Ben Affleck was still set to write and direct The Batman when it was announced that Deathstroke would appear as the main antagonist. Actor Joe Manganiello was already selected to portray Slade Wilson, and his towering stature made him the perfect choice.
However, Affleck stepped down, and new director/writer Matt Reeves opted to start rewriting the script from scratch. Suddenly, Manganiello’s roll in the DC Extended Universe was not so certain. Various rumors said that Manganiello's contract had been terminated, and he was offered a role in another big-budget movie as compensation.
The actor didn’t appear to know anything about the character's future.
But now we’re hearing that Gareth Evans and Warner Bros. have been in talks for a Deathstroke movie. If you’ve seen Evans' Raid movies, you know that he can deliver the goods. Nothing’s been done about finding a lead actor, so we’re wondering if it’s safe to assume that Joe Manganiello still has the role?
Following the Deathstroke movie announcement, the actor posted a caption-less pic of Deathstroke's mask. Check it out below!
"” Joe Manganiello (@JoeManganiello) October 27, 2017
Could this be a confirmation that the True Blood actor will play Deathstroke in the movie? It could be, and wouldn’t that make the character’s many fans happy? But with Halloween closing in, Manganiello might just be revealing this year’s costume.
After all, he wouldn’t be the only one dressing like an iconic comic book hero:
Just maybe I will finally wear blue and yellow spandex for my #halloweencostume #tootall pic.twitter.com/0IwL6GoHzZ
"” Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) October 26, 2017
Of course, we should point out that a Deathstroke movie hasn't been officially announced. Also, Gareth Evans and the studio are just in talks following his pitch. But what do you think? Would you like to see a Deathstroke solo movie? Is Joe Manganiello capable of carrying the entire flick? Or is he better suited to play the main antagonist in a Batman film?
