‘The Raid’ Vet Gareth Evans in Talks to Direct DC Comics ‘Deathstroke’ Film (Exclusive)
“True Blood” and “Magic Mike” star Joe Manganiello is attached to star
Umberto Gonzalez | October 25, 2017 @ 12:55 PM
Last Updated: October 25, 2017 @ 1:08 PM
“The Raid” helmer Gareth Evans is in early discussions to write and direct DC Comics Assassin “Deathstroke” film, TheWrap has exclusively learned.
“True Blood” and “Magic Mike” star Joe Manganiello is attached to star. Deathstroke was previously attached to be the antagonist on the solo “The Batman” film when Ben Affleck was still attached to direct. “He’s a great villain because — I just had an instinctive feeling that he would match up with him well. You know, I’m a big admirer of that character as well, especially in the New 52 the way that they did Deathstroke, and I thought that it could work,” Affleck told Collider.
Last year, Affleck posted a cryptic tweet of Joe Manganiello as Deathstroke walking ominously toward the camera, which set of a frenzy of speculation.
After Affleck stepped down and Matt Reeves was hired to direct “The Batman,” Reeves shelved Affleck’s script and started over. Evans who initially passed on directing “Justice League Dark,” however impressed DC executives with his Deathstroke pitch that the company decided to go forward with a spinoff film.
Deathstroke was created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez. He is a mercenary and assassin who first appeared in “The New Teen Titans” #2 back in 1980. Wizard magazine rated him the 24th greatest villain of all time.
In 2009, Deathstroke was ranked as IGN’s 32nd greatest comic book villain of all time. Deathstroke, also known as Deathstroke the Terminator or simply Slade, is known to be the greatest assassin in all of DC Comics.
Deathstroke was meant to be a one-off villain for the Teen Titans, his story being that he took over a contract to kill the team after his son succumbed to his own superhuman enhancements. Instead, he became so popular that he ended up evolving into one of the Titans’ most frequent adversaries.
The character became so popular that in 1991 that DC gave him his own series, in which he fought Batman for the first time. In the four-part series “City of Assassins,” Deathstroke takes on more of an antihero bent as he uses brutal, Punisher-esque tactics to go after a Gotham City mob boss. His hunt puts him on a collision course with Batman, whom Deathstroke actually defeats in combat. Later, the two form an uneasy alliance to root out a masked assassin who killed one of Commissioner Gordon’s men.
Now, as part of its “Rebirth” initiative, DC is giving Deathstroke another comic of his own, but while the ’90s series treated him as an antihero, this new line shows Deathstroke as the coldest mercenary you can imagine. He jumps from one contract to another, killing people without hesitation. When he’s not on the job, he’s getting into fights with his wife and abusing his kids, the latter of whom end up taking alter egos of their own.
Evans exploded onto the scene after he wrote and directed the 2011 action film “The Raid: Redemption” that starred Iko Uwais. The movie was praised for its unique action sequences and thrilling scenes, and was acquired for the U.S. by Sony Pictures Classics. The sequel, “The Raid 2” also written and directed by Evans, was released in 2014.
Evans next up has period thriller “Apostle,” about a mysterious man who travels to a remote island and attempts to rescue his sister after she’s kidnapped by a religious cult. Netflix is distributing “Apostle.”
Evans is repped by WME and Management 360.
Ben Affleck's 'The Batman': 12 DC Villains Who Could Hire Deathstroke (Photos)
Joe Manganiello is set to play mercenary for hire Slade Wilson, a.k.a. Deathstroke, in Ben Affleck's upcoming standalone movie "The Batman." But what villain will hire Wilson to put down Bruce Wayne? We came up with 12 possibilities.
Evolution: The Cutting-Edge Guide to Breaking Down Mental Walls and Building the Body You've Always Wanted.
12. Black Mask
Roman Sionis, a former business executive who originally hated Bruce Wayne rather than Batman, wears a black wooden mask and leads the cult-like society of False Facers. Black Mask eventually became a mob boss controlling large sections of Gotham City's criminal underworld. In the Arkham video game series, Black Mask hires Deathstroke to take out Batman.
DC Comics
11. Lex Luthor
Lex Luthor tried to get Superman to fight Batman in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" and was paid a visit by Batman when Lex was jailed at the end of the film. Could Lex seek revenge by hiring Deathstroke?
Warner Bros
10 Mystery Bad Guy Created for Movie
Could a new villain be created specifically for the movie or an amalgamation of existing DC characters as in "Batman Begins?" That is always a possibility.
9. The Joker
Batman's biggest foe has every reason to hire Deathstroke. In the Arkham video games, Joker placed a $50 million bounty on the Dark Knight's head and hired eight of the world's most deadliest assassins to take him down.
Warner Bros
8. Hush
Hush is the childhood best friend of Bruce Wayne, who grew up to become one of Batman's greatest enemies. He seeks to ruin Bruce's life on every level, and frequently uses other members of Batman's rogues gallery in his elaborate schemes.
DC Comics
7. Harvey "Two Face" Dent
Harvey Dent was the District Attorney of Gotham City, and a close ally of Batman until a mob boss threw acidic chemicals at him during a trial, hideously scarring the left side of his face and driving him insane.
DC Comics
6. Amanda Waller
The mid-credits scene of "Suicide Squad" hinted that Waller knew Bruce Wayne's secret identity as The Batman. Wayne tells Waller to shut down the Suicide Squad or he and his friends (a.k.a. the Justice League) will do it for her. She may have taken that threat seriously.
Warner Bros
5. Carmine Falcone
Carmine Falcone was one of the truly great crime lords of Gotham, back when it was a mafia-run town. At one point in the comics, Batman invaded Falcone's personal bedroom, assaulted him, stripped him to his underwear, and left him hogtied to his bed. Humiliated, Falcone ordered Batman killed.
DC Comics
4. Sal Maroni
Salvatore "The Boss" Maroni is a leader of organized crime in Gotham City and responsible for throwing acid at DA Harvey Dent and turning him into Two-Face. Just the kind of mob boss who would want Batman out of the way.
DC Comics
3. Red Hood
Could Jason Todd, the former Robin whose costume was seen in "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice," return as the Red Hood as he did in the comics -- seeking revenge on Batman for allowing the Joker to live?
DC Comics
2. Poison Ivy
Dr. Pamela Lillian Isley, a.k.a. Poison Ivy, is one of the world's most prominent eco-terrorists. She has a kind of obsession with Batman after she is incarcerated in Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane.
DC Comics
1. Rupert Thorne
Thorne is the prominent head of one of Gotham City's top smuggling gangs. A fan favorite from "Batman: The Animated Series" who once hired Bane to take out the Batman. Deathstroke is right up Thorne's alley as the kind of mercenary whom Thorne would hire.
Deathstroke is confirmed to be the villain in new movie, but who hired the master assassin to take out Bruce Wayne?
Joe Manganiello is set to play mercenary for hire Slade Wilson, a.k.a. Deathstroke, in Ben Affleck's upcoming standalone movie "The Batman." But what villain will hire Wilson to put down Bruce Wayne? We came up with 12 possibilities.