Rumors have already been floating around, but now it’s official. Joe Manganiello has taken on the role of Deathstroke in the DC cinematic universe.
Last week, Ben Affleck teased the world with a mysterious clip of Deathstroke in what fans assumed was for the currently untitled Batman solo film. What fans didn’t get was any actual information about what the video meant.
— Ben Affleck (@BenAffleck) August 29, 2016
Luckily, The Wall Street Journal was able to secure some more information from DC Entertainment President and Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns.
Johns confirmed that Deathstroke will be the villain in the upcoming Batman film, and that he will be played by Joe Manganiello. He wouldn’t, however, reveal whether Manganiello would be appearing in Justice League.
In the comics, Deathstroke is a special ops militant named Slade Wilson who underwent a medical experiment. Wilson became a super soldier with enhanced speed, strength and intelligence. After leaving the military, Wilson became a high paid mercenary for criminals.
Manganiello is best known for his role on True Blood, but has also recently worked on Magic Mike and Magic Mike XXL. He’s also appeared in How I Met Your Mother, One Tree Hill, ER, and Spider-Man 3.