Less than one week after director James Gunn provided a status update on filming progress for Superman, the co-CEO of DC Studios is back with another exciting update. While interacting with a fan on his personal Instagram, Gunn revealed that he does have plans for the legendary DC villain Deathstroke in the DCU. Under a post that shows him wearing a Superman comic book T-shirt, a fan asked Gunn to wink if he had plans for Deathstroke, to which he simply responded with a winking emoji. Slade Wilson (not to be confused with Deadpool’s alias, Wade Wilson), is one of Batman’s most iconic antagonists, but his history in live-action has been less than satisfactory for fans of the character.
Deathstroke appeared in 2017’s Justice League, as well as the 2021 directors’ cut version, Zack Snyder’s Justice League. However, the character was not the primary antagonist and instead teased as part of a future that never arrived. Joe Manganiello, best known for his role in True Blood and for also portraying Flash Thompson in Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, played the character briefly. Gunn does not mention in his post if Manganiello will reprise his role, and given Gunn‘s history with recasts and also bringing actors back, it’s impossible to predict who could suit up as Deathstroke in the DCU. Deathstroke also played a small role in the CW DC universe.
What Else Has Been Confirmed About James Gunn’s DCU?
Since Gunn first took over as the co-CEO of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran, he’s steadily provided fans with updates on casting and production, and has even debunked rumors from time to time. Most recently, Gunn took to social media to announce that Frank Grillo would appear as Rick Flag Sr. in Peacemaker Season 2, which recently began production. Grillo was already confirmed to voice the character in the animated series Creature Commandos, and this is the first confirmed instance of an actor playing a DCU character in animation and live-action. Gunn also recently showcased the first appearance of new Clark Kent actor David Corenswet in his new Superman suit. Fans have come to appreciate this level of honesty and transparency, something that is completely absent from the DCU‘s biggest competitor, Marvel Studios, which operates with the utmost secrecy.
The beginning of the DCU, Superman, is expected in theaters on July 11, 2025. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates on the film and check out Deathstroke in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, now streaming on Max.
via Collider