Black Widow finally introduced the villainous Taskmaster to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and the woman under the skull mask is eager to suit up again.
Olga Kurylenko talked to GamesRadar about her role in this year's Black Widow and what it was like to play the iconic character. From complicating Natasha's history to donning the cumbersome suit, the actor was thrilled to join the MCU. And if Marvel came calling about a Taskmaster Disney+ series? "Mmm let me think about it. No, I'm kidding. Of course, I would. [Laughs] Of course," Kurylenko said.
Kurylenko also spoke about how Taskmaster, revealed to be Antonia Dreykov towards the end of the film, adds new layers to the character of Black Widow.
"I think it's important, and it's closer to reality and how things go in life. And also more believable," Kurylenko said of the dark and dramatic elements of the story. "I think it makes both of the characters more interesting. Because no one is a straightforward goodie or straightforward baddie, and therefore good people, even when they try to do something good, they just make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes, even the superhero makes mistakes. And it makes [Natasha] more complex. It's not just all perfect. It'll be boring, right?"
In The Avengers, Loki first mentions Dreykov's daughter, teasing that she's part of what contributed to the red in Natasha's ledger. Black Widow then reveals that Natasha willingly killed Antonia when she was just a child in order to take out Dreykov. But in the end, both father and daughter are shown to be alive.
"And [Natasha] has all those feelings and remorse obviously about – she thinks she killed the girl. She doesn't seem to feel good about it. But for her, it's done," Kurylenko said. "And then obviously later when she realizes the damage and what actually was created following that mistake, in a way she is implicated in this creation of this villain. In a way. She of course didn't decide to make her the Taskmaster. She didn't decide to make Antonia a weapon of war. But that decision was made following the accident that Natasha provoked. I think it's the more complex are the characters and the more perfect and polished they are the better."
In the end, the actor thinks Antonia forgives Natasha, meaning the return of Taskmaster could see the mercenary from the comics become something of a hero.
Black Widow is now in select theaters and streaming on Disney+ Premier Access.
Source: GamesRadar