One major MCU character’s death seems even more likely after the release of the latest trailer for Marvel Studios’ Thunderbolts*. Marvel boss Kevin Feige revealed the first line-up for the MCU’s Thunderbolts team back in 2022, and recent trailers for the Phase 5 crossover movie have proven that almost every member of the team will get some crucial character development. There’s one Thunderbolts team member that hasn’t been given the same attention, however, which has spurred a theory that they might not make it out of the movie alive.
Yelena Belova, Alexei Shostakov’s Red Guardian, Bucky Barnes’ Winter Soldier, Ava Starr’s Ghost, John Walker’s US Agent and Antonia Dreykov’s Taskmaster are expected to come together as the MCU’s first Thunderbolts team. It seems that Florence Pugh and Sebastian Stan’s characters will be leading the pack, which offers Marvel the opportunity to develop Yelena and Bucky more than it ever has. However, not every returning character will be so lucky, and the new A24-inspired trailer for Thunderbolts* highlights this fact more than any other trailer for the Phase 5 movie.
Taskmaster Isn’t Mentioned In Thunderbolts*’ Newest Trailer
Olga Kurylenko Debuted As Taskmaster In 2021’s Black Widow
The newest trailer for Thunderbolts* highlights the creative team behind the Phase 5 movie, and suggests the project will feel like an indie-style movie produced by A24. This is very exciting, and different from anything Marvel Studios has done before, but it’s not just the impressive creative team that are spotlighted in the new trailer, as the main cast for Thunderbolts* also gets some attention. All but one, that is. The trailer mentions Yelena, Red Guardian, Walker, Ghost, Bob and the Winter Soldier, but neglects to confirm Taskmaster’s role in the Thunderbolts team.
Olga Kurylenko first appeared as Antonia Dreykov’s Taskmaster in 2021’s Black Widow, answering the mystery of “Dreykov’s daughter” from 2012’s The Avengers. The MCU’s version of Taskmaster was a mind-controlled Black Widow ᴀssᴀssin who had the ability to mimic the fighting style of anyone just by watching them, which was a far-cry from the villain’s Marvel Comics history as professional criminal Tony Masters. Taskmaster has been seen in some trailers for Thunderbolts*, but her omission from this most recent footage might support a huge Marvel death theory.
Why We Think Taskmaster Will Die In Thunderbolts*
Taskmaster Hasn’t Had A Large Role In Trailers For Thunderbolts*
Even though Taskmaster has appeared in a number of trailers for Thunderbolts*, her small role in these clips has led some to speculate that she might die early-on in the upcoming Phase 5 movie. Thunderbolts*’ trailers have not shown us Antonia Dreykov’s face, and Olga Kurylenko has been nowhere to be seen in the marketing and promotional lead-up to Thunderbolts*’ premiere in May. Kurylenko has seemingly confirmed her role in the movie, but it doesn’t seem like she’ll be sticking around for very long, and the new trailer’s omission supports this idea.
In all the team-up sH๏τs from the trailers for Thunderbolts*, there is no sign of Taskmaster’s involvement as a member of the team. The only times Taskmaster is truly seen are during a scene in the former Avengers Tower, which has been theorized to have been edited, and during the team members’ first meeting and Lewis Pullman’s debut as Bob, a.k.a. the Sentry, in the secret OXE facility. Taskmaster’s changes in Black Widow caused a stir of controversy, so it would make sense that Marvel would want to rectify this criticism in Thunderbolts*, though this would still be a shame.
Upcoming MCU Movies
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Thunderbolts*
- Release Date
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May 2, 2025
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The Fantastic Four: First Steps
- Release Date
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July 25, 2025
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Avengers: Doomsday (2026)
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Spider-Man Homecoming 4
- Release Date
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July 24, 2026
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Avengers: Secret Wars
- Release Date
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May 7, 2027
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