Last week, Ben Affleck took the unusual step of letting slip a teasing hint about the future of his stand-alone Batman film via Twitter, putting up a video of the villain Deathstroke, albeit one in his costume who didn't speak. Now we know who will be filling the suit in future appearances as The Wall Street Journal has learned that Magic Mike's Joe Manganiello (who had previously been rumoured) has the role.
DC Entertainment President and chief creative officer Geoff Johns let slip the casting information in an interview, though he refused to comment on whether Deathstroke will first show up in next year's Justice League before causing problems for Affleck's Bruce Wayne in the promised Batman outing.
Created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez, Deathstroke first appeared in Teen Titans #2 in 1980. Slade Wilson (as his family knows him) is an assassin and a mercenary, and while he's more often found in the Green Arrow's rogue's gallery – and has turned up on the DC TV series – he has crossed Batman's path several times. Their memorable first meeting was in a 1991 Deathstroke comic story arc titled City Of Assassins, where he beat the Dark Knight to a pulp. Charming.
The Bat-film doesn't have an official schedule slot yet, but Justice League is headed our way on November 17 next year.