James Gunn, the new co-lead of the DCU, has teased the introduction of a fan-favorite Batman villain.
Big changes are happening for fans of DC Studios. Henry Cavill is out as Superman, Wonder Woman 3 isn’t happening, and Dwayne Johnson could be done as Black Adam for the foreseeable future. So what comes next?
A complete reboot—or that’s at least what it looks like. One of the biggest signs of this outcome is the casting of a new, younger Man of Steel.
But Clark Kent won’t be the only one important for this new universe. DC Studios co-lead James Gunn previously revealed that Batman will be important to their new DCU—and it won’t be Robert Pattinson (Affleck is almost certainly out as well).
Now, Gunn has teased the identity of a big Batman villain who could be part of their upcoming plan.
Is Deathstroke Just Around the Corner at DC?
In a new tweet, DCU co-lead James Gunn blatantly hinted at a popular Batman villain being a part of the franchise in the near future.
When a fan asked directly if there were any plans for Deathstroke in Gunn and Peter Safran's new DCU, Gunn responded, cryptically saying: "Could be..."
While Deathstroke is a Batman baddie, many probably know the character from two other properties.
For one, he's a key antagonist to the Teen Titans, having shown up in both the animated Justice League series and the live-action Titans.
Slade Wilson also featured heavily in the CW's Arrow, where he was the main villain in season 2 and reoccurred sporadically throughout the series. That character was also teased in Justice League's post-credits scene with Joe Manganiello playing the part.
How Will Deathstroke Be Introduced?
There are multiple ways that Deathstroke could be a part of this new DCU.
The first would be making him the main villain of a new solo Batman film. This matchup almost actually happened years ago when Ben Affleck was set to get his own movie—obviously, that never came to pass.
Though, is Deathstroke the person fans really want to go up against Batman? There are several other classic villains who have not gotten a proper adaptation—characters such as The Court of Owls, Clayface, or Killer Croc.
Another way to bring Slade Wilson into the world would be as an antagonist for the Teen Titans. There’s no confirmation or even direct hints that Gunn and Safran are even looking at the team, but it could still happen.
Establishing the Teen Titans would also put the Bat Family in the spotlight—a key element that could truly make this new Batman something unique and never before seen.
