A new teaser for Thunderbolts has ignited a fiery debate among fans regarding the fate of Taskmaster, following the noticeable absence of the character from a pivotal scene. The original trailer from September 2024 showcased Taskmaster positioned between Ghost and U.S. Agent in the Watchtower scene. However, the latest teaser reveals the same setting, but with Taskmaster conspicuously missing.
Adding fuel to the speculation, Olga Kurylenko, who portrays Taskmaster, was notably absent from the recently announced cast list for Avengers: Doomsday, while other Thunderbolts characters were included. This has led many MCU enthusiasts to theorize that Taskmaster might not survive the events of Thunderbolts.
The question arises: why include Taskmaster in the initial trailer only to remove the character in the subsequent teaser? Fans have floated numerous theories, ranging from Marvel attempting to mislead audiences to strategic adjustments in anticipation of Avengers: Doomsday. Moreover, a closer examination reveals that the frames from both the original trailer and the new teaser are not identical; aside from Taskmaster's absence, the positioning of the other characters has slightly shifted. This has led to speculation that Sentry might have 'deleted' Taskmaster in this scene, a power he's demonstrated in other trailer segments. Could Sentry have already eliminated Taskmaster at this point, or did Taskmaster perhaps switch sides? The MCU community remains divided and uncertain.
Redditor Matapple13 commented, "Marvel pretty much just sealed the fate of this character in the movie. Yesterday they announced Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Lewis Pullman in the Avengers: Doomsday cast, but Olga Kurylenko (Taskmaster's actress) was blatantly absent, and now, Marvel posts this..."
In contrast, user puckallday suggested, "The amount of people saying she’s dying and Marvel seemingly leaning into that by barely showing her make me think there's a reveal there with her in the movie and that she lives."
What we know for certain is that Sentry is an incredibly powerful character, and the new teaser begins with Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine stating that Sentry is "stronger than all of the Avengers rolled into one." This suggests that Taskmaster could have been easily dispatched or sent to another dimension by Sentry's mere thought.
The MCU has been buzzing with activity this week, including discussions on whether the Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement might have inadvertently spoiled elements of Thunderbolts. Additionally, both Marvel and Robert Downey Jr. have hinted that more cast reveals for Avengers: Doomsday are forthcoming, leaving a glimmer of hope for Taskmaster's future.
We won't have to wait long to uncover the truth. Thunderbolts is slated for release in May 2025, followed by the TV show Ironheart in June, and Phase 6 will commence with The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to hit theaters on May 1, 2026, with Secret Wars following in May 2027.
