I have no idea if Joe Manganiello will ever play Slade Wilson again, but an Australian artist named Kode Abdo, aka Bosslogic, has an intriguing idea as to who might be an excellent successor if for whatever reason Manganiello doesn't return. Who could fill the shoes of the world's greatest assassin? The answer is Ted "Theodore" Logan, Jack Traven, Johnathan Harker, Neo, and John Wick himself, the Keanu Reeves. But if you're still not sure if he could pull it off, check out Bosslogic's alteration of a screenshot from Reeve's upcoming video game Cyberpunk 2077 (2020) adding grey hair and a beard, a sword, and the trademark eyepatch. The results? PERFECTION! Sure, this is most likely just a fanboy/girl pipe dream, but this could really work.
Pop quiz, hotshot! Deathstroke has been hired to take you down. What do you do? What do you do? You DIE is what you do! Original image altered by Bosslogic (aka Kode Adbo)
The DC Extended Universe of films has yielded a veritable roller coaster of results. Man of Steel (2013), Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), Suicide Squad (2016), and Justice League (2017) left bad tastes in the collective mouths of critics and fans alike. But Wonder Woman (2017), Aquaman (2018), and Shazam! (2019) have been both critical successes and financial gold mines for Warner Bros. Prior to the release of Justice League, star, Ben Affleck and director, Zack Snyder each teased the arrival of Deathstroke into the DCEU via Twitter. Snyder posted a storyboard image what would be the Deathstroke/Lex Luthor mid-credits scene. Affleck, however, posted a video of what was assumed to be test footage for Joe Mangianello's Deathstroke.
Speculation about the footage began to fly as fans began to debate whether Deathstroke would appear as a major player in Justice League or if he would menace Affleck's Batman in a solo film. Recent reports from multiple news sources seem to have settled the debate as to the purpose of Affleck's footage and for Deathstroke fans, it's a huge kick in the gut. Apparently, Affleck was developing a Batman film, but it would not have been a true solo film because the main would have had equal billing. Batman v Deathstroke: Dawn of Vigilantes would have introduced Mangianello's Deathstroke as a major player, but the lackluster performances of early DCEU films made Warner Bros. executives rethink their whole approach to their DC Comics film properties.
Before long, Affleck stepped down as the Batman film's director and eventually announced his departure from the role of Batman entirely. Affleck said on numerous occasions that one of the reasons he left the project was that he was unhappy with the script. Appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live! in February 2019, Affleck explained that, “I tried to direct a version of it and worked with a really good screenwriter, but just couldn’t come up with a version that couldn’t crack it. And so I thought it was time to let someone else take a shot at it." But veteran storyboard artist, and frequent DC Animation film director, Jay Oliva, claimed that "The original Affleck script was the best Batman script I’ve ever read. Ben had a kick a-- story and I believe that the audience and fans would have loved it..." Oliva continued that, "It had some of the best Batman/Deathstroke stuff I’d ever done!" Deathstroke actor, Joe Mangienello, also indicated on social media that he loved the Affleck script as well.
These conflicting comments about the original script seem to indicate that there was much more to Affleck's departure than previously thought. A Batman film is still in the works headed by director, Matt Reeves [Cloverfield (2008), Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014), War of the Planet of the Apes (2017)] titled simply, The Batman. Reeves' film is said to feature a younger Batman, which some speculate may have been "requested" by Warner Bros executives. It is unknown at this time if Deathstroke will appear The Batman, but the news regarding Affleck's original plans for Deathstroke will undoubtedly leave fans of the Terminator lamenting the film that might have been.
Multiple entertainment news sources are reporting an interesting rumor in regards to casting for James Gunn's The Suicide Squad film, scheduled for an August 6, 2021 release. It has been previously confirmed that Margo Robbie, Viola Davis, Jai Courtney, and Joel Kinnaman will return for the franchise's next installment reprising their roles as Harley Quinn, Amanda Waller, Captain Boomerang, and Col. Rick Flagg respectively. It has also been confirmed that David Dastmalchian was cast as obscure Batman villain, Polka-Dot Man and Daniela Melchior was cast as a female version of Ratcatcher. Idris Elba was also cast to, what many believed, to replace Will Smith as Deadshot. But it is now being speculated that Elba will play a role other than Deadshot, with many rumors pointing to Deathstroke.
The veteran actor, Elba is familiar to most fans for his BBC One television role of DCI John Luther on the eponymously named Luther (2010). Elba has also played many film roles such as the Asgardian gatekeeper, Heimdall, from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Captain Janek from Prometheus (2012), Stacker Pentecost from Pacific Rim (2013), or the Gunslinger, Roland Deschain, in the film adaptation of Stephen King's The Dark Tower (2017). Though Elba has played a wide range of parts, he does have a particular knack for action roles and would be an excellent choice for a big screen Deathstroke.
If the rumors are true (and at this point, they are only rumors) it could mean a number of things. First, it could mean that Elba is outright replacing Joe Manganiello as DC's movie Deathstroke. Second, it could mean that James Gunn's The Suicide Squad is a reboot that is not a part of the wider DC film universe. Thirdly, this could all be rampant speculation as Elba won't be playing Deathstroke at all. But whatever happens concerning Deathstroke's silver screen future, you can be sure that The Deathstroke Files will be all over it.
(UPDATE 2021)
Idris Elba in fact did not play Deathstroke but in fact, played Bloodsport. My speculation of Deathstroke's appearance in The Suicide Squad (2021) was completely full of crap and further illustrates my rather inept ability to predict the future. This is also why I should never be allowed to gamble with real money in any form or fashion.
Idris Elba taking direction from James Gunn. Also noteworthy is that Elba is as well not playing Deathstroke in this photo.
DC's movie honcho, Geoff Johns, confirmed in a interview for the Wall Street Journal that True Blood and Magic Mike actor, Joe Manganiello, has been cast as Deathstroke in the DC Extended Universe films. Johns stated that Manganiello's Deathstroke would appear in Ben Affleck's solo Batman film, but refused to say if he would appear in the first Justice League film.
Deathstroke will not be Manganiello's first foray into comic book films as he played Flash Thompson in both 2002's Spider-Man and 2007's Spider-Man 3. To be perfectly honest, I don't know very much about Manganiello's recent work as I have watched neither True Blood nor the Magic Mike moviesand I'm trying very hard to forget the Toby McGuire Spider-Man films. He kind of looks like Slade Wilson should look (though he needs a lot more grey), but time will tell if he nails the character on screen. Johns and Affleck seem very driven to deliver quality Justice League and Batman films and hopefully they know something about Manganiello that will please both Deathstroke and movie fans alike.
