DC Comics supervillain Deathstroke may get his own movie starring Joe Manganiello (True Blood) from filmmaker Gareth Evans (The Raid: Redemption).
The Wrap reports that Evans passed on Justice League Dark, but impressed DC executives with a Deathstroke movie pitch. They and The Hollywood Reporter say that Evans is now in talks to direct and write the movie.
Manganiello is slated to play Deathstroke in Ben Affleck’s solo Batman movie. However, since Matt Reeves (War for the Planet of the Apes) started over from Affleck’s script, the character may not be in the film anymore. Manganiello couldn’t comment on it back in July.
“I do [know what’s going on with Deathstroke] but nothing that I can share,” Manganiello said to The Hollywood Reporter in July. “I know everything but I can’t say any of it.”
We do know they have a costume ready, at least.
— Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) August 29, 2016
In the comics, Slade Wilson was a member of a special ops team in the military who underwent an experimental procedure that gave him enhanced physical powers. When the team was disbanded, Wilson became a mercenary-for-hire known as Deathstroke.
Deathstroke was originally an enemy of the Teen Titans and first appeared in New Teen Titans #2 from 1980. The character appears frequently in Arrow by actor Manu Bennett (Spartacus). Deathstroke also appeared in the video games Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Knight.
