Rumors are swirling that DC mercenary Deathstroke will receive a solo movie in The Batman universe starring Keanu Reeves and will be released in 2025.
The next actor to take on the role of Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke, will succeed Magic Mike star Joe Manganiello who briefly appeared in Justice League.
Alongside Manganiello's DCEU Deathstroke, Slade Wilson has been played by various actors on television including Smallville (Michael Hogan), Arrow (Manu Bennett), and Titans (Esai Morales), alongside other animated adaptations.
The Truth Behind Deathstroke's Rumored Movie
A supposed trailer for a Deathstroke movie starring Keanu Reeves as Slade Wilson and Robert Pattinson as Batman has gone viral, sparking speculation of a solo outing for the mercenary that would be released in 2025 from DC Studios.
But, unfortunately, this movie is nothing more than a myth stirred up by a fan-made creation from Darth Trailer. There is currently no sign of a Deathstroke project taking place in The Batman universe or any other DC reality.
That said, there have been rumblings of Deathstroke coming to the big screen for several years now, which could become a reality in the new DCU.
Magic Mike actor Joe Manganiello boarded the DCEU in the post-credits scene of Justice League as Deathstroke. The scene teased his future in the Injustice League with Lex Luthor on top of a clash with Ben Affleck's Batman.
Affleck was once attached to write, direct, and star in The Batman, which would have pitted him against Manganiello's Deathstroke. But that never came to pass after the Batman v Superman star departed the directing chair and Matt Reeves stepped in, leading it to evolve into an Elseworlds tale starring Robert Pattinson.
Once upon a time in 2017, just weeks before the release of Justice League, Warner Bros. announced a Deathstroke movie written and directed by The Raid's Gareth Evans which would have starred Manganiello (via The Wrap).
Manganiello described the project to Josh Horowitz's Happy Sad Confused podcast (via ComicBook) as a "$40 million movie about a villain origin story in which you show the backstory" of Slade Wilson.
As that concept was "not seen as a priority" at Warner Bros., the Deathstroke solo project was scrapped. Manganiello later told ComicBook in February 2024 that DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn, who he described as a "buddy" of his, advised him to "let it go" when it comes to the potential solo project.
Manganiello also confirmed there were once talks of his Deathstroke appearing in the sequel to David Ayer's Suicide Squad before Gunn took over the project.
The article noted that Manganiello himself had penned the screenplay in question and DC Comics CCO Jim Lee had even pitched turning it into a comic series.
[ Ben Affleck’s Batman: Official Art Shows Deathstroke In Cancelled Movie (Photo) ]
What Does the Future Hold for Deathstroke at DC?
DC Studios is largely eyeing a fresh reboot of the blue brand, with only certain characters tied to The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker sticking around. As Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke does not come from either, fans should not expect him to return in any form.
Many will be sad that the DCEU's Slade Wilson never got the chance to shine, but perhaps there may still be a future for Manganiello at DC. After all, the actor described himself how James Gunn is a "buddy" of his, and given the filmmaker's track record of working with friends, there could be a new role waiting for him.
While that version of Deathstroke has seemingly been left in the dust, one has to wonder what the future holds for Slade Wilson, either in Matt Reeves' The Batman universe or Gunn's new DCU.
Deathstroke has famously been a villain to the Teen Titans, who currently have a movie in the works from Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow scribe Ana Nogueira (via The Hollywood Reporter). One has to wonder if Slade Wilson may make his DCU debut in that project, antagonizing the team while also setting up a future.
On the other hand, Deathstroke was once eyed to go toe-to-toe with Ben Affleck's Batman in his scrapped solo project. Perhaps that idea could be resurrected for The Brave and the Bold where he could antagonize the new Bruce Wayne and his biological son Damian Wayne in their debut outing.
Given the rising popularity of Deathstroke, especially after his roles in Arrow and Titans, he will undoubtedly one day be back in another project, but as of now, there is nothing to suggest that day will be coming anytime soon.
Read more about Deathstroke's scrapped DCEU role on The Direct:
How Batman Star Ben Affleck Leaked That Deathstroke Test Footage
Ben Affleck's Batman Movie Featured Batgirl vs. Deathstroke In Final Battle
Zack Snyder Still Hopes Ben Affleck's Batman & Deathstroke Movie Will Happen
