Set photos from Black Widow show the debut of a new costumed character, and speculation is already turning to Taskmaster being a possible fit. Marvel Studios is just days away from launching Spider-Man: Far From Home, the final film of Phase 3, in theaters, but they're already hard at work on what comes next. Even though they've yet to announce their plans for Phase 4 officially, Scarlett Johansson's long-awaited solo movie for Natasha Romanoff is already in production.
Black Widow comes after fans around the world saw the character sacrifice her life in Avengers: Endgame so the team could get the Soul Stone, and she was not revived at the end due to the soul-for-a-soul deal being everlasting. Johansson may no longer factor into stories set in the 2023 present day of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but Marvel still has plans for her. The solo movie will be a prequel story following Natasha at an unspecified time in her life. Since it is a prequel, though, many have wondered how vital it will be to the larger MCU story.
Thanks to new set photos from Black Widow shared on Twitter by @okbanana, we now have our first look at a new costumed character joining the universe. The images are taken from a distance, so the quality isn't the best, but the armored suit is still clear. It appears to be blue and silver primarily with some hints of orange. The face mask completely conceals the identity of the actor playing the role, but the costume design has brought about speculation that it could be the Marvel villain Taskmaster. In addition to his suit, this character also possesses a heavily armored vehicle that can be seen speeding through the streets of Budapest in a set video below.
There has been no actual evidence or reports to this point that Taskmaster will be in Black Widow, but he would be a good fit for the property if this is indeed the identity of this character. Taskmaster can mimic any abilities that he sees or comes into contact with, making him the ultimate fighter and mercenary. He would be a formidable opponent for Natasha, as he would learn every move that she makes if they had to fight. O-T Fagbenle was reportedly cast as the villain, so he could be the one under all of that armor.
Until confirmation comes that Taskmaster is involved with Black Widow, it is best not to get too attached to the idea that he does have a role. That said, he would be an excellent villain to introduce in the past but leave him in a position to have a future. He has ties to the Thunderbolts in the comics and has been part of major storylines like Dark Reign and Secret Empire, and even was recruited by Nick Fury to be a Secret Avenger at one point. With so much potential for a character like Taskmaster and the possible introduction of Yelena Belova, a different Black Widow, there could be some significant MCU revelations in Black Widow when everything is said and done.
Source: @okbanana
