Of all the characters to bring over into a new version of the DC cinematic universe, Deathstroke may seem like an odd choice. However, Joe Manganiello has friends in high places, namely the new co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn. In April 2018, Gunn posted about this friendship on Facebook, “My friend Joe Manganiello turned me onto D&D for the first time in many years. I’ve had a blast playing — all without ever having to look at a screen.”
Furthermore, Gunn was asked on X in 2022 if there were any plans for Deathstroke to join the DCU, to which Gunn replied, “Could be…” That response is fairly cryptic, and even if Deathstroke does appear in some capacity, there’s no guarantee Manganiello would be the one in the mask. But Gunn is known for hiring his friends, even across franchises. After all, Nathan Fillion will play the Green Lantern Guy Gardner in Gunn’s upcoming “Superman: Legacy,” and those two have worked together on several projects in the past, including “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “The Suicide Squad.” Perhaps Gunn will throw his buddy Manganiello a bone and let him actually swing those blades.
This is all purely speculation. There’s a very good chance Manganiello shared the Lego because he thought it looked cool and nothing more. But given how good Manganiello looks in the Deathstroke outfit, we’re betting many DC fans wouldn’t mind seeing him suit up at least once more.
