Original ‘Thunderbolts’ Plans for Taskmaster Revealed

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In an interview after the movie’s premiere, Thunderbolts writer Eric Pearson disclosed the original storyline for Taskmaster. Although she was initially revealed as part of the team at D23 in 2022, many viewers had speculated that Taskmaster would perish before the film’s conclusion due to her limited screen time in the trailer and actress Olga Kurylenko not being officially announced for Avengers: Doomsday. However, fans were taken aback when the character met her demise within the film’s first 15 minutes. During a four-way battle, Taskmaster was killed by Ghost who fatally shot her in the head, and her body was later engulfed in flames.

In an interview with Polygon, Pearson disclosed the initial plans for Taskmaster in the film. According to Pearson, who penned Black Widow and originally worked on Thunderbolts before Joanna Calo came aboard, Taskmaster was not intended to perish in his original draft. Instead, she was meant to survive until the end of the movie. A significant plot point involved her temporary memory loss, causing her to repeatedly attempt to kill John Walker, which the rest of the team would remind her they were now allies. Additionally, Pearson mentioned that Taskmaster and Ghost would have formed a friendship due to their shared past as individuals who grew up in labs and were controlled in similar ways. Pearson stated:

Everyone in that group had experienced a great deal of hardship, but she stood out as the most tragic case. In terms of suffering, she ranked highest, and no one dared to compare their own struggles because it seemed unfair to do so. Ava, who gained independence before Taskmaster, often offered guidance on how to assert personal freedom and self-determination.

In comedic terms, she grappled with personal memory loss, leading to a recurring joke about her repeatedly re-igniting fights and failing to recall that they had reconciled and become friends. During discussions on their escape plan from the vault, she would attack him again, causing everyone else to intervene, repeating, “We’re friends! We’ve talked about this before!” This was one of the reasons Bob, who also had memory problems as part of his character, was brought back into the movie.

As a film enthusiast, I myself was unaware that Taskmaster was going to meet his end until I watched the initial version of the movie unfold. The screenwriter shared this information with me later on.

Following the completion of my work, when I settled down to view the initial edit, there was one aspect that was completely unexpected and left me utterly astounded. This surprise element was none other than… Everything else, I thought, ‘This is exactly the film I wrote!’ But regarding that particular decision, you’d have to consult director Jake Schreier, Kevin Feige from Marvel Studios, or co-credited screenwriter Joanna Calo. If I were to speculate, it was likely done to elicit the same reaction from the audience as I had – a sense of shock and heightened anticipation, like ‘Wow, we’re escalating the tension, we’re making a bold move quickly, and we’re keeping everyone on edge.’

Taskmaster’s Death in ‘Thunderbolts*,’ Explained

In an earlier conversation, director Jake Schreier of Thunderbolts revealed that the decision to eliminate Taskmaster was made during the production’s postponement due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. This choice was partly aimed at intensifying the plot, demonstrating to viewers that any character might meet their end. Remarkably, actress Olga Kurylenko still participated in filming her minimal scene. What’s more intriguing is that she appears fourth on the list of actors in the movie. In fact, she graced the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of the film.

The death of Taskmaster in Thunderbolts seemed unfair to the character and the show’s themes. Marvel could potentially change this in future films, maybe by showing that the fatal shot was actually fired by a Skrull, with the real Taskmaster living a peaceful life away from his past as an assassin. This is similar to what happened with Elektra in the New Avengers series where she turned out to be a Skrull. However, bringing back Taskmaster could lessen the impact of character deaths in the franchise, as viewers might not take them seriously if they believe any death could just be explained away as a Skrull disguise, making them less emotionally invested. It seems that Taskmaster’s death may be permanent.

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2025-05-05 21:32