Affleck’s Cancelled Batman Film Would Have Had Deathstroke Ruin Batman’s Life, Memoir Shows

Ben Affleck’s planned Batman movie—where he would have served as writer, director, producer and star—was set to feature Deathstroke systematically destroying Batman’s world, Joe Manganiello disclosed in his memoir Bloodlines. ## What Happened The plot would have tricked Deathstroke into believing Batman killed his son, sparking a revenge campaign that included murdering Commissioner Gordon, holding Alfred Pennyworth hostage and breaking into the Batcave. A showdown would see Deathstroke nearly kill both Batman and Batgirl before the heroes escaped on an above‑ground train, leading to a final one‑on‑one battle through Gotham’s streets. ## Reaction Manganiello, who first played Deathstroke in 2017’s Justice League, praised Affleck’s previous work and noted the director’s workload felt “a lot” for one person, to which Affleck reassured him, “You’re in good hands.” The project never moved forward. Later, Affleck appeared on the Happy Sad Confused podcast and called the Justice League reshoots the low point of his career, citing personal tragedy and studio clashes, while expressing gratitude that Zack Snyder’s cut was released. ## Context Deathstroke is a major DC supervillain known for his tactical skill and lethal abilities. Affleck’s ambition to combine writing, directing and starring roles is rare in big‑budget superhero films, which often separate those duties among multiple creatives.