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.