While Thunderbolts* didn’t impress at the box office last year, it was well received by critics and the public overall, with our own Eric Eisenberg giving the movie 3.5 out 5 stars in his Thunderbolts* review. However, one creative decision that didn’t sit well with many fans was killing off Taskmaster so quickly despite her being advertised as one of Thunderbolts*’ leading protagonists. Now the character’s actress, Olga Kurylenko, has responded to those fans who’ve been demanding justice for Taskmaster.
We didn’t get to spend much time with Taskmaster, a.k.a. Antonia Dreykov in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as she’d only previously appeared in Black Widow as a brainwashed tool of her father. Thunderbolts* director Jake Schreier has previously said that taking Taskmaster off the board in just her first scene was “not something we did lightly,” and Kurylenko had this to say to ComicBookMovie about the fans who were displeased about the character’s ultimate fate:
It means a lot and touches my heart. I'm very grateful. I didn't expect such a following or the fight they're putting on. It's really sweet of them.
Because the MCU adapted Taskmaster into a brand-new character rather than use Tony Masters from the comics, the sky was the limit on where Antonia Dreykov could have gone in the superhero franchise post-Black Widow. Instead, Ava Starr, a.k.a. Ghost, shot her in the head right after her arrival at the facility where John Walker and Yelena Belova had also been lured, and where Bob, a.k.a. Sentry, was being held. Antonia died before learning about how they had all been set up by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and she wasn’t really acknowledged for the rest of Thunderbolts*.
Last July, Olga Kurylenko shared originally Taskmaster was supposed to survive until the end of the movie. However, the Thunderbolts* script overhauled after the 2023 writers strike, resulting in Taskmaster’s quick elimination instead. So while her time in the MCU is over barring a surprise resurrection, Kurylenko is grateful for the fan support for Taskmaster and has even been in contact with the person who started #JusticeForTaskmaster:
I've actually communicated with the guy who started this whole movement—he was posting on Instagram. I ended up answering him, and we're directly in touch now. I thanked him for his support. I just thought it was really kind.
It’s unfortunate that Taskmaster was killed off mere moments after being introduced in Thunderbolts*, especially considering that the team evolved into the New Avengers in the movie’s final moments. So had that previous Thunderbolts* script been used, we could have seen Antonia take part in Avengers: Doomsday at the end of this year. Alas, it wasn’t to be, but at least Olga Kurylenko is well aware of all the people who wish her character’s fate would have been handled differently.
You’re welcome to revisit Kurylenko’s short time in the MCU by streaming Black Widow and/or Thunderbolts* with your Disney+ subscription. Otherwise, catch the return of the New Avengers when Avengers: Doomsday arrives to the 2026 movies schedule on December 18.
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