A recent Thunderbolts teaser has fueled debate among fans, who noticed Taskmaster's apparent removal from a pivotal scene, raising questions about the character's fate.

The September 2024 Thunderbolts trailer featured Taskmaster positioned between Ghost and U.S. Agent in the Watchtower scene.

In contrast, the latest teaser depicts the same scene without Taskmaster.

This change, coupled with Olga Kurylenko (Taskmaster's actress) being absent from the recently announced Avengers: Doomsday cast—while other Thunderbolts actors were included—has led some MCU fans to speculate that Taskmaster may not survive the film.

Why include Taskmaster in the original trailer but exclude them from the new teaser? Fans have proposed various theories, from Marvel orchestrating a clever misdirection to adjusting plans for Avengers: Doomsday.

Additionally, the two frames—one from the original trailer and one from the teaser—aren’t identical. Beyond Taskmaster’s absence, the characters’ positions differ slightly. Could this imply Sentry, who can erase people as shown in other trailer moments, removes Taskmaster in this scene? Have the Thunderbolts not yet noticed? Or has Taskmaster turned against the team? MCU fans remain uncertain.

"Marvel’s basically confirmed this character’s doom," commented redditor Matapple13. "The Avengers: Doomsday cast announcement included Sebastian Stan, Florence Pugh, Wyatt Russell, David Harbour, Hannah John-Kamen, and Lewis Pullman, but Olga Kurylenko was noticeably absent, and now this teaser drops."

"With fans convinced she’s doomed and Marvel barely featuring her, I’m betting there’s a twist in the movie where Taskmaster survives," suggested puckallday.

It’s clear Sentry wields immense power. The teaser opens with Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ Valentina Allegra de Fontaine declaring Sentry surpasses the combined strength of the Avengers. Taskmaster could have been erased, banished, or otherwise dispatched with ease.

More MCU developments have unfolded this week, including our analysis of whether the Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal spoiled Thunderbolts’ plot.

Marvel and Robert Downey Jr. have hinted that additional Avengers: Doomsday cast announcements are forthcoming, offering hope for Taskmaster’s fate.

Answers are near. Thunderbolts* hits theaters in May 2025, followed by the Ironheart TV series in June, and Phase 6 begins with The Fantastic Four: First Steps in July. Avengers: Doomsday is slated for May 1, 2026, with Secret Wars following in May 2027.