Thunderbolts* concept art reveals an alternate look for Taskmaster, one that’s scarier than what’s seen in the final film. Taking to Instagram, Marvel concept artist Aleksi Briclot shared some drawings he did during the film’s development. In the post caption, he explained his inspiration for this particular design, stating that he drew from Taskmaster’s previous appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and tried to update it in more of a BlackOps style. Briclot wrote about attempting to strike the right balance between “artistic license” and realistic, citing how Taskmaster’s mask would likely be an obvious target for enemies.
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“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,” Briclot wrote. “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.” Check out his post in the space below:
After making her MCU debut in 2021’s Black Widow, Olga Kurylenko returned to portray Antonia Dreykov/Taskmaster in Thunderbolts*. The character dies early in the film; many suspected that would happen given Taskmaster’s conspicuous absence from marketing materials throughout the Thunderbolts* marketing campaign. The twist was done to give the film a sense of stakes, but fans criticized Taskmaster’s unceremonious end, feeling that Marvel had wasted an opportunity to develop and intriguing character.
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Now that Thunderbolts* has been out in theaters for a while, artists who worked on the film have been sharing their work on social media, highlighting alternate outfits for other characters. As he alludes to in his post caption, Briclot took an interest in BlackOps designs, tapping into the characters’ status as secret operatives working for Valentina Allegra de Fontaine. Other Thunderbolts* concept art revealed a more comics-accurate look for Sentry.
While there are similarities between Taskmaster’s look in the final film and this concept art, the latter arguably strikes a more sinister mood, with Antonia’s skull-inspired mask standing out amidst an otherwise all-black outfit. It would have been cool to see this costume in action, and the artwork will likely only further fuel the calls to reverse Taskmaster’s demise. Fans who want to see the character return could get their wish. Kurylenko was recently photographed in Bahrain, which is being used as a location for Avengers: Doomsday. This has led some people to theorize Taskmaster will appear in Doomsday.
The odds of the Sacred Timeline’s version of Antonia ever returning are slim, but with the multiverse in play, Kurylenko could portray a Taskmaster variant — perhaps one decked out in the costume Briclot showcases here. Avengers: Doomsday already has a lot on its plate balancing multiple superhero teams and introducing Robert Downey Jr.’s Doctor Doom, but most viewers would agree Taskmaster is in need of a do-over. If there’s room for her in the story (and Marvel has confirmed there are more Doomsday casting announcements), it would be great to see the filmmakers do the character justice.
