New set photos from The Falcon and the Winter Soldier suggest the show may have a mutant connection. The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will reunite Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan in the titular roles of Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes following their appearances in various Marvel Cinematic Universe films. Plot details are scarce, but fans have already begun to speculate about what the series holds based on the supporting cast, which includes Emily VanCamp as Sharon Carter, Daniel Brühl as Baron Zemo, and Wyatt Russell as John Walker/U.S. Agent. Recently, Desmond Chiam (The Shannara Chronicles) and Miki Ishikawa (The Terror) were cast in unknown roles.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will be the first Marvel show to debut on Disney+. It will be followed by projects such as WandaVision and Loki, and will directly tie into the films in ways that previous Marvel shows did not. Production started a few months ago, and numerous set photos have already surfaced online. The most recent collection showed a glimpse of Sharon Carter back in action after being absent from the MCU since 2016’s Captain America: Civil War. 

The newest batch of photos hint at the island of Madripoor, a location from the comics that holds special importance in some X-Men stories. Fan account The Geek Power recently posted the photos on Instagram, which show the Madripoor symbol on the set. No actors are visible, but the symbol looks accurate. Check them out below:

In the comics, Madripoor is an island in Southeast Asia which appeared in multiple X-Men comics. Its capital is divided between Hightown and Lowtown, highlighting the extreme financial inequality found among its residents. Notable X-Men characters who have resided on Madripoor at some point include Magneto, Beast, and Cyclops. Following Disney’s acquisition of 20th Century Fox, Marvel head Kevin Feige confirmed the X-Men would join the MCU at some point in the future. This is the first real indication of mutants appearing within the MCU, though it hardly serves as a confirmation that they will have a role in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

The inclusion of characters like Baron Zemo and U.S. Agent hint at some of the conflicts Sam and Bucky will face in the show, and perhaps mutants will tie into that as well. If Madripoor truly is one of the locations used in the show, what could possibly bring Sam and Bucky to the island? Are they looking for allies, or facing off with an enemy? The show isn’t set to premiere for almost another year, meaning there’s still some time until real plot details emerge. There’s a chance mutants won’t make their MCU debut in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, but the usage of an important X-Men location indicates fans might not have to wait much longer for them to arrive.

More: Marvel Forgets Bucky Is A Super Soldier (& Needs To Use Him Better)

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier will premiere on Disney+ in Fall 2020.

Source: Instagram

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