever since the first X-Men, and it could be that Cable’s presence will evoke the specter of mutant persecution. We’ve already gotten hints about Hope, the mutant messiah, having a role in the film. Now, it looks as if Deadpool and his friends will have to contend with some version of a government task force that opposes mutants.

Twitter user @AnimalDesatado (via CBR) was able to get a few shots from the Vancouver set of Deadpool 2 that may confirm the Mutant Response Division for the film. Check them out:

Look @yvrshoots @WhatsFilming these soldiers are MRD in the comics (Mutant Response Division). They have to be the same , what do you think? pic.twitter.com/KjrCXwr9M0— Animal (@AnimalDesatado) August 28, 2017

#Deadpool2 “Mutant Division” @WhatsFilming @yvrshoots pic.twitter.com/Ch3wsYQZfn— Animal (@AnimalDesatado) August 29, 2017

The MRD began life in Wolverine & the X-Men, a short-lived animated TV series that dealt with the war between mutants and the government. Since that time, they’ve made the jump to comics - and now a version of them may be coming to live-action film.

Not only can you see the uniform similarity in the first of these photos, but the second shot makes it clear the group show here is a government-sanctioned agency. As for the name change, it could be due to some sort of rights issue, or the writers just felt it worked better. There’s no indication what it stands for, but Division of Mutant Containment seems likely.

While it’s unclear where in the X-Men continuity the Deadpool franchise exists, the first film made clear that both other mutants and the X-Men exist. With more heroics and villainous mutants arriving in next year’s sequel, it makes sense that the government would eventually step in as they often do in the comics. It’s also likely that the rise of the DMC plays into why Cable time travels to the past in the film, possibly mirroring the plot of X-Men: Days of Future Past in certain respects.

Sources: @AnimalDesatado [2] (via CBR)

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