The DC Extended Universe is an interesting place. Because the studio hasn't revealed any semblance of a release schedule, the shared universe feels as if its in constant flux. While new projects and directors are announced regularly, there are a ton of movies in development, with just Aquaman and Shazam! actively filming. True Blood actor Joe Manganiello was originally attached to play Deathstroke in Ben Affleck's Batman movie, although it's now unclear if Matt Reeves will utilize the character with his project. Luckily a Deathstroke movie is now in development, with Rogue One director Gareth Edwards being eyed to helm it. Manganiello recently revealed what he wants to see when portraying Slade Wilson on the silver screen, saying:
I think it's really interesting to tell that kind of a story and tell the truth emotionally of a story like that when you're talking about a man who lost an eye, was betrayed, lost a son. These different types of aspects.
Rather than simply focusing on Deathstroke's villainy and blood rage, it looks like Joe Manganiello is hoping to examine the motivations and past beyond his masked character. This should allow the audience to properly connect with Deathstroke, hopefully giving them some mixed feelings about his adventure in the DCEU.
Joe Manganiello's comments come from his recent appearance on the podcast ID10T with Chris Hardwick, where he got into the nitty gritty of his experience taking on the role of Deathstroke in the ever changing DC universe. While his role as Slade Wilson has been in the works for years now, he's yet to be given a meaty role. His quick appearance in the post-credits scene of Justice League seemed to tease big things for Deathstroke, and fans are ready to see his proper debut.
In the same interview, Joe Manganiello also explained the process of Deathstroke's changing role in the DCEU. Given how kinetic planning appears to be, the actor seems to have a greater say in the character's future.
What I love doing is in an instance like that I'm able to, at the ground level, I'm able to go back and pitch all of my work. So I'm pitching them: "This is where I think he comes from. This is where I think he's going. This is the military background. These are some articles that I pulled for you. I also interviewed these people over here.
Overall, Joe Manganiello continues to appear motivated and excited to take on the role of Deathstroke in the DC Extended Universe. Now the question is: when is it going to happen? Because the studio is keeping its cards so close to the chest, we'll just have to wait and see how thinks shake up as various projects hopefully move toward production.
The next installment in the DCEU is James Wan's Aquaman on December 21, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
