There exists an alternate universe where Zack Snyder was able to release his version of “Justice League” back in 2017 and all those films he set up in the epilogues that we now have seen would have been made and released. One of those films that are set up is a “Batman” film that was going to be written and directed by Ben Affleck, with Joe Manganiello serving as the villain, Deathstroke. Of course, we live in this reality, and that BatFleck feature never got made. But according to Joe Manganiello, it would have been a pretty wild, unique “Batman” feature.
Talking to the Phase Zero podcast (via ComicBookMovie.com), Joe Manganiello continued to talk about his flirtation with DCEU films and what might have gone into the “Batman” film that Ben Affleck was working on before he hung up the cowl. At the time, when the film was on track, it was revealed that Manganiello’s Deathstroke would have been the villain that goes up against Batman. And as revealed in “Zack Snyder’s Justice League,” Deathstroke would have been made aware of Batman’s secret identity. But that’s not the only surprise that fans would have seen in the film. Manganiello explained that there would have been at least one other Bat-Family character and the film would have felt more like a horror film.
“There was like a big huge showdown, I think between Batgirl…Batgirl jumps in to try and help Bruce because Deathstroke is so fast,” Manganiello said. “He can anticipate Bruce’s movements.”
The actor explained that Deathstroke is a worthy nemsis for Batman because the Caped Crusader has finally “met someone who can take him.”
He added, “That leads to this big climactic battle through the streets of Gotham in the end. It’s like a real-life psychological thriller with Deathstroke. He was like a horror movie, like a shark, kind of like ‘Jaws.’”
Previously, we heard Manganiello compare the film to David Fincher’s “The Game.” And now, knowing the secret identity angle, that makes a lot of sense. While WB has clearly moved on with Matt Reeves directing a new ‘Batman’ film with Robert Pattinson in the cape and cowl, there’s no denying that the more we hear about Ben Affleck’s aborted film, the more it sounds pretty damn interesting.
Alas, it’s never to happen, but Affleck is supposed to show up as Batman one more time in “The Flash,” and if you’re a fan of the character, the next solo film, “The Batman,” is set to arrive in theaters on March 4, 2022.