No matter how many times 20th Century Fox champions the Merc’s sophomore stint as a standalone adventure, Deadpool 2 and Drew Goddard’s nascent X-Force movie are inextricably linked. They share the same universe, for crying out loud!

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Word is the latter is gearing up for a production start late next year, so it’s all but certain that Deadpool 2 will include a few winks and nods toward Goddard’s ensemble piece. Fox is yet to disclose an official release date for the latter, though we imagine it’s targeting a 2019 launch.

Regardless of when it arrives, Deadpool 2 will clearly serve as the springboard for Fox’s X-Force crossover, and though we don’t expect an overstuffed sequel in the vein of Iron Man 2, the hosts of Marvel Movie News (via Screen Rant) have uncovered a seemingly major clue that suggests the Merc With a Mouth will be sporting his famous gray X-Force suit come 2018. Perhaps it’ll be used in some form of post-credits scene?

Either way, we kindly direct your attention toward Ryan Reynolds’ recent Instagram, where you’ll see a rack of Deadpool costumes hanging in the background. But as MMN points out, there are two suits located in the middle that appear to be coated in gray – either that, or they’ve seen a lot more action than their counterparts.

It’s by no means a confirmation, but it does present some interesting food for thought. Besides, the Merc With a Mouth is known and loved for his effortless ability to smash the fourth wall – think of Deadpool‘s post-credits sequence, in which Reynolds’ anti-hero straight up confirmed Cable for the sequel…in 2016 – so rest assured, David Leitch and his team will have a few tricks up their collective sleeve.

Deadpool 2 has been penciled in for June 1st, 2018. Josh Brolin (Infinity War) and Zazie Beetz have been cast as the sequel’s two supporting characters, Cable and Domino, and we expect them to both return for Fox’s X-Force movie when the time comes as well.