"Thunderbolts Teaser Sparks Debate Over Taskmaster's Absence"

A newly released teaser for *Thunderbolts* has ignited intense speculation surrounding the fate of Taskmaster, following fan observations that the character appears to have been digitally removed from a key scene. In the original September 2024 trailer, Taskmaster is clearly seen standing between Ghost and U.S. Agent inside the Watchtower. However, in the latest teaser, that same scene shows an empty space where Taskmaster once stood—prompting immediate concern among MCU followers.

Adding fuel to the fire, Taskmaster’s portrayer, Olga Kurylenko, was notably absent from the recent *Avengers: Doomsday* cast announcement, while other *Thunderbolts* characters were officially confirmed for the upcoming film. This omission has led many fans to believe that Taskmaster may not survive *Thunderbolts*, potentially meeting her end before the events of *Avengers: Doomsday* unfold.

The question remains: why include Taskmaster in the first trailer but remove her in a later promotional clip? Some speculate that Marvel is attempting to mislead audiences or that production decisions are still in flux due to the evolving narrative of Phase 5. Others point out subtle differences between the two scenes—not only is Taskmaster missing, but the positioning of other characters has slightly shifted. Could this be evidence of Sentry using his reality-warping powers to erase Taskmaster from existence, as teased elsewhere in the trailer? Or did she turn against the team?

Reddit user Matapple13 summarized the sentiment: “Marvel pretty much just sealed the fate of this character in the movie. 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...” Meanwhile, commenter puckallday offered a more hopeful take: “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.”

It’s also worth noting that Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, played by Julia Louis-Dreyfus, opens the new teaser by stating, “Sentry is stronger than all of the Avengers rolled into one.” Given what’s already been shown of his godlike abilities—including the apparent erasure of individuals from existence—it’s plausible that Taskmaster was eliminated from the timeline without a trace, possibly even before the rest of the team realizes it.

While nothing has been officially confirmed, both Marvel Studios and Robert Downey Jr. have hinted that more casting reveals for *Avengers: Doomsday* are yet to come—leaving a small window of hope for Taskmaster’s survival.

Exciting developments lie ahead in the MCU. *Thunderbolts\** hits theaters in May 2025, followed by the *Ironheart* series in June. Phase 6 officially kicks off with *The Fantastic Four: First Steps* in July 2025. Then, the stakes rise dramatically with *Avengers: Doomsday* arriving on May 1, 2026, and *Secret Wars* scheduled for May 2027.