Taskmaster: 5 Things You Need To Know About The Marvel Villain

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2021 brought an exciting surprise for MCU fans as they met one of Marvel’s lesser-known but formidable assassins: Taskmaster, a lethal mimic with an impressive combat history. In the comics, this mercenary antagonist has fought some of the toughest fighters in the Marvel Universe, including Captain America, Hawkeye, Daredevil, Spider-Man, and many more. Known for his versatility in weaponry, he’s often seen armed with a bow, shield, sword, or any weapon imaginable. Taskmaster’s unique skill of mimicking the physical fighting moves of anyone he observes makes him one of the most menacing villains in the Marvel Universe.

In the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), the character known as Taskmaster is Antonia Dreykov, the daughter of the villainous General Dreykov who oversaw the infamous Red Room that produced Black Widow agents. Unlike her comic book counterpart, Anthony Masters, Antonia is portrayed by Olga Kurylenko as a woman. Her storyline in the MCU differs significantly from the one presented in 2021’s “Black Widow” film, and there are likely aspects of the original Taskmaster that fans may not be familiar with, even after her reappearance in the 2025 film “Thunderbolts.” Here are five essential facts about Taskmaster from both the comics and the movies.

Taskmaster was once an agent of SHIELD

Taskmaster first appeared in Marvel Comics back in 1980, a character born from the minds of David Michelinie and George Pérez. His true identity is Anthony Masters, who initially clashed with a team of Avengers consisting of Iron Man, Captain America, Wonder Man, and Beast (the X-Men member). Throughout his existence, Taskmaster has consistently provided a challenging adversary for the superteam, as well as numerous other heroes within the Marvel Universe. In later years, particularly during the 2000s and 2010s, further aspects of his background were unveiled through various miniseries, revealing some unexpected truths about Masters’ past, such as his time as an agent for S.H.I.E.L.D.

Born with an extraordinary knack for imitating people’s actions solely through observation, Masters was a natural fit for covert operations within the intelligence agency. His time with S.H.I.E.L.D. led to him acquiring powers that transformed him from a mere spy. During a mission, he injected himself with an experimental serum, originally developed by Nazis and used in creating Captain America. The serum enhanced his strength, agility, reflexes, endurance, and healing capabilities, enabling him to replicate the physical prowess of heroes such as Daredevil, Black Panther, and Spider-Man. This newfound ability placed him in a league competing with teams like the Avengers.

Taskmaster ran a supervillain academy

taskmaster, prior to joining the Thunderbolts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, had a history of association with various supervillain groups in the comics such as the Frightful Four and Baron Zemo’s revamped Hydra. He was highly regarded within the villain community for his skills, so much so that he established an academy for criminals known as the Taskmaster Academy where aspiring villains could learn combat techniques. For a fee, Taskmaster trained these villains and often worked with terrorist organizations like AIM, utilizing his curriculum to prepare their agents for dangerous assignments.

In time, when Tony Stark aided in establishing the 50-State Initiative – a government-backed superhero squad with affiliates nationwide across the U.S. – Taskmaster was recruited again for his expertise. Instead of mentoring villains this time, he was tasked with teaching heroes as part of the government’s strategy to form a state-level superhero team for each union state. A key assignment involved training the Scarlet Spiders, a group of newcomers who were cloned from the hero known as MVP. Analyzing the genuine Spider-Man, Taskmaster transformed them into a band of Spider-Men, each donning their individual armored suit.

Taskmaster and Deadpool are best buds

As a die-hard gamer, I can’t help but reminisce about Deadpool’s unforgettable friendships. When it comes to iconic bromances, Deadpool’s rollercoaster relationship with Wolverine usually takes the spotlight, not forgetting his lengthy stint fighting alongside (and relentlessly annoying) Cable. However, for a significant period of time, Taskmaster was also one of Deadpool’s closest pals. It’s all thanks to the creative duo, Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness, who transformed Deadpool from a tired Deathstroke copycat into the character we all cherish today – the Merc with a Mouth.

In their initial encounter in “Deadpool” issue 2 from 1997, the duo had a confrontation, with Wade Wilson prevailing. However, following this, Deadpool himself sought assistance when he found himself up against the antagonist, Black Swan. This aid was solicited by Sandi, who at that time served as Deadpool’s assistant and was also Anthony Masters’ former partner.

Initially, Deadpool and Taskmaster were adversaries, yet they held a deep-rooted respect for one another that bordered on friendship. They frequently engaged in playful banter, either through words or actions with a sword, but their bond grew stronger over time. Despite their constant jabs at each other, they found themselves relying on one another and cultivating a distinctive camaraderie. Taskmaster stepped up for Deadpool during a personal crisis when the latter was questioning his faith and contemplated suicide. Although Taskmaster’s approach to helping him involved attempting to kill him in a peculiar way that only works on unstable Marvel villains, it ultimately served as an unusual form of therapy.

The MCU’s wasn’t the first place we saw a female Taskmaster

In 2021, some picky fans were taken aback when the Marvel Cinematic Universe switched the gender of Taskmaster to Antonia Dreykov instead of the traditional Anthony Masters for a shocking twist. However, it might come as a surprise that this wasn’t the first time Taskmaster was a female character. That distinction belongs to the character’s portrayal in the 2005 “Deadpool MAX” miniseries, a storyline which isn’t tied to either the Marvel 616 or Ultimate Universe continuities and is known for its significant impact on the MCU.

In the 2000s, a series of mature-themed comic books under the Marvel MAX label formed an interconnected universe. This universe, while not strictly adhering to one continuity, is marked by its adult content, including strong language, intense violence, and occasional explicit scenes. For instance, in “Deadpool MAX” penned by David Lapham and Kyle Baker, the character Taskmaster is portrayed as a woman. This rendition of Taskmaster resides on Earth-TRN133 and is quite sinister. She abducts Wade Wilson as a child to raise him as her son, teaching him to be a relentless and unyielding assassin. However, when she attempts to compel Wilson into an intimate relationship, the future Deadpool swiftly flees.

We almost got a very different Taskmaster on screen

Back in 2021 when they announced Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster in “Black Widow,” I, as a gamer, must admit there were contrasting feelings stirring within. On the positive side, Kurylenko, standing tall at 5’10”, seemed tailor-made for a superhero role and even came close to landing Wonder Woman in the DCEU. However, the thought of a female portrayal of the character didn’t sit right with many, and come 2025, it was unveiled that Kurylenko almost missed out on the Taskmaster gig too.

Based on statements made by actor O-T Fagbenle, who portrayed Natasha Romanoff’s ally Mason in “Black Widow,” there were initial discussions for him to take on the role of Taskmaster. In fact, he was very close to landing the part before Marvel decided against it. What makes this news even more intriguing is that Taskmaster almost would have been played by a male actor in the first “Deadpool” movie as well.

In the 2000s, the rights for both Taskmaster and Deadpool were sold by Marvel to New Line Cinema. When Fox acquired the contract for Wade Wilson to feature in “X-Men Origins: Wolverine,” Taskmaster was included. Later, there was strong consideration for Taskmaster to appear in a standalone Deadpool film. Unfortunately, by the time that project finally materialized after numerous delays, the rights to Taskmaster had returned to Marvel, paving the way for her eventual appearance in “Black Widow.

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2025-05-28 21:30