Joe Manganiello, known for his portrayal of Deathstroke in the DC Extended Universe, has spoken out about the cancellation of Ben Affleck's planned Batman film. While Manganiello only appeared as the character in a post-credit scene for 2017's Justice League, the prospect of a standalone film was a significant one for the actor.
Discussing the film's cancellation, Manganiello told Entertainment Tonight, "I lost my mind when that happened." The role was particularly meaningful to him, as he was grappling with an autoimmune disease at the time, and preparing for the part served as a vital source of motivation. "I took me being offered that role as the villain of Batman as the universe saying it’s gonna be okay," he explained. "And when it went away, I didn’t have that to fight for anymore."
While initially viewing the situation as unfortunate, Manganiello has since gained perspective. He now sees the experience as a learning opportunity, stating, "I came to understand through the full journey was that I was lucky to get it. It was never meant to be for me. It was there to make sure I didn’t stop fighting."
Ben Affleck himself has previously detailed his negative experiences working on Justice League and his struggles with the development of the solo Batman film, which he was initially set to direct. The actor has shared that friends expressed concerns he might "drink himself to death" if he continued with the project. He eventually stepped away from directing, with Matt Reeves taking over and developing a new Batman film starring Robert Pattinson.
Despite the unfulfilled potential of Affleck's Batman and Manganiello's Deathstroke, the actor still holds a strong connection to the character. He keeps a helmet from his time playing Deathstroke in his office, calling it "the greatest achievement of my life." With James Gunn now ushering in a new DC Universe, including a planned Deathstroke and Bane film titled Savage Hunters, Manganiello remains open to the possibility of reprising the role, stating, "You want a warrior? You know who to call."