Summary

James Gunn may have confirmed that a major Justice League villain is set to join theDC Universe. A new era of DC movies and TV shows is on its way asGunn’s DC Universeis currently in the works following the conclusion of the DCEU in 2023. With various films and series being developed, it will also introduce new versions of various heroes and villains from the DC canon.

In a comment on an Instagram post byGunn, a fan asked to"please wink if you have plans for Deathstroke, I am waiting for my boy to shine for so long.“It didn’t take long for Gunn to reply with a winking emoji,seemingly confirming that Slade Wilson will be part of the new DC Universe.

James Gunn Confirms Deathstroke Coming To The DC Universe

The last time Deathstroke was seen on the big screen was as part ofthe DCEU movie timeline, in which he was played by Joe Manganiello. It doesn’t appear that Manganiello will be brought back to play a new version of Deathstroke, especially as he was told by Gunn to let go of Deathstroke when several plans didn’t come to fruition.

Recasting Deathstroke For The DC Universe: 8 Actors Who Could Replace Joe Manganiello

The DC Universe will see some new actors as old characters, and Deathstroke is a role that will likely be recast, with a few great choices available.

Where Deathstroke Could Show Up First In James Gunn’s DC Universe

He Could Be A Villain In A Few Announced Projects

While there are a lot ofDC Universe Chapter 1 projectsthat could include Deathstroke, it would make the most sense to introduce him as part ofDC Universe’sTeen Titansmovie. In the comics, Deathstroke is one of the primary antagonists of the Teen Titans. While the team hasn’t been explored on the big screen, the Teen Titans got their spotlight through the live-action TV showTitanson Max, which tackled the war against Deathstroke.

With a villain as dangerous as Deathstroke, he would be a great antagonist in theTeen Titansfilm. However, even if he starts out as part of theTeen Titansfranchise, it could set up Slade to appear in other DC Universe movies and TV shows. While he is likely not inThe Brave and The Boldmovie,Teen Titanscould serve as a launchpad for him to eventually star in a sequel.

Split image of Joe Maganiello’s Deathstroke and actor Stephen Lang in Avatar

Whenever DC Studios gets around to doing aJustice Leaguemovie, it would be fun to see Deathstroke be part of a villainous group against the heroes. As disappointing as it was to see the DCEU waste Deathstroke, Gunn’s DC Universe is clearly looking to make up for it. But for now, theDC Universeaudience will have to remain patient until Gunn reveals more details about Deathstroke’s cinematic reimagination.

DC Universe

The DC Universe is one of the biggest comic book franchises and often competes with Marvel. DC Comics started as National Allied Publications, founded by Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson in 1935. Since then, the franchise has exploded with thousands of comic books, movies, TV shows, and video games. 2013 marked the beginning of the most recent iteration of the superheroes, with Zack Snyder introducing Henry Cavill as Superman. After several movies with mixed reviews, DC underwent a soft reboot under the helm of James Gunn and Peter Safran.

DC FanDome Poster