James Gunn recently provided an exciting update on the future of Slade Wilson, AKA Deathstroke, in the DCU franchise, which he co-leads with Peter Safran. The character has a long history in the comics and has been adapted multiple times for various mediums, including movies.
James Gunn confirms plans for Deathstroke in DC Universe
The filmmaker recently corroborated that there are plans for Deathstroke’s future in the DCU.
While responding to a fan’s query on Threads about whether James Gunn had any ideas on how Deathstroke could work in the DCU and if there are any plans at all for the character, the director of the upcoming Superman movie posted, “Yes and yes.”
This confirmation comes following the announcement of an untitled Bane and Deathstroke movie in September 2024. The project is currently in development as part of the DCU, with Matthew Orton attached to the project as screenwriter.
Deathstroke was created by Marv Wolfman (writer) and George Pérez (artist). He made his first appearance in the second issue of The New Teen Titans, published in December 1980. At the time, the character went by the moniker Deathstroke the Terminator. Over the years, Deathstroke has become a prominent antagonistic figure in DC Comics.
The animated rendition of the character has appeared in Teen Titans (2003-2006) and various other projects. An original live-action iteration named Earl Gregg (Antonio Sabàto Jr.) was part of a brief storyline in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1993-1997). Slade Wilson’s Deathstroke appeared in Smallville (2001-2011), Titans (2018-2023), and Arrow (2012-2024).
The last show also featured several other versions of Deathstroke besides Wilson. The only live-action cinematic version of the character, portrayed by Joe Manganiello, appeared in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) movie Justice League (2017) and Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021).
Earlier this year, Manganiello told ComicBook.com that he was unlikely to return as Deathstroke. As of November 2024, it’s unclear who will play the character in the DCU. However, considering Gunn’s recent post, Deathstroke might be part of a larger DCU storyline beyond his team-up movie with Bane.
