In Marvel’s Thunderbolts*,* one of the most talked-about moments happens almost immediately: Antonia Dreykov (Taskmaster), played by Olga Kurylenko, is abruptly taken out in her first sequence when Ava Starr (Ghost) hits her during the team’s setup at Valentina Allegra de Fontaine’s trap.
Director Jake Schreier later acknowledged the kill plays as “ruthless” on purpose—because the movie wanted audiences to stop assuming everyone would make it out alive.
The “ruthless” death Schreier is explaining
Taskmaster was marketed as part of the core lineup in trailers and posters, which made the early exit feel especially jarring to viewers. Schreier’s point is that the shock is the function: it communicates, early and clearly, that this is a dangerous story about people sent into situations designed to turn them against each other.
Why was the scene added later
Schreier has said the decision came during later development—after a pause in the process—when the filmmakers reassessed what the movie needed emotionally. In interviews, he described earlier versions as feeling a bit “bloodless” for a story involving operatives and covert types, and he wanted a swing that would add consequence and unpredictability.
He also emphasized timing: placing the death early avoids a heavier, lingering sadness that could have weighed down the film’s intended character focus—particularly the evolving bond between Yelena and Bob.
What the original plan was before the change
Writer Eric Pearson has said Taskmaster originally had a much larger role and survived through his draft, including a substantial subplot connecting her with Ghost (built around shared experiences of being used and controlled). Pearson has also said he was surprised by the change when he saw the cut.
In the final version, that removed storyline space is redirected into the movie’s core relationships—and the early death becomes the “signal flare” that raises the stakes for everyone who remains.
