The anticipation surrounding DC Universe's Titans is growing, and a fresh bit of info from the series' writer and producer has the power to ramp up the anticipation for it even more. While at New York Comic Con, Geoff Johns teased that the show would be foolish not to tackle The Judas Contract, which would mean having to introduce the Teen Titans' archnemesis: Deathstroke. There is a twist to this Deathstroke news though. Here is what Johns had to say:
You'll see Deathstroke in Titans eventually, but it will be a new version.
That's right! Geoff Johns confirmed that Titans would eventually introduce the character of Deathstroke with a hint of change in the air. The news comes from the DC Universe panel at New York Comic Con (via ComicBook) and the keyword that Johns says is "new." What exactly he meant by a new Deathstroke is unclear. It is a crucial bit of info that is destined to send speculation soaring. For Titans to want a new take on the character makes sense given the competition it has received from other adaptations.
In the Arrow-verse, Deathstroke has been played by Spartacus' Manu Bennett. In the movie universe, True Blood's Joe Manganiello is the latest to play the Teen Titans' greatest enemy. Whether the "new" Geoff Johns is referring to has to do with casting or the backstory of the character being different is unknown. With so many iterations, it will be intriguing to find out how Titans plans to set their Deathstroke apart from the ones that have come before.
As for Geoff Johns' assertion that fans will "eventually" see Deathstroke on Titans -- that leaves the door open for when exactly fans will catch a glimpse of the villain. The new DC Universe series will have time though, as it has already been renewed for a second season before its first one has even premiered. While that is good news for the show's future, it theoretically pushes out the potential debut date of the new Deathstroke, unless he makes an appearance in Season 1.
As of now, fans will have to settle for debating what Geoff Johns' "new" could mean, as it hints at any number of things. Given how alive the character has been on-screen, Titans will have its work cut out in finding a direction that is fresh. The other exciting part of this Titans news is that Geoff Johns is simultaneously confirming interest in adapting The Judas Contract while teasing the introduction of Deathstroke, which makes sense given the two go hand-in-hand in comic book canon.
Whether Titans introduces Deathstroke in an adaptation of that storyline or beforehand to establish the character will be fun to learn. In the meantime, you can start watching Titans when it premieres Friday, October 12 on DC Universe. From that point forward, new episodes of the 12-part season will drop weekly on the new streaming platform. With some time still left to go before Titans is released, there are a lot of other fall offerings to entertain you while you wait.
