Joe Manganiello Discusses Scrapped DCEU Plans for Deathstroke and More

Few comic book actors have had a more unusual journey than Joe Manganiello. Cast as one of DC’s most formidable assassins, he had only a brief appearance on screen before watching numerous projects fade away. Now, as he promotes his new memoir, he is sharing insights about the many plans that never came to fruition.

While promoting his book ‘Bloodlines’, Manganiello has reflected on his health challenges and the disappointment of the cancellation of Ben Affleck’s ‘Batman’ movie. He has revealed several ideas that were pitched to him for Deathstroke in the DCEU, including being the villain in an ‘Aquaman’ sequel and facing off against Will Smith’s Deadshot in a potential ‘Suicide Squad’ sequel.

These revelations provide a clearer picture of a character who was always on the brink of a larger role. According to Manganiello, discussions about a standalone Deathstroke movie also took place at various times, but none of these ideas materialized on screen.

Manganiello mentions that after ‘The Batman’ was canceled, he had the chance to portray the character again for only about two minutes during reshoots. For the next six years, his agent continued to receive calls with new opportunities. One concept had him as the antagonist in the ‘Aquaman’ sequel, while another involved a ‘Suicide Squad’ sequel with different directors, along with pitches for a showdown against Deadshot or a standalone film.

He pondered whether this made him lucky or unlucky, ultimately concluding it was a bit of both. At the time, he felt somewhat cursed as every promising project seemed to vanish. However, in hindsight, he recognizes the fortune in landing the role in the first place.

The role held significant personal meaning for him. He revealed that the offer to play Deathstroke came during his recovery from a near-fatal illness, providing him with motivation to heal. An excerpt from his memoir indicates that the part symbolized a glimmer of hope for reclaiming his life, and he concealed his condition from Affleck and the crew.

In his recent remarks, he credited the role with aiding his recovery, helping him regain his health, weight, and overall functionality. He keeps the helmet in his office and regards it as the greatest achievement of his life, a poignant reflection on a character that never received a full showcase.

The timeline illustrates the frustration he experienced. In 2016, Manganiello was set for a significant role in the DCEU, and in the post-credits scene of ‘Justice League’, his Deathstroke discovers Batman’s secret identity from Lex Luthor, setting the stage for a pursuit of Bruce Wayne in Affleck’s version of ‘The Batman’. However, when Affleck stepped down from directing, the project evolved into the Matt Reeves film featuring Robert Pattinson.

A solo Deathstroke film with ‘The Raid’ director Gareth Evans was also in the works. Manganiello has stated that the project fell through because it was not prioritized as a $40 million villain origin story. He previously told Entertainment Tonight that once the Batman film was scrapped, he assumed it was over, prompting him to shift focus to collaborating with the studio on an origin film.

Manganiello did have one more moment as Deathstroke, returning briefly in ‘Zack Snyder’s Justice League’ in 2021, appearing in a new apocalyptic sequence alongside Affleck’s Batman and Jared Leto’s Joker. That scene remains the closest fans have come to witnessing the larger narrative that was initially envisioned.

He has also described the abandoned Batman concept as dark, with Deathstroke functioning as a horror-movie villain who dismantles Bruce Wayne’s life from within. This version has become one of the great what-ifs in superhero filmmaking, highlighting how much of the DCEU’s story was left unwritten.

For fans, Manganiello’s recent comments add depth to a familiar tale of unfulfilled ideas. The prospect of Deathstroke versus Deadshot, or a villainous role in an ‘Aquaman’ sequel, illustrates the various directions the studio was exploring, emphasizing how frequently those directions shifted.

Looking ahead, there is no indication that Manganiello will be part of DC Studios’ planned ‘Deathstroke and Bane’ movie. His journey as the character seems to have concluded where it began, as a tantalizing possibility. Nevertheless, his reflections suggest he has come to terms with it, valuing the experience far more than the screen time.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!