James Gunn has advised Joe Manganiello to consider moving on from his role in the DCEU. The 47-year-old actor portrayed Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke, in Zack Snyder’s DC Extended Universe, making brief appearances in both Justice League and The Snyder Cut. He was also slated to star in Ben Affleck’s canceled Batman film.
Apart from that, there were talks of a potential standalone Deathstroke movie, for which Manganiello even had a screenplay prepared. Despite DC Comics’ interest in the screenplay, Gunn suggested he let go of any potential plans for the character.
James Gunn Convinced Joe Manganiello to Move On from Deathstroke
With James Gunn rebooting the DC Universe with Chapter One: Gods & Monsters, the possibility for Joe Manganiello to reprise his role as Deathstroke has been less. However, the actor still had hopes for introducing an origin story for the DC villain.
In a conversation with ComicBook.com, the Magic Mike actor shared that the screenplay he wrote for a standalone Deathstroke film gained the attention of the DC Comics president Jim Lee. And with plans to reboot the DC Universe, Lee wanted to utilize the screenplay by turning it into a graphic novel.
“Jim Lee over at DC Comics wanted me to create a graphic novel series based on the screenplay that I wrote for the Deathstroke origin film that when they were dismantling the DCEU, that went to the wayside as well — Jim read it, and wanted it to be a graphic novel series.”
However, with the uncertainty surrounding the project, he ultimately decided to leave the idea. And the filmmaker and his friend, James Gunn also advised him the same, telling him to, “Let it go,” considering the circumstances.
“James and I had a conversation about it — but no one could assure me that, if it garnered the attention of directors and producers, that I couldn’t be attached. So I had to let it go. James Gunn was just like, ‘Let it go.'”
While Gunn has overseen the recasting of major characters for the new DCU, such as Superman, there hasn’t been any confirmation of an actor being attached to the role of Slade Wilson so far. The only actors confirmed to be returning for the new DC Universe are those from the Peacemaker cast and the Blue Beetle star Xolo Mariduena.
Stephen Lang Can Takeover as Deathstroke in DC Universe
Since James Gunn’s restructuring of the DC Universe, fans have been speculating about who might replace Joe Manganiello as Deathstroke. One name that has consistently surfaced is 71-year-old actor Stephen Lang.
Known for his role as the lead antagonist in James Cameron’s Avatar film series, Lang has been a top contender for the character for a decade, even before Manganiello’s casting.
Despite being older than other potential actors like Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Timothy Olyphant, Stephen Lang possesses the experience necessary to skillfully embody the action-packed role of Deathstroke.
Lang could portray an older version of Deathstroke in the DCU, potentially appearing in the upcoming film Superman or even in The Brave and the Bold. However, the studio has yet to announce any casting decisions for Deathstroke.
Superman is set to release on July 11, 2025.
Justice League is available to stream on Max.
