THUNDERBOLTS* Concept Art Reveals A Black Ops Take On Taskmaster; Update On Expected Final Box Office

THUNDERBOLTS* Concept Art Reveals A Black Ops Take On Taskmaster; Update On Expected Final Box Office

New Thunderbolts* concept art reveals a Black Ops-inspired take on Olga Kurylenko's Taskmaster, a character who had a much smaller role in the movie than most fans expected. Take a closer look here...

By JoshWilding - Jun 05, 2025 09:06 AM EST
Filed Under: Thunderbolts

Black Widow star Olga Kurylenko returned as Taskmaster in Thunderbolts*, but only had a couple of scenes and a single line of dialogue before she was shot and killed by Ghost. While fans didn't care for the character all that much beforehand, most seem to agree she deserved better. 

Taskmaster's costume was still a big improvement over what we saw in Black Widow, and artist Aleksi Briclot has now shared an alternate take on the one Thunderbolt who never got to become a New Avenger. 

"On this one, I’ve started from her previous look, tried to keep some elements of hints (shapes, dynamic lines...) and I was going for a darker BlackOps," the artist wrote on Instagram. "Trying to catch the good visual vibe for the movie after reading the script."

"There is always some artistic licence like the bright skull face (it would act like a target in real life) but for this kind of movie, it’s about finding the right balance between realism and fun and iconic," he continued. "That’s what my job is about! Exploration!"

Since Thunderbolts* was released, we've learned that an earlier draft of the screenplay saw Taskmaster and Ghost form a bond. The amnesiac assassin also looked set to repeatedly come to blows with U.S. Agent after confusing him for her target, even after they'd teamed up.

Taskmaster would have eventually joined the New Avengers, but somewhere along the line, the idea was scrapped. Kurylenko, as far as we're aware, only shot what we saw in theaters last month.

Filmmaker Jake Schreier recently explained that he killed Taskmaster to up the stakes and praised Kurylenko for not reacting poorly to the news that her MCU return would be incredibly short-lived.

"It’s not easy. It’s like in sports: Players want to play," he noted. "Olga’s a great actress and of course that’s a hard conversation to have, but she was an absolute pro about it and willing to show up, and I’m very grateful for that."

As for that box office update, current projections point to Thunderbolts* finishing its global run with $380 million - $390 million. This has been the expected figure for a while, but Disney is bound to be disappointed that it won't surpass at least $400 million.

Check out this new look at Taskmaster, along with Briclot's take on Bucky Barnes, in the Instagram posts below.

In Thunderbolts*, Marvel Studios assembles an unconventional team of antiheroes - Yelena Belova, Bucky Barnes, Red Guardian, Ghost, Taskmaster and John Walker. After finding themselves ensnared in a death trap set by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, these disillusioned castoffs must embark on a dangerous mission that will force them to confront the darkest corners of their pasts.

Will this dysfunctional group tear themselves apart, or find redemption and unite as something much more before it’s too late?

"Thunderbolts* redefines superhero storytelling to deliver a moving and powerful story that does for the 'Multiverse Saga' what The Avengers did for the 'Infinity Saga' in 2012," we said in our review. "These heroes have earned their place on a Wheaties box."

The cast of Thunderbolts* will be led by Florence Pugh as Yelena Boleva, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, David Harbour as Red Guardian, Wyatt Russell as U.S. Agent, Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Olga Kurylenko as Taskmaster, Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, and Lewis Pullman as "Bob."

Written by Eric Pearson, Lee Sung Jin, and Joanna Calo, and directed by Jake Schreier, Thunderbolts* is now playing in theaters.

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MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 6/5/2025, 9:19 AM
First!

So when when will Kevin Fartie give us the canon male Taskmaster?
TheVisionary25
TheVisionary25 - 6/5/2025, 9:20 AM
I honestly have liked both looks for Taskmaster just fine in the 2 films she was in but this one looks cool aswell…

Honestly , it seems kinda similar to the UDON design for the character which has always been a particular favorite of mine.

User Comment Image

Anyway as solid of a film this was imo , the decision to kill off the character while understandable in terms of reasons still doesn’t sit well with me and feel she just deserved better.

I hope we get a Tony Masters to pick up the mantle in the future but I doubt it tbh.
Ryan
Ryan - 6/5/2025, 10:14 AM
@TheVisionary25 - agreed. Seeing Taskmasters relationship with Deadpool and AgentX made me laugh sooo hard. Gail Simone was on fire with that series.
WakandaTech
WakandaTech - 6/5/2025, 9:21 AM
There is no sugar coating or putting lipstick on a pig.

This has been a complete box office disaster.

And the thing is, it’s not because it’s a bad movie.

It’s because people are rejecting Marvel.

They are no longer wanting to see their movies.

Vigor
Vigor - 6/5/2025, 9:34 AM
@WakandaTech - ok
CorndogBurglar
CorndogBurglar - 6/5/2025, 10:17 AM
@WakandaTech - I dont know that its Marvel in general. When they make movies about well known characters people want to see they still make good money.

Spider-Man, Thor 4, Dr Strange 2, Guardians 3, Deadpool and Wolverine, and Wakanda Forever prove this.

But Marvel has put out too many bad projects of lesser known characters or characters people dont care about that people aren't willing to just go see anything with Marvel in the names anymore.
SpideyQuad
SpideyQuad - 6/5/2025, 2:44 PM
@WakandaTech - yep people here have certainly helped that along. I understand not liking things that are not up to the level we're used to, but really?
Vigor
Vigor - 6/5/2025, 9:34 AM
These black ops or special ops versions of these characters would make for a fun video game

Imagine a thunderbolts game playing as these characters in the style of a 3rd person action adventure game.
ObserverIO
ObserverIO - 6/5/2025, 9:51 AM
Well blow me down. That's the closest they've ever come to looking remotely like the comics. At least in terms of the mask.
TheFinestSmack
TheFinestSmack - 6/5/2025, 10:04 AM
User Comment Image
Ryan
Ryan - 6/5/2025, 10:17 AM
I really really like the black and silver on Bucky's arm. He should get a Adamantium and Vibranium arm. With a compartment for claws.
SheepishOne
SheepishOne - 6/5/2025, 10:54 AM
It’ll probably end up close to breaking even after digital sales, if the reported budget is accurate. Not exactly the endgame era of profits. Will be interesting to see how they push these characters in Doomsday. The people that watched seem to like them, but less people watched.
Nonameforme
Nonameforme - 6/5/2025, 11:08 AM
Thunderbolts is why I dint trust f4 hype. Marvel is on its last legs and they're trying to tell me theaters are already sold out? No.
SummersEssex
SummersEssex - 6/5/2025, 2:26 PM
Shouldn't have killed off Taskmaster. Stupid and pointless.
MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 6/5/2025, 2:35 PM
@SummersEssex -

They didn't kill Taskmaster.

They killed a brainwashed woman.
MakeAmericaGrea
MakeAmericaGrea - 6/5/2025, 2:54 PM
"As for that box office update, current projections point to Thunderbolts* finishing its global run with $380 million - $390 million. This has been the expected figure for a while, but Disney is bound to be disappointed that it won't surpass at least $400 million."

Ha.

Pathetic.
MarvelZombie616
MarvelZombie616 - 6/5/2025, 6:56 PM
It is already at $371.7 million global.
International it is winding down faster, but domestic it it only $4 million behind Cap 4, which made $200.5 million.
It will probably reach $195 million domestic and $190-$195 million international for a $385 million minimum and a $395 million maximum.

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