Deathstroke actor Joe Manganiello wants fans to root for Batman bad guy
The RI Magazine has interviewed The Batman actor Joe Manganiello about his role in Warner Bros.’ upcoming DC Extended Universe solo movie. He thinks fans will be pretty psyched about the character, who will be unlike his portrayals on TV shows like Lois & Clark, Smallville and Arrow.
“Yeah, I guess there was a TV show, but I haven’t seen it,” Manganiello said. “I won’t watch it. This is my character, an exciting one, and has the capacity I think, to be a great villain. And what all the great ones can do is polarize an audience. When I was a kid I always rooted for the villain. As a kid I think I would have rooted for him and I think fans will.”
As for persistent rumors that the script is in disarray and that even Ben Affleck is considering stepping down from the title role, the actor says these reports have been overblown by the media.
“It’s funny how the media likes to run with, ‘Oh there’s trouble!’ ‘Oh, the script needs to be revised!’ They’re drama queens,” opined Manganiello. “There’s a creative process, and everyone on the cast and crew wants to make this the best movie possible. So that’s what we’re gonna do. When we start shooting it, we’ll start shooting it. It will be soon, I can say that. Here’s the thing: No one wants to create that superhero movie that’s polarizing to fans and critics. Rest assured, we’re gonna do this thing right.”
“Ben Affleck makes great films and he’s a great Batman, Geoff Johns certainly is a really fun guy to hang around with and has a great grasp on this steering wheel that is the Titanic of the DCEU,” added the actor, perhaps ‘Titanic” not being the best choice of words. “Knowing what they have planned for the future, I think fans are really gonna love.”
In The Batman, Ben Affleck will face off as the title hero against Joe Manganiello, who will play Slade Wilson, aka Deathstroke, in the film. Additional appearances by Jeremy Irons as Alfred and J.K. Simmons as Commissioner Gordon are expected to happen as well.
Matt Reeves (Cloverfield, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes) will direct the film. An official release date for The Batman, written by Affleck and Geoff Johns, hasn’t been set. Affleck will next appear as Batman in Justice League, opening in theaters on November 17. You can view photos from that film in the gallery below.
