"Thunderbolts Trailer Sparks Debate Over Taskmaster's Absence"

A newly released teaser for *Thunderbolts\** has ignited speculation surrounding the fate of Taskmaster, following fan observations that the character appears to have been removed from a key scene. In the original September 2024 trailer, Taskmaster is clearly visible standing between Ghost and U.S. Agent inside the Watchtower. However, in the latest teaser, that same moment shows the two characters side by side—with no sign of Taskmaster.

This subtle but notable change has left fans questioning what it means for Taskmaster’s role in the film. Adding fuel to the fire is the recent *Avengers: Doomsday* cast announcement, which included actors portraying other *Thunderbolts\** characters—but notably not Olga Kurylenko, who plays Taskmaster. As a result, some MCU followers are theorizing that Taskmaster may not survive the movie.

So why include Taskmaster in the first trailer but omit them in a later teaser? Fans have proposed several theories, ranging from Marvel intentionally misleading viewers to keeping its options open regarding *Avengers: Doomsday*. Others have pointed out slight differences in character positioning between the two scenes, raising the possibility that Taskmaster was erased or eliminated—potentially by Sentry, whose reality-warping abilities are prominently featured in the trailer. Could he have already deleted Taskmaster offscreen, with the rest of the team unaware?

“Marvel pretty much just sealed the fate of this character in the movie,” said 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, Marvels posts this...”

Conversely, some fans remain hopeful. As one commenter noted, “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’s certain is that Sentry wields immense power—so much so that Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, states in the new teaser that he is “stronger than all of the Avengers rolled into one.” If true, it’s entirely possible that Taskmaster could have been wiped from existence with a mere thought, sent into the void, or otherwise erased from both memory and timeline.

There’s still hope, though. Marvel and Robert Downey Jr. have hinted that more *Avengers: Doomsday* casting news is on the way, which could mean Taskmaster’s story isn’t over just yet.

Fans won’t have to wait too long to find out. *Thunderbolts\** hits theaters in May 2025, followed by the *Ironheart* TV series in June and Phase 6’s launch with *The Fantastic Four: First Steps* in July. *Avengers: Doomsday* is scheduled for release on May 1, 2026, with *Secret Wars* set to conclude the saga in May 2027.