The solo "Batman" movie, which Ben Affleck will star and direct, has cast Joe Manganiello to play Slade Wilson, also known as Deathstroke. Very little is known about the film, its version of the iconic villain, and when the movie may open in theaters, but Manganiello has recently shared a few clues to give audiences a hint of what to expect.
Posting an image on Twitter, Manganiello revealed that he had purchased several items to help him research about his character. Some of these include toys, graphic novels, and the "Batman: Arkham Origins" video game, in which Deathstroke is a major villain.
As stated by Cinema Blend, the game Manganiello purchased indicates that the movie may adapt a fight scene from the game. "Arkham Origins" is often viewed as the black sheep in the "Arkham" games because it was not made by Rocksteady Games, but many fans point out how good the fight between Batman and Deathstroke was.
The "Batman: Earth One" graphic novel reportedly indicates that the movie may not focus on telling Deathstroke's origin story except for a brief line of exposition or a quick flashback. The graphic novel also sees Oswald Cobblepot, also known as the Penguin, hiring Deathstroke to take down the Batman, and this plot point may be adapted into the film.
However, the graphic novel is set back when Batman was still starting his vigilante career, and the current DCEU films take place twenty years after. This means the graphic novel's subplot of Penguin being the mob boss who orchestrated the death of Thomas Wayne may not be included in the film.
Slade Wilson is also shown to have white hair and a goatee in all of the depictions, as seen in Manganiello's tweet, indicating that the character is going to be quite faithful to the portrayal in the comic books. This will be different from how Manu Bennett portrayed the character in the CW series, "Arrow."
As of writing, no release date has been announced for the "Batman" movie.
