While FOX's X-Men spinoff show The Gifted has yet to be renewed for a second season, it's certainly laid some interesting groundwork for future tie-ins to the X-Men movies. And what better way to explore those connections in the future, than by bringing back Peter Dinklage as Bolivar Trask, the creator of the Sentinels?Things are starting to come to a head as the complex connections between the Strucker family and the history of mutants are revealed. In recent weeks, Reed Strucker (Stephen Moyer) has learned that not only does he come from a family of mutants, but that his grandparents were notorious mutant terrorists. The Strucker twins had the same powers as Reed's children and, combined, they were able to wreak total destruction. Now, it has come to light that Lauren (Natalie Alyn Lind) and Andy (Percy Hynes White) Strucker have this same ability.As well as these revelations about the Strucker family history, Reed has also revealed that his father used to work for a company with a very familiar name to X-Men fans: Trask Industries. Recent episodes have brought the Trask Industries name to center stage for The Gifted, intriguing comic fans with some changes, and leaving X-Men movie fans to wonder if we could be seeing a familiar face in the near future.Related: The Gifted's Trask Industries Connections ExplainedThis Page: Who is Bolivar Trask?

The Gifted's Version of Trask Industries

Trask Industries was first name-dropped in The Gifted's seventh episode, 'eXtreme measures', when it was revealed that Reed Strucker's father used to work for the company. However, it was publicly disbanded in 2006, making the revelation that the company is alive and kicking in this universe today all the more disturbing. The show also revealed that Trask Industries and Sentinel Services are closely linked (unsurprisingly, given that the comic book version of Trask Industries created the Sentinels!)

It turns out that Dr. Roderick Campbell (Garret Dillahunt), The Gifted's resident evil-government-scientist type, works for Sentinel Services as a contractor, and is actually employed by Trask Industries. A mutant researcher, Dr Campbell is the man who created the Hounds program, turning captured mutants into brainwashed drones. He uses these Hounds for his own purposes, including against the mutant underground, as we saw when Pulse ( Zach Roerig) re-appeared as a weaponized version of himself. There are hints that Trask Industries has some big anti-mutant plans on the horizon, too, as Reed's father Otto (Raymond J. Barry) admitted that the company wanted him to find a way to 'cure' all mutants.

Bolivar Trask In X-Men: Days Of Future Past

This isn't the first we've heard of Trask Industries in the X-Men cinematic universe, of course. The President and CEO of Trask Industries was a major player in X-Men: Days of Future Past. In that film, Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage) was looking for government funding for his sentinel project, fueled by a fear of mutants. In the original timeline, his funding was denied... but the project was re-launched when he was shot by Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), which sparked fears that Trask was right, and led to the Sentinel program that created the dystopian future. In the revised timeline, however, Mystique was prevented from killing Trask, and saved the President instead. The Sentinel program was shut down, and Trask was arrested for selling state secrets.

So all's well that ends well, and the current timeline of the X-Men universe appears to be Sentinel-free, with Trask presumably still living out his life in prison. However, now that the Trask name has resurfaced in the world of The Gifted, could Dinklage's Trask make an appearance at some point?

Could Peter Dinklage Cameo In The Gifted?

One this is certain: Peter Dinklage is a phenomenal actor, and we would love to see him pop up on The Gifted to reprise his role as Trask. However, there are certainly some issues with a potential cameo, especially given the incredibly complicated X-Men timeline(s). Unlike the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) or even the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), there isn't a clear connection or division between Fox's many X-Men properties. The Gifted, Legion, Logan, Deadpool and the core X-Men movies all theoretically exist within the same basic universe, but in varying alternate timelines. They may be connected in some way, have events or characters in common, or they may be almost entirely separate. It's just not completely clear.

What is clear from The Gifted so far is that the X-Men did exist as a team in this universe, but that they seem to have disappeared very recently. The Gifted definitely doesn't take place in the original timeline of the main universe, because there are no enormous Sentinels strolling around hunting mutants, but could be taking place in another timeline that branched off from the original one. If that is the case, Bolivar Trask could be kicking around somewhere, neither dead nor arrested, and working as a contractor for Sentinel Services behind the scenes. If this is the case, it would be possible to bring Dinklage in for a cameo without damaging the complicated timelines too much.

Scheduling Conflicts?

There are some practical issues with this idea beyond the problems of multiple timelines and alternate universes. Dinklage himself may simply not be available to come join the cast of The Gifted, even for a quick cameo appearance. The actor is currently starring in Game of Thrones, and filming in Europe, which is a massive commitment that may not leave time for cameo appearances filmed in Atlanta. In addition, his success in Game of Thrones has propelled Dinklage to even greater heights, and when the final season wraps up, he is sure to be inundated with offers. A return to the X-Men universe on the small screen could be fun, but it might not be something that such a busy actor is interested in... or that The Gifted could afford!

Of course, should Trask return to the X-Men, even for a brief cameo, it would certainly be a boon to The Gifted, which started strong but has been failing to maintain decent ratings. Interest has been dropping, despite some phenomenal characters, and the slow-burn style may not be enough to keep interest up for a second season. A Dinklage cameo would certainly provide a ratings boost, as well as spark conversations about what this means for the larger X-Men timeline and universe. If The Gifted manages to land a second season, bringing Dinklage on board could be the best thing for it!

The Gifted will return to FOX on January 1st, 2018.

Next: The Gifted Season One Finale Explored X-Men Connections