During Zack Snyder's Full Circle Justice League event, Ben Affleck shared details about his cancelled Batman solo film, including the original plan for its antagonist.
Prior to Robert Pattinson's upcoming The Batman, Affleck was slated to write, direct, and star in his own standalone film within the DCEU.
Among the abandoned ideas for this project was actor Joe Manganiello's portrayal of the comic book villain Deathstroke.
While audiences were never able to witness Affleck's take on the Dark Knight's adversary, he recently provided fans with insight into what might have been.
Ben Affleck Discusses Abandoned Plans for Batman's Villain
During a Full Circle event panel for Zack Snyder's Justice League, Ben Affleck was asked about his vision for the villain Deathstroke, prompting the actor to discuss his approach to crafting compelling villains for the big screen.
According to Affleck, his plans for the Batman movie involved creating complex, nuanced characters, particularly Deathstroke. He expressed his preference for either a single, formidable villain or a group of villains like those in the Injustice comics.
Affleck had already revealed his intentions for Deathstroke back in 2016, but studio plans changed before the release of Justice League in 2017.
However, Deathstroke did make an appearance in Justice League's post-credits scene and in Zack Snyder's Justice League.
In the comics, Deathstroke is a highly skilled soldier named Slade Wilson who underwent secret experimentation and acquired superhuman abilities, making him a deadly mercenary with a unique suit and a reputation for using strategy and psychological tactics against his foes.
Regarding Affleck's own approach to Deathstroke, the Justice League actor explained how he aimed to showcase the character's impressive qualities:
"At the time, I was really trying to focus on honing and developing that character, delving into the details to make him as impressive as possible. That's all the information I have for you."
Is Deathstroke Still Part of DC's Future?
When Ben Affleck was still attached to direct and star in his Batman film, he explained to Collider why he wanted Deathstroke as his antagonist, stating, "I just had an instinctive feeling that he would match up with him well:"
"He's a great villain because—I just had an instinctive feeling that he would match up with him well. You know, I'm a big admirer of that character as well, especially in the New 52 the way that they did Deathstroke, and I thought that it could work."
The idea of two tactical opponents battling each other was a fresh concept for Batman films at that time. This idea is somewhat echoed in Matt Reeves' The Batman where Robert Pattinson's Caped Crusader uses detective work to challenge his adversary both physically and mentally.
With so many Batman projects in development, Deathstroke could still have a future in the new DC Universe.
As for Ben Affleck, he will reprise his role as the Dark Knight in The Flash, set to hit theaters on Friday, June 16.
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