Marvel’s Thunderbolts* (released May 2, 2025, and later rebranded as The New Avengers) delivered a gritty, antihero-packed thrill ride, but it turns out the original script had a much different—and funnier—role for Olga Kurylenko’s Taskmaster, Antonia Dreykov. According to screenwriter Eric Pearson, early drafts featured a recurring joke where Taskmaster, plagued by memory loss, kept trying to assassinate John Walker (Wyatt Russell) even after they’d become allies. This comedic subplot, which didn’t make the final cut, would’ve added a lighter, almost absurd twist to the film’s tense dynamics.
The Gag That Could’ve Been
In Pearson’s vision, Taskmaster’s memory issues stemmed from her traumatic past as a brainwashed assassin in Black Widow (2021). Her “photographic reflexes,” which let her mimic any fighting style, came at the cost of severe memory problems—a nod to the comic book version of Taskmaster, who sacrifices personal memories for combat skills. In the original Thunderbolts* script, this led to a running gag where Antonia would forget her newfound friendship with the team, particularly John Walker, and repeatedly try to take him out. Pearson described it to Polygon:
“They’d be discussing the plan of how to get out [of the vault], and she’d just go after him again, and they’d all have to pig-pile on each other, and pull her off, and be like, ‘No, we know each other! We’ve had this conversation before!’”
The humor came from the team’s exasperation, with Taskmaster’s tragic backstory adding a bittersweet edge. Pearson noted that Antonia’s memory struggles made her “the ultimate tragedy” among the group, outranking even the other characters’ hefty emotional baggage. The gag would’ve played up her unpredictability, positioning her as a loose cannon akin to the Hulk in the original Avengers lineup, constantly disrupting plans with her reset assassination attempts on Walker, the disgraced former Captain America.
Why It Got Cut
So why was this comedic subplot scrapped? The final film took a darker turn, with Taskmaster meeting a shocking end early in the first act when Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen) shoots her in the head during a chaotic fight orchestrated by Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus). Director Jake Schreier explained to Entertainment Weekly that the decision came late in development, after the 2023 Writers Guild and SAG-AFTRA strikes gave the team time to rethink the script. They felt the movie lacked “tension and unpredictability” and seemed “bloodless,” so they killed Taskmaster off to raise the stakes and signal that no one was safe.
Pearson, who co-wrote the script with Joanna Calo and Lee Sung Jin, was stunned when he saw the first cut. “Everything else, I was like, ‘Yeah, that’s the movie that I wrote!’ But that decision… shocked the hell out of me,” he told Polygon. He speculated that the memory-loss gag might’ve been cut because it overlapped with another character’s arc: Bob Reynolds/Sentry (Lewis Pullman), whose own memory issues and volatile powers as the Void were central to the plot. “That could contribute as another reason why they chose to bring her out of the movie,” Pearson said.
A Missed Opportunity?
The original script didn’t just give Taskmaster more screen time—it fleshed out her character. Pearson had planned a “pretty big subplot” where she bonded with Ghost, both of whom were raised in controlled, lab-like environments. Ghost, having gained her autonomy earlier in Ant-Man and the Wasp, would’ve acted as a “big sister,” helping Taskmaster navigate her freedom post-Black Widow. This dynamic, Pearson felt, gave Taskmaster a chance to grow beyond her tragic origins, offering humor and heart through her interactions with the team.
But the final film’s choice to kill her off early wasn’t without merit. Schreier argued that Taskmaster’s death “resonated” by driving the story forward, with Yelena later reflecting on Antonia’s tough life: “She killed a lot of people, and then she got killed, just like us someday.” It set a grim tone, fitting the film’s themes of trauma and redemption, and avoided overcrowding a script juggling multiple characters. Still, Pearson’s gag would’ve leaned into the “indie, A24-feeling assassin movie” vibe Florence Pugh described, adding a quirky edge to the team’s dysfunction.
Could Taskmaster Return?
While Thunderbolts* ended with Taskmaster’s body incinerated, the MCU loves a comeback. Pearson himself hinted at possibilities, noting her high-tech armor might’ve protected her, and comic book logic (like Skrull swaps or time shenanigans) could bring her back. Fans are hopeful, especially since Thunderbolts* sets up the surviving team for Avengers: Doomsday (2026). If Antonia does return, maybe we’ll see a nod to that assassination gag—John Walker could probably use a few more punches to the face.
Catch The New Avengers
Thunderbolts*, now marketed as The New Avengers, is in theaters, grossing $160.5 million worldwide and earning positive reviews for its emotional depth and practical action. If you’re curious about what could’ve been with Taskmaster’s memory-loss antics, the final film still delivers a wild ride with Yelena, Bucky, and the gang. Just don’t expect Antonia to crash the party—she’s out of the game, at least for now.
Source: Polygon
