Summary
Now that James Gunn is relaunching the DCU, there are plenty of plots and characters that will get their own movies or television shows that the DCEU could never realize. One of the more popular characters in DC Comics that many feel was never treated properly (at least outside of the Arrowverse) isDeathstroke. While the character also appeared in Max’sTitans, he didn’t really seem like he had enough to do. It appears that’s about to change now that the DCEU is in the rear view mirror.
Thefact that a movie centeringonDeathstrokeand Bane is just one of the reasons why DCU fans should be excited. It would seem that audiences are finally getting a project that will really allow the enigmatic masked man to stretch his wings. He won’t just be a villain of the week type character. He could in fact, end up taking the baton from Deadpool, who we’ve likely seen the last of for a little while and running with it. While Deathstroke isn’t the DCU’s “merc with the mouth,” he could be a character who is quite similar, with a little less humor and a little more gray area.
Deathstroke The More Serious Deadpool?
The originalDeadpoolcould actually be a decent roadmap for howDeathstrokecould work in the DCU.While the hero’s alter ego, Wade Wilson wasn’t a bad guy, persay, he made sure that he also wasn’t seen as “the good guy.” He was in fact a mercenary who would kill or maim or scare anyone who paid him the right amount of money. And while he had some morals and values, he definitely wasn’t a hero by any stretch of the imagination. It’s what made that first Deadpool movie fun. The character was indeed an antihero. He made it clear he didn’t want to join the X-Men or anyone else.
The character was indeed an antihero. He made it clear he didn’t want to join the X-Men or anyone else.
The same could be said forDeadpool 2, especially when he chased off the kid who looked up to him to the point where he essentially created a murderous super-villain. It wasn’t until theend of that movie andDeadpool & Wolverinethat Wilson went from being an antihero to a superhero, even actively trying to join the Avengers.
Deathstroke could follow a similar road, without the goofiness of Deadpool that is exclusive to the Marvel character. Deathstroke is in fact similar to Deadpool in several ways, including his real name being Slade Wilson. The pair’s suits look a little bit alike, though Deathstroke is usually seen as being in armor, more than spandex.
There are versions of the DC Comics character where he isn’t “evil” persay. He’s not similar to the Joker or the Riddler who are constantly trying to hatch plots that will kill as many innocent people as possible. He’s just someone who is paid to do a job and won’t allow anyone to get in his way before it’s finished. In that regard, the Deathstroke inTitansis one of the best depictions.He’s someone who is trying to providefor his family, has a special set of skills, and knows the best way to use those skills is as a mercenary.
Put that sort of Deathstroke in a movie or television show tied to the DCU and it’s a recipe for winning over viewers. Don’t make him someone who is always cracking jokes and breaking the fourth wall and it might even be more successful because it offers DC fans the same basic formula who is different enough to be worth watching. Especially considering that the latestDeadpoolfilm indicates that themovie-going public is getting a little tiredof his antics.
Could Bane vs Deathstroke Be On The Horizon?
With the argument that the DCEUnever did Deathstroke justice, it would appear this upcoming movie with the two Batman villains front and center could offer the perfect vehicle. The idea of the story focusing on two villains was already rather groundbreaking. But what could really make this movie something special is if it pits the two villains against each other.
It’s not yet known how the Bane & Deathstroke movie will play out.
DCEU and Marvel movies tend to have very specific roadmaps and that is the good guy enters and stops the bad guy at some point. But if the Bane andDeathstrokemovie could change the calculations a little bit, it could have a movie that would be quite popular and show that an anti-hero can really work in modern media.Perhaps Bane is just going a little too far. Maybe Slade Wilson got offered more money by the other side. Whatever the reason, it seems as though a true mercenary who can be likeable, even if he’s not exactly good, would be popular among comic book movie viewers. And it could definitely be used to launch a new franchise that goes in a different direction from other films in its genre.
