During its time in theaters, the DCEU had plenty of twists, both in front and behind the camera. No movie had a life quite a wild as Justice League, which performed poorly in the box office and saw fans campaign for the Snyder Cut. Justice League's credits scene revealed Joe Manganiello as Deathstroke, but he never actually got to take the spotlight as the character in an upcoming DC movie. The True Blood alum revealed how he'd like to reprise his role in the DCU, and I'm sold.
While Joe Manganiello got to briefly return to his villain role via the Snyder Cut reshoots, both fans and the actor wanted more-- especially given the original plans for Deathstroke. The 47 year-old actor previously spoke at a convention (via ComicBook) about how he'd like to bring back the Batman villain, saying:
Deathstroke origin as a series on HBO Max. Absolutely. I think it'd be such a fun series and people would absolutely love it and there's not a lot like it out there right now. It would have its own tone and its own place within the universe. I think it would be very fun and tonally very unique.
Honestly, sign me up. You can't deny how badass Manganiello has looked as Deathstroke, even if his role in both versions of Justice League was small. And it would be a thrill to see him get to finally explore that character via a show for those with a Max subscription. Are you listening, James Gunn?
Manganiello's comments show how much thought he put into the role of Deathstroke, despite never getting to actually star in a DC movie. The post-credits sequence of Justice League set up a sequel that never happen, and the Magic Mike actor was expected to be the villain in Ben Affleck's cancelled Batman movie. And as such, he never got to really own his role as Slade Wilson.
There are currently countless questions about DC's future, on both the big and small screens. Co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran decided to leave the DCEU behind and form a new shared universe. The first slate of projects is titled Gods and Monsters, but details like casting and plot are being kept under wraps. But since Manganiello never got to really take center stage as Deathstroke, perhaps he can be brought back in a project like The Brave and The Bold. Only time will tell.
At the time of writing this story, Gunn and Safran confirmed a handful of returning DC characters who would reprise their roles in the new shared universe. So maybe Joe Manganiello can take a meeting with the studio and convince them to bring him back. Fingers crossed.
The DCEU will start with Superman: Legacy on July 11th, 2025. While we wait for more DC information, check out the 2024 movie release dates to plan your next trip to the movies.
