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 scene, but with Taskmaster conspicuously omitted.
This change, coupled with the absence of Taskmaster actress Olga Kurylenko from the recently announced cast of Avengers: Doomsday—while other Thunderbolts characters were included—has led many MCU enthusiasts to speculate that Taskmaster may not survive the film.
The decision to include Taskmaster in the initial trailer but exclude her from the new teaser has sparked numerous theories among fans. Some believe Marvel might be employing a double-bluff strategy, while others think it could be a way to keep their options open for Avengers: Doomsday. Additionally, a closer look reveals that the frames from both the original trailer and the new teaser are not identical; the characters are slightly repositioned. This has led to speculation that Sentry might have 'deleted' Taskmaster in this scene, a power he's demonstrated in other trailer shots. Could Sentry have already eliminated Taskmaster at this point? Or did Taskmaster perhaps switch sides? The uncertainty has left fans puzzled.
"Marvel pretty much just sealed the fate of this character in the movie," remarked redditor Matapple13. "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..."
On the other hand, some fans like puckallday believe there might be a twist: "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 sure is that Sentry is incredibly powerful, as highlighted in the new teaser where Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, describes him as "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.
The MCU has been buzzing with activity this week, and we've covered it all, including our analysis on whether the Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement might have spoiled Thunderbolts. Moreover, Marvel and Robert Downey Jr. have hinted that more cast reveals for Avengers: Doomsday are on the horizon, leaving room for hope that Taskmaster might still have a role to play.
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 kick off with The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July. Avengers: Doomsday is scheduled to hit theaters on May 1, 2026, with Secret Wars following a year later in May 2027.
