TheWrap reports that director Gareth Evans, whose credits include action darlings The Raid: Redemption and its sequel The Raid 2, is in talks to write and direct a movie centered around the mercenary Deathstroke for Warner Bros. Pictures.
Joe Manganiello is set to star in the film as Slade Wilson, the one eye’d, gun-toting, sword-swinging killer for hire. Manganiello was attached to appear as the character in this year’s Justice League, but it remains to be seen if he made the final cut of the film. He was also supposed to be the main antagonist of Ben Affleck’s Batman solo film, but plans for the feature changed after director Matt Reeves boarded the project.
Created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, Deathstroke is a famous mercenary in the world of DC Comics who has gone toe-to-toe with the Dark Knight on multiple occasions and actually beaten him in hand-to-hand combat more than once. A masterful assassin who has enhanced reflexes and strength, Deathstroke remains one of the most deadly people in the DCU despite being an old man.
The future of the DCEU is currently scheduled with Justice League set to debut November 17, Aquaman on December 21, 2018, Shazam! on April 5, 2019, and Wonder Woman 2 on December 13, 2019. Several release dates with unconfirmed titles have also been announced by the studio, such as June 14, 2019, November 1, 2019, February 14, 2020, April 3, 2020, and more. Which, if any, of those dates Deathstroke lands on the release calendar remains to be seen.
