credit: DCEU
The fan reaction to the DCEU has been varied since the franchise started, and there are plenty of reasons why this has happened. One among them is that a lot of fans wanted to see several more characters that were not properly introduced and brought to the big screen for longer than a few minutes. One of those, in particular, was Deathstroke, aka Slade Wilson, who still stands out as one of the deadliest assassins in comic book history, be it DC or Marvel or any other publication. Fans were primed and ready to see this character emerge when the Justice League appeared ready to go full tilt. Unfortunately, once it was made clear that the Justice League was not the standout hit that it was meant to be, Joe Manganiello’s appearance as Wilson became a cruel tease that fans could only lament, especially when he was brought back for a short appearance in Zack Snyder’s original attempt at bringing the JL to life. Thinking that James Gunn is teasing when he states that it’s possible that Wilson might be a part of the DCU is easy enough, but many fans are no doubt hoping that this will be revealed as more than a tease.
credit: DCEU
Deathstroke should have been utilized before now.
More than a few fans will no doubt agree with this sentiment, but while Deathstroke was used in Arrow far more extensively, he’s barely been used in the movies for one reason or another. There is likely a solid reason why things have happened this way, but many fans don’t want to hear it. Taking a look back at the movies that have been released, though, it feels fair to state that Deathstroke might have been too much or not enough for the fans to accept since placing him with the likes of Superman and Wonder Woman does feel as though it would have made him look ineffective. But had he been placed in a movie with Batman, it’s very likely that he could have been the type of villain that Batman, the Flash, and even Aquaman might not have been able to anticipate. Fans would have their own history to draw on with the comic books, but bringing this character to the big screen in a bigger way feels as though it would have been tough to balance.
Who to use for this character feels like it could cause a backlash.
Manu Bennett probably wouldn’t be the first choice for this character since he played a part in the CW version. But Joe Manganiello, who is still in his 40s, might be the right person to place in the role once again. As it’s been mentioned, he hasn’t been given a full chance to show what he can do since the two small appearances he’s been given weren’t nearly enough to showcase the capabilities of this character on the big screen. But if the desire is to go back to the drawing board and show younger versions of the many characters that are being set to bring the DCU to life, it might be that Joe will find that, like Henry Cavill, he’ll be remembered, but won’t be asked to come back. That would likely create a great deal of backlash that would come from the fans since they’ve voiced their support for Joe without fail.
credit: Arrow
Which movie should Deathstroke appear in?
This is another tough decision to make in regard to this character since Slade could possibly make his way into one movie or another, and it would make perfect sense. This character has had a lot to do with plenty of DC characters, and as a top-tier assassin, he’s learned how to take on several different opponents with a number of different techniques and methods that have been devised over the years. Trying to find out who would be the best matchup isn’t impossible or even difficult. Trying to form a movie around that thought would be the tough part since unless the movie is bound to be about Slade, which is doubtful, the character would need to be crafted in a manner that would not allow him to overpower the protagonist.
There is the question of whether this character will last for more than one movie.
The instant answer is that, of course, Deathstroke will last for more than one movie since he’s a versatile character that can be used in many different stories. But owing to the age of the favored actor for this role and the desire of the CEOs to reboot the franchise, it could be possible that Deathstroke might not last more than one movie. The success of the DCU is dependent on many factors, not the least of which is whether each character will be well-liked by the audience.
