When one thinks about DC Comics villains Bane and Deathstroke, it’s usually not in the same thought. Sure, those two have tangled with Batman on many occasions, and maybe there have been some times in the comics when they’ve crossed paths. But now word’s come in that Bane and Deathstroke are being paired together for an upcoming DC movie, and along with being perplexed, yet intrigued by this news, I also have a lot of questions about it.
DC Studios, which is headed by James Gunn and Peter Safran, are developing a Bane and Deathstroke-fronted movie, per THR. Captain America: Brave New World’s Matthew Orton has been tapped to write the script, but no director has been secured yet. Orton’s other credits include Operation Finale, Devil’s Peak and Moon Knight.
Both these characters have already been depicted in live-action on numerous occasions. After first being the tertiary villain in Batman & Robin, Bane’s profile got a significant boost when he was played by Tom Hardy in The Dark Knight Rises, and Shane West played an altered version of the character named Eduardo Dorrance in the final season of Gotham. Meanwhile, among the actors who’ve played Deathstroke in live-action include Michael Hogan in Smallville, Manu Bennett in Arrow, Esai Morales in Titans, and Joe Manganiello in both Justice League’s theatrical cut and Zack Snyder’s Justice League.(and he was supposed to be the lead antagonist in Ben Affleck’s version of The Batman).
While I’m surprised by the idea of Bane and Deathstroke co-leading a movie, whether they’re allies or enemies, perhaps it’s this unexpectedness that could lead to it being a competing watch. My hope is that these two will be working together rather than clashing on opposite sides of a conflict. Sure, some time can be carved out to see how Deathstroke’s enhanced physical and mental abilities do against Bane’s brute strength and strategic mind, but it’d be more interesting in the end to see them solving problems together.
As already mentioned, however, there are a number of questions that are already on my mind. First, is this Bane/Deathstroke movie set in the DC Universe franchise, or will it be an Elseworlds-branded affair like the Joker movies and the projects in the Batman Epic Crime Saga? If it’s the former, will it be tied in any way to The Brave and the Bold given the aforementioned ties these two have Batman? Could Batman even show up in the Bane/Deathstroke movie? If that’s not in the cards, will any other superhero appear? There’s so much I’d like to know about the story Matthew Orton is crafting!
Keep in mind, this Bane/Deathstroke movie is in the development stage, so it’s possible that it may never get the official greenlight from DC Studios. If it does though, you can be sure CinemaBlend will pass along the news. Until then, many of Bane and Deathstroke’s film and TV appearances can be streamed with either a Max subscription or a Netflix subscription.
