CinemaBlend participates in affiliate programs with various companies. We may earn a commission when you click on or make purchases via links.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is an ever expanding place, which shows no signs of slowing down. While we're currently in the interim period between phases, Cate Shortland's Black Widow was originally set to kick it off. Unfortunately the global concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic have forced Marvel Studios to push back the long awaited solo flick. But new information is still coming out regularly, including the best image of Taskmaster's armor yet.
Rather than being a typical origin story or prequel, Black Widow will be set in between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. The movie will reunite Natasha with her first chosen family, and they'll battle the mysterious villain known as the Taskmaster. Not much is known about how Taskmaster will factor into the upcoming blockbuster's narrative, but a new still showed off the villain's armor. Check it out below.
Suddenly Black Widow's delay feels all the more painful. It's unclear when exactly the solo flick will arrive in theaters, but the rabid fanbase will no doubt find the additional wait time painful. Especially as more glimpses from the blockbuster hit the internet and fuel the hype.
This new image comes to us from Twitter, and offers the most detailed look at Taskmaster's costume in Black Widow. The unnamed villain's outfit is fully armored, which will likely be a problem given that Black Widow doesn't actually have any superpowers. The suit itself is shiny and somewhat terrifying, if only due to the skeleton mask and hood. Smart money also says that the costume is full of little tricks and gadgets that will make him an even more difficult foe for the title character.
When Black Widow's first trailer arrived online, hardcore comic book fans took some umbrage with Taskmaster's appearance in the highly anticipated blockbuster. His hood was noticeably absent, as seen in still at the top of this story. What's more, the costume isn't quite as colorful as the source material. But this is often the case for superhero movies, as production design walks the line between realism and comic book elevation.
Marvel fans can re-watch Black Widow's tenure in the MCU on Disney+. You can use this link for a free 7-day trial to the streaming service.
Ultimately the hood ended up making it into Taskmaster's costume, although there are still plenty of questions surrounding his upcoming Marvel debut in Black Widow. While he's seemingly the primary villain of Cate Shortland's upcoming movie, there's no indication as to who will be playing Taskmaster. There are plenty of theories swirling around, but the movie's delay means those questions will last even longer. But the trailers have shown Taskmaster in action battling Black Widow, and it looks like he's been studying The Avengers' time saving the world.
Black Widow will no doubt give a proper sense of closure and ending to Scarlett Johansson's signature Avenger. Natasha sacrificed herself to procure the Soul Stone in Avengers: Endgame, but her solo movie will likely give new context to her decisions in the battle against Thanos. The fans will also get a proper goodbye for Natasha, as she wasn't given a lakeside funeral like Tony Stark.
It's currently unclear when Black Widow will arrive in theaters, although the MCU will continue with The Eternals on November 6th. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
