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The DC Extended Universe has had a wild journey in theaters, full of disappointments, behind the scenes changes, and success. Filmmaker Zack Snyder kickstarted the franchise with his blockbusters, before the poor box office performance of Justice League threw a wrench into his five-film plans. Justice League definitely set up a sequel, especially in the credits scene featuring Lex Luthor and Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke. And new fan art imagined Batman's eventual conflict with the villain, and they're packing heat.
Joe Manganiello's brief role in Justice League planted seeds for future DC installments, where Lex Luthor and Deathstroke would assemble their own league of villains. Slade Wilson/Deathstroke is often a villain for Batman, and fans were ready to watch Manganiello and Battfleck come to blows. Unfortunately that never happened, but new fan art imagines exactly what the comic book duo would look like in the midst of a fight. Check it out below.
I mean, how cool is that? The detailed rendering shows what Batman and Deathstroke's live-action conflict might look like in the DC Extended Universe. What's more, both characters are armed to the teeth with their own signature weapons, presumably meaning that there will be blood. Let's break down exactly what we're being shown here.
This image of Deathstroke and The Dark Knight come to us from the social media of artist Yadvender Singh Rana. They've clearly got a clear interest in superhero properties, and has rendered some gorgeous and realistic fan castings in the past. This particular image is in response to the DCEU's original plans for Deathstroke and Batman which still haven't come to fruition.
Both Justice League and the eventual Snyder Cut have a home on HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the new streaming service.
After Justice League failed to perform critically or financially, Ben Affleck ultimately hung up his cowl and cape for good. And while the actor is a supporter of the upcoming Snyder Cut, his time in the DCEU is presumably done for good. As such, we'll likely never see the pairing of him and Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke. Although whether or not the latter actor eventually return to the shared universe remains a mystery.
In the image we can see Batman in his Justice League tactical costume, including the goggles that Batfleck wore throughout some its action sequences. In addition to the Dark Knight's signature grapple gun, his left glove actually has series of Wolverine-esque claws. It's an intimidating and violent image of Batman, and one that likely would have fit in well with Zack Snyder's vision for the DCEU.
As for Deathstroke, he's rocking the character's signature costume and a variety of weapons. In the photo he's got both a sword and hunting knife pulled on Batman, which definitely raises the stakes of the fan image. The match up looks pretty even, and it's clear that it's going to be a bloody affair. Unfortunately, this is a pairing that hasn't happened just yet.
Bruce Wayne is returning to theaters with Matt Reeves' The Batman starring Robert Pattinson. The mysterious solo flick will put the new Batman in conflict with a variety of villains, which doesn't include Deathstroke. But if the movie is a box office success, perhaps Reeves will reach out to Joe Manganiello so the character can finally appear in a significant way in the DCEU.
The next installment in the DCEU is Wonder Woman 1984 on October 2nd, while the Snyder Cut will arrive on HBO Max in 2021. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
