The big Thunderbolts theory about Taskmaster may not be so straightforward

The big Thunderbolts* fan theory about Taskmaster may not be as straightforward as it once seemed thanks to a cryptic comment from director Jake Schreier.

"I think we enjoy playing with that mystery," Schreier told Empire when asked about her role in the movie.

The mystery in question is a life or death situation – literally. The recently released Super Bowl trailer for the MCU's next big-screen outing (after Captain America: Brave New World) seemed to have Marvel fans all thinking the same thing: that Taskmaster wasn't long for this world.

Olga Kurylenko's Antonia Dreykov barely appears in the new trailer or previous teaser footage, despite being a prominent addition to the movie's poster. This limited screen time makes it seem likely that she'll die pretty early on in the film, but Schreier's coyness on the matter makes us wonder if there could be something else going on.

The character first appeared in 2021's Black Widow as an antagonistic figure carrying out missions for the Red Room under the control of her father, but she was freed by Natasha Romanoff over the course of the movie.

Thunderbolts* follows the titular group of antiheroes as they're forced into a dangerous mission that could bring them all redemption as long as they work together, and the cast also includes Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes, Wyatt Russell as US Agent, and David Harbour as Red Guardian.

Thunderbolts* hits theaters on May 2 as the final installment in Marvel Phase 5. While we wait, check out our guide to the other upcoming superhero movies on the way in 2025 and beyond.