Olga Kurylenko debuted as Antonia Dreykov’s Taskmaster back in 2021, but a new MCU theory suggests that it might not be Dreykov donning the Taskmaster costume in Marvel Studios’ upcoming Thunderbolts*. Olga Kurylenko was announced to be reprising the role of Taskmaster back in 2022, alongside the other members of the MCU’s first Thunderbolts team. However, in the years since, Kurylenko’s absence from promotion events and Taskmaster’s omission from recent trailers has cast doubt on whether she’s actually returning to the role in Phase 5.

Antonia Dreykov first appeared in 2021’s Black Widow as the daughter of Ray Winstone’s Red Room leader, General Dreykov, who Natasha Romanoff thought she’d killed during her defection to SHIELD. Antonia had actually been mind controlled and turned into the elite Black Widow ᴀssᴀssin, Taskmaster, with her ability to perfectly mimic anyone’s fighting style just by sight making her an incredibly powerful and interesting villain. Romanoff freed Dreykov in Black Widow, setting her up for a brighter future in the MCU, but a new theory suggests it’s not Dreykov returning as Taskmaster at all.

Taskmaster Isn’t Antonia Dreykov In Thunderbolts*: MCU Theory Explained

Antonia Dreykov’s Taskmaster Debuted In 2021’s Black Widow (But Might Not Return)

In a new theory shared by Reddit user auzimandias, it’s not Antonia Dreykov who is sporting the Taskmaster costume in Thunderbolts*, but rather Romanoff and Yelena Belova’s surrogate mother, Melina Vostokoff. Rachel Weisz debuted as Melina in Black Widow, where she mothered Romanoff and Belova during their time undercover in the United States, and helped develop the chemical solution that allowed General Dreykov to take control of all the Black Widow ᴀssᴀssins, including Belova. Melina helped her daughters take down the Red Room in Black Widow, but her current whereabouts in the MCU are unclear.

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The theory relies on the fact that it doesn’t make sense that Antonia Dreykov would rid herself of her father’s mind control just to fall under the control of another questionable character in Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Antonia may instead want to figure out who she is without her father and away from the Red Room. It makes more sense that Melina Vostokoff would don the Taskmaster suit, especially since both Yelena Belova and Melina’s former undercover husband, David Harbour’s Alexei Shostakov, a.k.a. Red Guardian, are both central members of the Thunderbolts team.

Melina Vostokoff Becoming Taskmaster Would Reflect Her Marvel Comics History

Melina Vostokoff Became The Villainous Iron Maiden In Marvel Comics

The costume sported by Taskmaster in trailers and posters for Thunderbolts*, complete with its new hood, is clearly reminiscent of the Iron Maiden costume from Marvel Comics. Melina Vostokova, first introduced in 1983’s Marvel Fanfare #11, was not Natasha Romanoff’s mother, but rather her rival, who donned a slimline and powerful iron suit of armor that gifted her enhanced strength and durability as the Iron Maiden. While she was a villain as the Iron Maiden in Marvel Comics, it would be brilliant to see Melina become a steadfast hero and even a Thunderbolt in the MCU.

The metallic costume and fabric hood that Taskmaster has shown off in trailers for Thunderbolts* make us think of Iron Maiden’s armor in Marvel Comics. The fact that we haven’t actually seen Antonia Dreykov’s face in these trailers, too, means that it could be anyone under the mask, perhaps supporting the idea that it’s, in fact, Rachel Weisz’s Melina Vostokoff as the Iron Maiden rather than Antonia Dreykov’s Taskmaster. This would be a wild change and a huge red herring by Marvel Studios, and would raise important questions about Taskmaster’s own whereabouts.

Taskmaster’s Absence From Thunderbolts*’ Promos & Trailers Makes This MCU Theory More Likely

Olga Kurylenko Hasn’t Been Seen In Thunderbolts*’ Promotional Material

As of now, we’ve seen the faces of almost the whole cast of Thunderbolts* in promotional material, posters, trailers and press junkets, including Florence Pugh, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, Wyatt Russell and Julia Louis-Dreyfus. The only actor we haven’t seen involved in any of this has been Olga Kurylenko, and Antonia Dreykov has only ever been seen in her mask in Thunderbolts*’ trailers. This has spurred theories that Taskmaster will be dying in Thunderbolts*, but this could also be revealed as someone else being in the Taskmaster suit.

It’s very possible that Antonia Dreykov could meet her demise early on in Thunderbolts*, perhaps during the battle sequence where the prospective Thunderbolts members are sent to the secret OXE facility and come face-to-face with Lewis Pullman’s “Bob”. However, since Antonia Dreykov’s Taskmaster is one of the most criticized characters introduced to the MCU in recent years, given the fact she’s not at all comic-accurate, Marvel Studios might simply ignore her. This creates the opportunity for Rachel Weisz’s Melina Vostokoff to return in Thunderbolts*, which MCU viewers might actually prefer as this would mark a fantastic Black Widow family reunion.

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  Thunderbolts*

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  May 2, 2025
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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  The Fantastic Four: First Steps

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  Avengers: Doomsday (2026)

  
  
  
  
  

  
  

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  Spider-Man: Brand New Day

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  Avengers: Secret Wars

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  May 7, 2027
  

  
  
  
  

  
  

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