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Slade Wilson, also known as Deathstroke, was one of the many antagonists in the DC Extended Universe. He was a minor antagonist in both the 2017 superhero film Justice League and its 2021 director's cut, Zack Snyder's Justice League. He would've been the main antagonist of the unproduced film The Batman, written and directed by Ben Affleck.
He is an enemy of Batman and a highly skilled and expertly trained mercenary, exceptionally skilled in both sword-fighting and marksmanship. His skill in combat leads to Slade meeting with Lex Luthor after he broke out of Arkham Asylum.
He was portrayed by Joe Manganiello, who would have reprised the role for further appearances.
History[]
Deathstroke was going to play a major role in Zack Snyder's five film plan, as well as the DCEU overall. This was confirmed when Ben Affleck released test footage online of Joe Manganiello in costume as the character. Later it was also confirmed that he would make his first appearance in Justice League, released in 2017.
However due to WB and Joss Whedon’s interference with the film, his cameo was altered from what Snyder has originally shot and planned. In the theatrical cut, Deathstroke is invited to Lex Luthor's yacht, where Luthor invites him to join a team of supervillains with himself as the head. Presumably setting up a film appearance of the Legion of Doom team from the comics. By then it was already announced that he would appear in The Batman, Ben Affleck's solo Batman movie.
Deathstroke was intended to be the main antagonist of the film, having constant battles with Batman. Unfortunately Ben Affleck decided backed out of the project, it was later retooled into the 2022 film directed by Matt Reeves. Which was a standalone film not set in the DCEU. Eventually Zack Snyder's director's cut of Justice League was finally released in 2021, in that version the original version of the yacht scene with Lex was restored.
In this version, instead of Lex telling Slade about a supervillain team, Lex tells Slade the true identity of Batman. Learning that he is Bruce Wayne, Slade decides to celebrate this big news by having drinks with Lex. This original version does appear to set up what was going to take place in The Batman. Since the film's cancellation and the shelving of Snyder's plans by WB, some concept art of Batman fighting Deathstroke were released.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- His armor was inspired by his appearance in Arkham Origins.
- Zack Snyder previously thought of Joe Manganiello for the role of Superman in Man of Steel.
- Before Joe Manganiello was cast as in the role, Stephen Lang, Ron Perlman, and Arnold Schwarzenegger were considered for the role of Deathstroke.
- Joe Manganiello once revealed in an interview that this version of Deathstroke was trained by Rā’s al Ghūl & that Batman was also trained by him. That would have been their history, in training with the League of Assassins, Batman left, and Deathstroke stayed.
- It was also initially planned for Deathstroke to have his own solo film directed by Gareth Evans, however that also was eventually scrapped.