Before Robert Pattinson was cast to play a young Bruce Wayne inThe Batman, Ben Affleck had originally been intending to direct his own film starring the Caped Crusader, where he would have continued to play the character for the DC Cinematic Universe. Plans changed, however, and now that Affleck seems set to depart from the role soon, some interesting details are leaking out about what his particular Batman film might have looked like, and it seems Batgirl would have played a role.
Many fans no doubt keep a close eye on Zack Snyder’s media presence to learn more about his phase of the DC Universe, but the latest tidbits actually come from one of his close acquaintances,Deathstroke actor Joe Manganiello,who made his first appearance as the character in 2017’sJustice League. The actor revealed during an interview on ComicBook’s Twitch stream that his version of Deathstroke would have been quite the foe for Batman and that Affleck’s version of the character would have to get some help from a surprise guest star.
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Most versions of Deathstrokeportray him as an assassin or mercenary whose skills are so impressive they rival even Batman himself, and it seems this film would’ve been no different. As he hunts down the caped crusader, it would quickly become clear that this was one rival that posed a serious threat: “it was like a real psychological thriller where Deathstroke was kind of like a … horror movie villain, like a shark, kind of like Jaws.”
Eventually, in his desperation to defeat Deathstroke, running from him at every turn, there is one final showdown, where Manganiello says last-minute reprieve arrives in the form of Batgirl: “Batgirl jumps in to attempt to help Bruce because Deathstroke is so fast that he can anticipate Bruce’s movements.” While the actor didn’t expand much further, it does seem as though Affleck’s Batman movie was intended to introduce the character tothe DC Extended Universevia this surprise team-up.
It’s not clear whether Batgirl, presumably theBarbara Gordon version of the character, would have been a significant presence or a sudden cameo, but it likely would have tied into theBatgirlfilm which is supposedly still in development at Warner Bros. Now theBatgirlfilm will likely have to introduce the character itself unless some twist of fate brings her into another DC film in the near future.
It’s a difficult prediction to make, as most characters in the DC films, including Manganiello’s Deathstroke, are in a state of uncertainty regarding who will return and who will be recast going forward. Until more definitive statements are made, it’s at least interesting to hear the original vision and consider what the long-term plans might have been.
The Batmanis scheduled to be released in theaters on August 11, 2025.
