It’s been years since Ben Affleck was Batman, and even longer since his DCEU solo movie was scrapped. We know a little of what this movie would’ve been, and now former Deathstroke Joe Manganiello has shared more details.
Within the pages of his memoir Bloodlines, the True Blood alum talked about his brief dalliance as the DC assassin. Had Affleck’s film happened, Slade would’ve been its main baddie in what the actor called “a superhero version of David Fincher’s The Game.” After believing the Dark Knight killed his son, Slade would’ve “dismantled Batman’s entire life” by killing Commissioner Gordon, kidnapping Alfred, and breaking into the Batcave. He also would’ve had a two-on-one fight between Batman and Batgirl, with him nearly killing the heroes before they escaped.
Manganiello went on to say there’d have been a one-on-one “showdown through the streets of Gotham” for the film’s climax. According to him, this fight was inspired by Batman: Arkham Origins’ reveal trailer. The 2013 game had Deathstroke and a scene where Bane broke into the Batcave and nearly killed Alfred. Given Affleck was in talks for this movie a few years after Origins, it’s easy to see the connections.
Through Manganiello’s account, it sounds like this could’ve slipped into more of a Deathstroke movie, which isn’t really a bad thing. Slade can be a problem when he wants to be, and the actor sure seemed game for it. Excited as he was for Affleck’s “Best Picture version of a Batman movie,” that never came to fruition. Now, we’re now waiting for Bats to return to cinemas, and to hear who’ll play Deathstroke in his team-up movie with Bane.
[via Entertainment Weekly]
Want more io9 news? Check out the best movies and TV shows to stream this month and all the upcoming sci-fi, fantasy, and horror books that should be on your radar.
