THUNDERBOLTS* Screenwriter Didn’t Know a Character’s Dark Fate Until He Saw the Movie

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In the promotion for Thunderbolts, it was revealed that several characters from past Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) series were included in the team. Besides Bucky Barnes, there were individuals from Ant-Man and The Wasp, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and predominantly, three figures from Black Widow. However, one of these characters, Antonia Dreykov, alias Taskmaster (portrayed by Olga Kurylenko), didn’t survive long in the movie; she was eliminated by Ghost at the beginning of the storyline. Interestingly, according to Polygon, the original Thunderbolts screenwriter, Eric Pearson, initially envisioned a more extensive storyline for her character, extending all the way to the film’s conclusion. Here’s what he shared:

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Following my work’s completion, I found myself settling down to review the initial edit. One element, in particular, was a surprising deviation that left me utterly astonished, and it concerned this aspect. Everything else felt like the movie I had penned, with a response of ‘Yes, this is the script I wrote!’ However, the decision regarding this specific detail… you might want to consult Jake Schreier, Kevin Feige, or Joanna Calo about it. If I were to speculate, it could have been designed to elicit my reaction as an audience member – a sense of shock and escalation, quickly putting everyone on edge.

In addition, Pearson mentioned that an entire side plot for Taskmaster was included in the original script, and she formed a unique connection with Ava/Ghost. Furthermore, she injected humor into the movie by frequently reminding her teammates of her heartbreaking past when they became overly self-pitying. There was even a recurring joke about how Taskmaster consistently forgot that he no longer had to kill U.S. Agent/John Walker. Pearson explained, “She was grappling with her own memory-loss issues, and there was a humorous aspect where she would repeatedly restart the fight, forgetting they had already made up and become friends.” Indeed, it sounds like this dynamic would have added an entertaining twist to the film.

It’s difficult to determine if removing all the Taskmaster scenes was a misstep. The Thunderbolts script is already packed with numerous characters and manages them well. Including another character for the entire film might have slowed it down and made it too complex, with one story arc potentially being too many. This would have also extended the running time. It’s intriguing that the movie’s credited screenwriter was unaware of this until he saw the final cut. Marvel Studios indeed seems to be secretive, even keeping details from their own writers.

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2025-05-05 23:32